TAMPA, Fla. — All-star center Vincent Lecavalier signed an 11-year, $85 million contract extension he hopes will keep him in a Tampa Bay Lightning uniform for the rest of his career.
“Not only is Vincent one of the most dynamic players in the NHL, he’s one of the classiest people you’ll ever meet off the ice as well,” Brian Lawton, the Lightning’s vice president of hockey operations, said Sunday.
The 28-year-old Lecavalier, who helped Tampa Bay win its only Stanley Cup championship four years ago, had one season left on a four-year, $27.4 million contract.
“I’m proud and honored to be committing myself for the rest of my NHL career,” Lecavalier said. “It’s no secret how I feel about the organization, the fans and the Tampa Bay community, and there’s no place else I’d rather be.”
Lecavalier scored an NHL-leading 52 goals during the 2006-07 season, then added 40 goals last season while hiking his franchise-best career totals to 273 goals and 602 points.
