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Lawton: Vinny Not Going Anywhere

The Associated Press

Lecavalier has an 11-year, $85 million contract extension with a no-movement clause that kicks in July 1.

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune
and MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 23, 2009

TAMPA - With Tampa Bay spending the next week in Canada, trade rumors are sure to run rampant as the March 4 trade deadline approaches.

But Vinny Lecavalier's name won't be at the forefront.

In his boldest statement in his short tenure as Lightning general manager, Brian Lawton may very well have put an end to any lingering rumors surrounding Lecavalier by stating the Tampa Bay captain won't be going anywhere, as far as he's concerned.

"We're not going to trade Vinny Lecavalier,'' Lawton said Monday. "I'm going to say, 'never,' so I don't have to deal with it.''

While talk of Tampa Bay trading its longest-tenured player has never truly dissipated – and this won't completely put an end to internet rumors that fuel website traffic – Lawton was emphatic about the team's plans for Lecavalier, who has an 11-year, $85 million contract extension with a no-movement clause that kicks in July 1. Lecavalier's current deal does not include a no-trade.

"I'll say never right now,'' Lawton said Monday, before the team departed for a three-game road trip to western Canada. "You can usually say you should never say never, but because people have taken such liberties with that whole deal, we never shopped Vinny Lecavalier. Did people ask about him? Of course. Who wouldn't? Were we actively calling teams? No. We never did and we never will.

"Let's leave it at that, so I don't have to answer any questions.''

It doesn't mean Lawton won't be busy leading up to the trade deadline. In fact, the rookie GM could be among the busiest in the coming week.

With veterans such as Mark Recchi, Gary Roberts and Marek Malik – each of whom could add valuable depth to a playoff team – Tampa Bay has assets to move. At 20-28-12, the Lightning are out of the postseason race in the Eastern Conference.

"I think we'll be pretty active because of our situation,'' Lawton said. "We've got some real good veteran players capable of helping teams down the stretch. I think people are going to have interest in them. The clock is ticking and we have until a week from Wednesday to make some decisions." The clock is ticking and we have until a week from Wednesday to make some decisions.

Recchi said the players won't feel any tension despite the looming deadline.

"Things will be pretty magnified because we'll be in Canada, but the guys in the room are pretty loose,'' he said. "We don't know what is going to happen, and anything can happen. But we are going to play for each other and we are going to play for our coaching staff. We don't know what is going to happen, and anything can happen, but we are going to play for each other and we are going to play for our coaching staff. With what we've been through this year, this is just another day, so we are going to enjoy each other.''

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835. Reporter Martin Fennelly can be reached at (813) 259-7352.

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