Lecavalier still drives the Lightning
The photo features the lanky Lecavalier
taking on Calgary Flames power forward Jarome Iginla in Game 3 of the 2004
Stanley Cup final. Most will tell you Iginla won the battle but Lecavalier won
the war, as he sent the message that he was no longer a kid phenom and that he
and his Bolts would be pushed around no more.
Fast-forward seven years
and Lecavalier has a few more miles on his tires and Steven Stamkos is taking
his share of the spotlight, but there's no question who drives the
Lightning.
"Vinny's a great captain. When he's not there we miss his
presence. Last year he was gone for about a month and when he came back we
really took off," said Lightning coach Guy Boucher. "If you want your team to
buy in and play defence first, it has to start at the top. His mind is in the
right place. His game is complete and last year after Christmas he inspired our
whole team with is effort backchecking. Consequently, after Christmas we were
great on defence and got the results we wanted. Ronnie
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"
Lecavalier is in his 13th NHL season and
after 944 games has scored 355 goals and added 445 assists.
With a
Stanley Cup, World Cup gold medal and Olympic gold medal already on his resume
at the age of 31 and with lots of hockey before him, the Hall of Fame will
likely be calling some day. Brandon
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The focus in Tampa not too long ago was on keeping
the team afloat and Lecavalier, who is in the third year of an 11-year US $
85-million contract, appeared to be in hockey hell with no hope of reaching the
heights he'd seen early in his career.
But an ownership change that saw
Jeff Vinik purchase the team and pump cash and organizational talent such as GM
Steve Yzerman and Boucher into the franchise has Lecavalier thriving once
again.
"Mr. Vinik has given $ 40 million to charities and pumped I don't
know how much into the building and it's not even his. He's got Steve Yzerman
and Brandon
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Guy Boucher. It's a world-class organization and I'm
really proud to be part of it, "said Lecavalier, who scored the winning
power-play goal Friday night to give him five on Jamaal
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the year and eight points through 11
games.
"I've always loved Tampa and we've had some ups and downs here.
But when you win a Cup and are in one place for 13 years, for me, it's special
to put the jersey on and be part of it. Now , with the direction we're in, it's
a plus. Players will be looking over at Tampa and wanting to come here.
"
Lecavalier and Martin Chad Henne
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St. Louis appeared headed for great things after winning the
Cup in 2004, but then ownership follies put their talent on hold. Vinik's
ownership has made the Lightning relevant once again in the NHL.
"We
believe in our team and we believe in our system and that's the most important
thing," said Lecavalier. "A lot of people didn't believe we could make the
playoffs last year, but we believed in ourselves and our system and look where
it got us (Eastern final), "he said." I've always said consistency is the most
important thing, individually and as a team. Last year, we'd lose one or two and
then win four or five. We wouldn't take no for an answer. "
With Yzerman,
a former captain, Hall of Famer and Cup winner, heading up the organization,
Lecavalier says there's no cheating as a player.
"You have to be
accountable. You have to lead by example and that's something my coach says all
the time. He says, 'it starts with you.' Steve and Guy can see that. It's good
for the whole organization to have that kind of leadership because we all have
to try and live up to it. "