Vincent Lecavalier may be contemplating retiring from the NHL two years before his current contract with the Philadelphia Flyers concludes. Darren Dreger reported on Insider Trading that sources close to Lecavalier believe that the forward is considering retirement after the 2015-16 season. This sentiment was discussed by Bob McKenzie on Toronto’s TSN 1050.
Here’s the transcript of McKenzie’s statements, via Nichols On Hockey:
“Now, Darren Dreger reported on Insider Trading tonight that Vinny Lecavalier – people close to Lecavalier are saying he’s ready to retire at the end of next season, leaving two years on the table. Now, he’s still making significant money this year and next year. I think $6 million this year, $4 million or thereabouts next year, and then he’s got $3 million in each of the final two years of the deal that he might be prepared to walk away from. So maybe that would entire someone, knowing that the financial obligation is not going to go for four years. That it’s going to be for a year and a half.”
Why would Lecavalier walk away from easy money? The belief is he’s frustrated in Philadelphia and after being named a healthy scratch for the first time in his career, he realizes his role with the Flyers will always be limited while Craig Berube is behind the bench.
Why not trade him to a new club? Lecavalier’s contract likely prevents a trade. Unless the Flyers want to pay a huge chunk of his salary, it’s doubtful a trade could happen until after 2015-16, or in other words, as soon as Lecavalier’s deal dips to a more reasonable $3 million a year.
