Let’s not rehash the particulars of what happened today. Vincent Lecavalier has been bought out and he will certainly be missed. What’s left for the Lightning now is a lot of cap flexibility, but also a gaping hole at center. How will the Bolts replace Lecavalier? (Photo/Susan Ferlita)
Vinny is replaced from within.
This seems unlikely given the aforementioned cap flexibility, but the Lightning is not short on young guns who could attempt to fill Vinny’s skates. Tyler Johnson is ready to make the jump to the NHL after two 30+ goal seasons, an AHL MVP award and a Calder Cup. Alex Killorn played center at Harvard and could be moved over from the wing. The third pick in Sunday’s draft could be used on a center like Nathan MacKinnon or Aleksander Barkov, though it would be a big gamble to immediately slot a young player as a second line center.
A center is acquired via trade.
Trading for a center has not been widely discussed, at least not as much as a trade to bolster the defense. That being said, it would make a lot of sense for GM Steve Yzerman to trade one of his young wingers to replace Lecavalier. Brett Connolly, Richard Panik, J.T. Brown, and Ondrej Palat could all be dealt from a relative surplus to fill the need at center. The Colorado Avalanche could be an affable trade partner as they are stacked with young centers including Ryan O’Reilly, Matt Duchene and Paul Stastny. If Avalanche GM Joe Sakic’s supposed intentions to draft Nathan MacKinnon are true, then they would probably be looking to move one of the aforementioned players.
A center is acquired via free agency.
There are a number of options available to accommodate different strategies. Short term, an older veteran like Danny Briere, Patrik Elias or Saku Koivu could fill in. For younger (and presumably signed to a longer term deal) players, Stephen Weiss, Derek Roy and Valtteri Filppula are among the players that would fit. Though some of these names may not appeal to everyone, there are certainly a number of directions the Lightning could go if they choose to pursue a center on the free agent market.
While Lecavalier’s buyout was certainly emotional, it’s important to remember that Yzerman and owner Jeffrey Vinik did this because they think it’s the best move for the hockey team. With the draft just a few days away and free agency opening in a week, there’s no time to reflect on the past. It’s time to get back to work and put together a better Lightning product.
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