(Photo via NHL.com)
By Michael Wax
For the second time this month, the Montreal Canadiens have hired a former Tampa Bay Lightning superstar for a management position.
After hiring Martin St. Louis as interim head coach on February 9, today the Canadiens have hired former Tampa Bay Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier as special advisor to hockey operations. This will be Lecavalier's first experience in management.
Much like St. Louis, Lecavalier is widely regarded as one the greatest players in Tampa Bay Lightning history. Drafted first overall by the Lightning in 1998, Lecavalier played In 14 seasons with the Bolts, putting up 383 goals and 491 assists for 874 points in 1037 regular-season games. He achieved 24 goals and 28 assists for 52 points in 63 playoff games as well and won the 2004 Stanley Cup. Lecavalier is the only player in Lightning history to play 1000 career games with the Lightning and currently ranks 3rd all-time in points. Lecavalier became the first Lightning player to score 50 goals in a single season, putting up 52 goals during the 2006-07 season. He has since been joined by Steven Stamkos in that category.
Lecavalier was named one of three captains for the 1999-2000 season, along with Bill Houlder and Chris Gratton. After that season, he became the only captain on the next year's team but was stripped of the captaincy in 2001-02 due to a lack of maturity. Lecavalier was re-named captain of the Lightning in 2008-09 and held the title until his buyout at the end of the 2012-13 season.
Overall, Lecavalier was a 4x All-Star, the 2007-08 King Clancy Award winner, and the 2006-07 Rocket Richard Award winner. On February 10, 2018, the Lightning retired St. Louis' number 4, the second jersey retirement in franchise history, joining Martin St. Louis.
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