Things are starting to happen on the trade front with another trade involving the Los Angeles Kings and the Philadelphia Flyers. On Wednesday, the Flyers traded veteran center Vincent Lecavalier with defenseman Luke Schenn to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for centre Jordan Weal and a third-round pick.
Lecavalier saw limited playing time with the Flyers this year and has been a healthy scratch regularly this year. The Los Angeles Kings general manager Dean Lombardi stated that the deal was only possible with the confirmation Vincent Lecavalier would retire at the end of this season. Lecavalier still has two seasons remaining on his contract with a cap hit of 4.5M. Los Angeles has a few players to resign and their situation within the salary cap is not the most flexible. The Kings are currently negotiating with superstar center Anze Kotitar, so cap space will be needed. Los Angeles hopes to get the same kind of return they got two years ago when they acquired Marian Gaborik.
“There’s nothing better than to be on a team that’s been there,” Lecavalier said in a phone interview conducted by the Kings. “If you look at the standings and where they are right now, they’re obviously playing some great hockey. I know the Kings have high expectations for the players, and I love that. … Just to be a part of that, it’s very exciting.”
Vincent Lecavalier brings Stanley Cup experience
The Kings are sitting first in their division and second overall in their conference and are seen as a team that couple cup contenders this year. Lombardi stated that Lecavalier will have the opportunity to play center and assume some specific roles in their run for the playoffs and the Stanley Cup. This season Lecavalier has only played in 7 games. Another essential key to the deal is that the Flyers will pay 50% of Lecavalier and Schenn.
Lecavalier has won the cup with the Tampa bay Lightning in 2004. He was drafted in 1998, first overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has played in 1,170 regular season games compiling 932 points. He was signed as a free agent in 2013, after spending 14 seasons in a Lightning uniform.
Like Schenn, started his career in Toronto and was later traded to Philadelphia. This season he has only two goals and three assists for the Flyers. he will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. With the loss of Slava Voynov, Schenn’s ability could help the Kings with his right hand shot. He is joining the team his brother played for, Brayden, before being traded to the Flyers in the Jeff carter trade in 2011.
The Flyers are acquiring centremen, Jordan Weal is scoreless in games with the Kings this season, making his NHL debut in October.
