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Lecavalier Trade Talk Dismissed

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 10, 2009

Updated: 01/10/2009 01:11 am

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Even with what amounts to a lifetime contract, the on-again trade rumors involving Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier refuse to go away.

With unsourced talk around the NHL the Lightning are in financial trouble, it has led some rumor mongers to speculate Tampa Bay will trade Lecavalier and his 11-year, $85 million contract - which pays him $10 million per season for the first seven years of the contract - before his no-movement clause kicks in July 1.

"I've been hearing a lot of the trade talk out there, but I was assured by Lightning owner Oren Koules within the last hour that it's nothing more than speculation and rumors and there's absolutely nothing to it," agent Kent Hughes told TSN late Friday.

"Vinny Lecavalier fully expects to be a Tampa Bay Lightning for life and no one from ownership or management in Tampa Bay has given us any reason to believe otherwise."

VACATION TIME OVER: If the Lightning's three days in the desert felt like too much of a vacation, Coach Rick Tocchet said those days are over after a 3-2 setback to Phoenix on Thursday.

"If the guys can't be men, maybe we need to start treating them like kids," he said. "So we are really going to have to start really tying the knot to them more. Maybe I'm the idiot for giving them too much rope, but that's done."

LONG TIME COMING: When Lightning D Andrej Meszaros opened the scoring in Thursday's loss to Phoenix, he went to his knees and pointed both hands skyward in relief. It was his first goal in 61 games, ending a scoring drought that went back to Feb. 21, against Columbus.

"It felt great, but like I said before, it only matters if we win the game, and then it doesn't matter who scores," he said. "For me, that goal didn't really count because we lost."

NUTS AND BOLTS: C Paul Szczechura returned to the lineup Friday after missing two games with a leg injury. ... RW Marty St. Louis scored his 27th career short-handed goal in the first period. ... LW David Koci said he is ready to return from a broken hand, and he's just waiting to hear when/if he will get the call.

Erik Erlendsson

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