Close-knit group or not, the Tampa Bay Lightning still need a lot of work.

In Boston Wednesday night, while no one can argue that the Lightning fell flat – not while putting up 40 shots and plenty of scoring chances – the end result was still a disheartening 4-1 loss.

Overly disturbing is the fact that, as of last Friday, the Bolts looked to be on the verge of busting out after a 5-1 walloping of the visiting New York Rangers. A physical contest throughout, the Ranger game looked to be a sign that this team, though they had already had some modest success this season, was ready to take the next step by putting together a string of consistent, top-notch efforts and really hit their stride on their way up the standings.

It was the type of game the Tampa Bay Lightning need to play on a night-to-night basis.

It also happened to be a game in which Vincent Lecavalier was a true force, something that has not happened nearly enough this season.

With 21 points in 26 games, it isn’t as though Vinny is having a horrible season. He’s contributed fairly consistently points-wise and, though a 16-goal pace for a guy who averages 31 per season is a bit of a red flag, a toned-down Vincent Lecavalier is still better than most players in this league.

Still, the Lightning need more from their captain.

They need the guy with the 60-minute snarl on his face – and it can’t just show up when John Tortorella is in the building.

They need the determined Lecavalier – the player who wills his way to ever-important goals and other momentum-shifting plays – on a game-by-game basis.

They need his physical presence as well as his offensive output, they need to be able to play him in all situations and they need him to lead by example.

They need Vinny Lecavalier to be an impact player.

Right now, he isn’t even close.

It isn’t right to pin any one loss or any single losing streak on one player, naturally. Of late, Martin St. Louis and Alex Tanguay have struggled offensively as well and Steven Stamkos – the driving force behind this team so far this season – has been careless with the puck in the offensive zone on multiple occasions. And the Bolts certainly have deficiencies elsewhere too.

But by virtue of his captaincy, on the laurels of both what he has meant to this club in the past and on what he truly can be and (oh, by the way) because of that gargantuan 11-year, $85-million dollar contract, the Tampa Bay Lightning have every right to expect more out of their flickering star.

That “lifetime” agreement between player and team will soon become exhibit A in the people vs. Lecavalier – it is already a whisper in the conversation – and rightfully so. Soon enough, even the most staunch Lecavalier apologist will have to recognize that the net return of the trade that wasn’t would have been far more valuable than the player himself (assuming, of course, he continues on this ho-hum pace). But the Lightning missed out on the opportunity to cash that chip in and, even if they consider the option again, it will never be as good as it very well could have been. (Few know specifics but the reality is that it was, at one point in time, one hell of a haul indeed.)

Pinpointing his on-ice issues this year is no easy task. No logical theory that has crossed my mind makes perfect sense. He isn’t hurt and he doesn’t appear to be hiding any sort of unknown injury. Presumably, his days of worrying about and dealing with trade rumors are over, so that can’t be a distraction. Surely, he can’t be the type of player to hit it big with a monster contract and, well, Yashin it, can he? (Though it does take on that look at times.) And, deep down, he couldn’t have wantedout, right?

The only reasoning that has clicked to me to this point is that maybe, after two seasons chock full of injuries and off-ice diversions, Lecavalier subconsciously learned to play a tentative game to protect both his body as well as future interests. Maybe he’s had a hard time breaking out of that mindset, now injury and distraction-free.

It’s a stretch, yes, but it’s all we’re left with.

The Lightning may now be Steven Stamkos’ team – earlier than expected, perhaps, though the sophomore undoubtedly already stirs Tampa Bay’s drink – but they simply need more from their captain.

Far more than goals and points, they need that game-changing presence of the total package that he once brought to the table.

For a time, Vincent Lecavalier was one of a handful of special players in the National Hockey League that had it in him at any moment to take over a game, put his team on his back and will them to victory. If that time has passed, then Tampa Bay goofed mightily, first in inking him to such a lengthy and binding pact and once again by not moving him when they could have.

If not – if this is truly just a temporary lull in an otherwise stellar career – then I suppose that, eventually, he will get better.

For the Tampa Bay Lightning, that can’t happen soon enough.

JJ

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