Bio:
Lecavalier was the first overall draft pick in 1998
after a stellar junior season with Rimouski of the
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In his final season
he scored 86 goals and had 132 assists for an astounding
218 points in 122 regular season games. He also recorded
19 goals and 29 assists for 48 points in 22 playoff
games He joined some exalted company coming out of the
QJML, becoming only the fifth player from that league to
be the first overall pick in the NHL. (The others were
Guy Lafleur, Mario Lemieux, Pierre Turgeon and Alexandre
Daigle.) He is recognized in Quebec as well for
accomplishments that go beyond the hockey rink. In 1998
Lecavalier was named the province`s male amateur
athlete-of-the-year. He was named to the CHL First
All-Star Team and QMJHL’s First All-Star Team. Was named
CHL Rookie of the Year and QMJHL Rookie of the Year in
1997.
Prior to being drafted by Tampa Bay, Lecavalier combined
his Quebec junior experience with some international
competition. In 1997 he was a member of the gold
medal-winning Canadian team at the under-18 Three
Nations Tournament in the Czech Republic, and also
represented Canada at the 1998 World Junior Championship
in Finland, scoring one goal and adding an assist in
seven games in that competition. He also appeared in 7
games for Team Canada at the 2001 World Championships,
recording 3 goals, 2 assist for 5 points.
Lecavalier found himself the center of attention as he
began the 1998-99 NHL season with the Lightning. With
his excellent combination of stickhandling ability,
speed, size 6-04 and 190 pounds as a junior, plus his
pro-level on-ice judgment and foresight, observers of
his game in the junior ranks noted that he had the
potential to become an NHL great. But scouts also
observed that, despite his amazing talents, he
occasionally appeared unmotivated on the ice, a factor
that sometimes led to inconsistent play.
In his rookie season, his much-touted scoring prowess
did not come to the fore as prominently as it had when
he was a junior, however. He scored only 13 goals that
first NHL year, and added just 15 assists. These totals
ranked him ninth among rookies in points, 12th in
assists and eighth in goals.
Still, opposing defensemen checked him very closely, and
he was playing without a tremendous supporting cast. On
his team, Lecavalier was the second leading goal scorer
and fourth in total points. He won NHL honors as
rookie-of-the-month in February of his first year.
During the off season, Lecavalier concentrated on weight
training in an attempt to bulk up in order to meet the
rigors of NHL competition.
The young player was lucky that Tampa Bay had a number
of veterans who were willing to show him the ropes of
the NHL game. Despite all the comparisons made between
Lecavalier and other young superstars such as Gretzky
and Lemieux, he became his own star, but just as he was
on the way up, his career stalled when he balked at
showing up to training camp for 2001-02 because his
agent and the team could not renegotiate his contract to
mutual satisfaction.
Vince is single and spends his off-season in Montreal.
He was a fan of the Detroit Red Wings and Steve Yzerman
while growing up. As a youngster, also competed in golf,
baseball and soccer. Lists his most memorable hockey
moment as getting drafted by the Lightning first overall
in 1998. Enjoys boating and playing golf. Is a fan of
Tiger Woods.
Wore #4 for his dad & grandad, whose favourite players
were Bobby Orr & Jean Beliveau.
Vincent Lecavalier official web site |
