Great expectations
Lightning have high hopes for Lecavalier
Posted: Saturday June 27, 1998 06:09 PM
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Lecavalier, who was considered the No. 1 prospect by most teams, had 44 goals and 71 assists with the Rimouski Oceanic (AP) |
BUFFALO, New York (CNN/SI) -- High expectations.
Vincent Lecavalier, the first player take in Saturday's NHL Entry Draft, has already been labeled as future superstar.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are counting on Lecavalier to turn things around. He's even been compared to Mario Lemieux, the former star of the Pittsburgh Penguins who's about the same size and played a similar style as Lecavalier.
Somehow, Michael Jordan's name popped up. Yes, that Michael Jordan.
Lecavalier was a member of the Lightning for about 30 minutes Saturday
when new team owner Arthur Williams said the baby-faced, 18-year-old center
could become the Michael Jordan of hockey.
Talk about pressure.
"It's good pressure," Lecavalier said. "He just drafted me, and he likes
me very much. I think he's a very good man. I'm just going to go to Tampa
Bay and do my best and see what happens."
Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. The Lightning
have been in the NHL for only six seasons. So maybe draft day is a little
early for anyone to start thinking about Lecavalier's name on the Stanley
Cup.
"He's absolutely our future," Williams said. "He's the poster boy. He's
the person that we sort of build around. He has that kind of talent and
that kind of ability. Thank the Lord we had the No. 1 pick."
Lecavalier dominated the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season
and was considered the No. 1 prospect by most teams. Last season, he had 44
goals and 71 assists while playing for the Rimouski Oceanic.
The 6-foot-4 Lecavalier needs to add muscle to his 180-pound frame, but
he's a good skater and considered a great playmaker. Whether he can make an
immediate impact with the Lightning won't be decided until training camp.
"He has to work like everybody else," said his agent, Bob Sauve. "He's
going to be a great player just being himself and getting to the top of his
game. I don't want to compare him to the big guns. I don't think it's
fair."
One thing is certain: He'll become very wealthy in the coming months
after signing an NHL contract. Lecavalier's first chore will be finding a
spot on the Lightning's roster. If he's not ready, he'll probably return
for another season in the QMJHL.
"I had a meeting with them [Friday]," Lecavalier said. "They guaranteed
me nothing. ... I never went against guys in the NHL. I'm going to do my
best. If I feel I'm not good enough, then I think I would be better off to
play junior."
Joe Thornton,
the first pick overall last year of the Boston Bruins, struggled
through his first season. He had three goals and four assists in 55 games
last year after signing a base salary of $925,000.
Tampa Bay was in shambles under an unstable ownership group for the last
several seasons. Last year, the Lightning finished last in the Atlantic
Division with a 17-55-10 record, 19 points from leaving the basement.
Williams, a retired insurance magnate, took control of a team in May and
promised to make it a winner. The Lightning traded for Washington Capitals backup
goaltender Bill
Ranford last week and began building a foundation.
The fresh start now includes Lecavalier.
"He's an 18-year-old who has good maturity," Lightning coach Jacques
Demers said. "But he's still a boy -- with tremendous talent. We have to
make sure as an organization that we don't screw up. And we won't."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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