Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Lecavalier's group, team to meet today

"This is a real push to get it done,'' team president Ron Campbell says.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 3, 2001

The real meeting happens today.

Lecavalier

That breakfast gathering Tuesday in Montreal between Lightning holdout Vinny Lecavalier, agent Kent Hughes and general manager Rick Dudley was just an appetizer for the main course in Tampa. Hughes and Mitch Frankel, president of Impact Sports, the Boca Raton firm that represents Lecavalier, are flying in to meet with Lightning president Ron Campbell and assistant general manager Jay Feaster.

It will be the most intense effort yet to craft a contract for Lecavalier, a restricted free agent and Tampa Bay's 21-year-old captain.

"This," Campbell said, "is a real push to get it done. It's time to get it done. It's a process, but it's time to start playing hockey."

The key might be getting Campbell and Frankel in the same room.

The two know each other and have negotiated contracts together. Frankel represented Vinnie Johnson and Kelly Tripucka when Campbell was vice president and chief financial officer for the Detroit Pistons, owned by the same company -- Palace Sports & Entertainment -- that owns the Lightning.

As Lightning president, Campbell speaks for ownership. And though Feaster negotiates Tampa Bay's contracts, it is ownership that sets the financial parameters from which he works.

"I know what latitude I have and what's reasonable," Campbell said.

Of his relationship with Frankel, he said, "We have a mutual respect. He's a bright guy, and he's well-respected. And I think he's a guy who tries to get things done. I think that's the goal.

Frankel could not be reached for comment, but Hughes said, "We have agreed to come to Tampa to sit down with Ron and Jay to see if there is something that can be done."

Publicly, the sides seem to be coming from opposite ends of the galaxy. The Lightning has offered a three-year, $6-million deal. Lecavalier's side has proposed three years, $9.45-million.

Tampa Bay e-mailed five additional offers to Hughes before Tuesday's meeting. But Dudley had said he was not going to Montreal to negotiate. And throughout the discussions at the Marriott Chateau Champlain hotel, he did not.

He told Lecavalier how much he was wanted by the organization. Lecavalier, who made $975,000 in base salary during his first three seasons in the league, told Dudley of his desire to play for the Lightning.

Lecavalier, who lives in Montreal, is skating daily at a training camp for area college players. He also works out two hours each morning.

"He looks like he's in great shape," Dudley said.

Of the meeting, Dudley said, "I think we clearly indicated that we really want the player signed and we're willing to commit a lot of dollars to do that. At some point, the pavement has to meet the road and a deal has to be worked out. I do think both sides want to get a deal done and get it done quickly."

Though Dudley said, "We came to the conclusion we're not quite as apart as people might believe," he would not say a deal is imminent.

"I do think optimistically about it, but I'm not going to sit here and tell you there's a deal ready to be signed. There isn't," he said. "They did say they are coming in. And they are anxious to get a deal done, and so are we. That's all I wanted to hear."

Neither Dudley nor Lecavalier will be at today's meeting. In a sense, their jobs are done as Tuesday's face-to-face helped prompt what both sides hope will be a breakthrough session.

"I think it was great," Lecavalier said of his talk with Dudley. "He told me he wanted me there and, of course, I want to be there. But it's about signing a contract. We have to get that out of the way."

"We feel we've been fair, but it's time to sit face to face and see if we can make more progress," Campbell said. "I think to properly characterize it, there's a willingness or desire to get a deal done, and their coming in is symbolic of that."

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright