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Both sides make a move in Lecavalier negotiations

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 29, 2001

TAMPA -- There has been movement in contract negotiations between 21-year-old captain Vinny Lecavalier and the Lightning, though the sides remain far apart.

Tampa Bay apparently has increased its offer to three years, $6-million. Lecavalier's side has proposed three years at about $9.45-million.

The original offers were three years, $5.35-million from the Lightning; two years, $6.3-million from Lecavalier.

Both offers buy out a year of Lecavalier's arbitration rights, which would kick in after five pro seasons and conceivably raise his salary.

"We have agreed to extend our two-year proposal to three years under the same terms, which sacrifices a year of arbitration," agent Kent Hughes said Friday. "I have since communicated to them a willingness to be more flexible than that but it has to be a two-way street."

Lecavalier, Hughes and general manager Rick Dudley are scheduled to meet Tuesday in Montreal. Dudley said Tampa Bay e-mailed several new offers to Hughes.

"I just think it's a good opportunity to sit with Vinny and tell them it is business," Dudley said. "I don't want any misconceptions that the player is not very valuable to us. We're a much better team than we were a year ago. We're a much better team with him on it."

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