One of the most memorable players in Tampa Bay Lightning history, former captain Vincent Lecavalier, will officially have his #4 retired on February 10, 2018.
Last season, the Tampa Bay Lightning made history by retiring the first jersey in franchise history. This honor would go to former Lightning captain Martin St. Louis. In the Lightning’s upcoming 25th anniversary season, the franchise will make history once again when they retire the jersey of one of the most memorable players in Lightning history.
The Tampa Bay Lightning announced earlier today the organization will officially retire the jersey of former Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier on February 10, 2018. The date of the occasion is definitely no accident. Lecavalier finished off his distinguished career as a member of the Los Angeles Kings organization. It is the very same Kings the Lightning will battle on the 10th.
Lightning fans would be hard-pressed to find someone who is more deserving of the honor than former Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier. Lecavalier has cemented his place here in the Bolts Nation, both on and off the ice, many times over. Vinny’s contributions to the Tampa Bay community are near immeasurable.
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Through the captain’s work with his organization, the Vincent Lecavalier Foundation, he was able to raise enough funds to open the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center on January 9, 2010, at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.
When it comes to an on-ice career, very few people can say they’ve traveled a path like Lecavalier’s. A then-18-year-old Vincent Lecavalier was chosen 1st overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Little did anyone know, the Bolts had just drafted the player who would become the face of the franchise.
By his third season with the team, Lecavalier was made the youngest captain in NHL history. Unfortunately, before the start of the 2001-02 season, Lecavalier was stripped of the captaincy. This didn’t come as much of a surprise due to his many clashes with then-Head Coach John Tortorella.
In retrospect, this may have been a good thing for the young Lecavalier. Lecavalier worked incredibly hard to hone his game and in the 2002-03 season, he would set a career record with 33 goals and 45 assists for a total of 78 points. This would merely be the beginning of Vinny Lecavalier’s meteoric rise.
The very next season, Vinny would be a part of the Tampa Bay Lightning team who defied all the odds to capture their first-ever Stanley Cup Championship. Unfortunately, the momentum gained by the Stanley Cup victory would be cut drastically short by the NHL Lockout of the 2004-05 season.
It would take another two seasons before Lecavalier would make history once again. In the 2006-07 season, Vinny would bring home 52 goals and 56 assists for a total of 108 points. This would set the bar in his career once again.
Vincent Lecavalier would spend another six seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning before his journey in the Bolts Nation would come to a close. On June 26, 2013, Lightning Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman would exercise the team’s compliance buyout to end the contract of the former captain.
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This caused a tremendous rift between fans here in the Bolts Nation, but things turned out rather well for Lecavalier. It wasn’t long before Vinny found a new city to call home. On June 2, 2013, Vincent Lecavalier would sign a contract with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Vinny would spend two seasons with the Flyers before it was time for him to find a new home once again. After playing just seven games with the Flyers in the 2015-16 season, Lecavalier would be traded to the Los Angeles Kings.
After playing just one season with the Kings, Lecavalier made the toughest decision for a hockey player to make. Lecavalier decided it was time to hang up his skates once and for all. On June 21, 2016, Vinny Lecavalier officially announced his retirement from the NHL after wonderful 17 seasons.
Despite ending his career on the other side of the country, Vincent Lecavalier is now and will forever be a part of the Bolts Nation. Lecavalier’s contributions to the Tampa Bay area both on and off the ice are near-immeasurable, and fans will be hard-pressed to find another like him in their lifetime.
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We here at Bolts By The Bay sent our heartfelt congratulations to former Tampa Bay Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier as he receives one of the greatest honors that can be bestowed to a player by his team. In 2018, Vinny’s #4 will hang high in the rafters of the Amalie Arena for all to see. Thanks for the memories, Vinny.