COULD LECAVALIER FIT IN DALLAS?
Last summer, when the Tampa Bay Lightning used a compliance buyout on former franchise player Vincent Lecavalier, the Dallas Stars were rumored to be one of the teams in the hunt for his services. Ultimately, Lecavalier signed a five-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers.
The deal carries a $4.5 million per season cap hit and a total value of $22.5 million. The Flyers paid $10 of the value dollar value over the past year, combined between a $6 million base salary and a $4 million installment of an $8.5 million signing bonus.
One summer later, the Flyers and Lecavalier are looking to part ways. There have already been discussions between new Philadelphia general manager Ron Hextall and agent Kent Hughes about the player's willingness to waive his full no-movement clause. It is not known how many teams Lecavalier would be willing to be traded to nor whether Dallas would be on his list.
Lecavalier tallied 20 goals in a 2013-14 season where he dealt with back problems that limited him to 69 games played, he had trouble fitting in on any of the line combinations in which he was tried. The Flyers attempted to play the career-long center on both wings (primarily right) as well as second line center and fourth line center. He saw time on all four lines and never found much chemistry, especially at five-on-five play.
Lecavalier's defensive play has never been a particular strong suit. This past season, largely due to skating issues that often made him seem like he was struggling to keep up with the play, he had a very rough time when the puck wasn't on his stick. Although he still has some effective power moves and impressive upper-body strength, Lecavalier was at his best when he didn't have to do much skating.
The player's most effective moments came when he was able to wire shots at the net from a stationary one-timer position from the the right circle or hash marks or when he could get open from close range. The hands are still there to finish.
Heading into an offseason in which two of the Stars' primary needs are a second-line center to support Tyler Seguin's line and a power play sniper to help improve a power play that finished 23rd in the NHL during the regular season (15.9 percent efficiency) and 14th of 16 teams in the playoffs (10.3 percent), it is fair game to wonder if Dallas might be one of the teams for which Lecavalier might provide a fit.
Dallas, of course, plays an up-tempo style as team. That is not well suited to Lecavalier but on a team with so many fleet skaters, that deficit can perhaps be lessened. Additionally, with the departure of Ray Whitney, the Stars could use another veteran forward to add to the dressing room leadership group of a club that just returned to the playoffs for the first time in six year.
It remains to be seen how much (if any) salary the Flyers would be willing to retain in order to trade Lecavalier. The rules allow them to absorb up to half, but they would probably shoot for a lower amount. Even so, it seems more likely than not that Philly would have to pick up at least some of the salary in order to get a deal done.
The more teams the player would be willing to consider being traded to would increase the type of return Philadelphia could get. Even so, the trade return is likely to be modest.
*********
Texas Stars Win Calder Cup
Congratulations to the Dallas Stars American Hockey League affiliate, the Texas Stars, for capturing the 2013-14 Calder Cup. I will weigh in on the championship and the implications for the big club in tomorrow's blog.