The Kings will travel to San Jose to open their season against the Western Conference champion Sharks on October 12 – the NHL’s Opening Night.
Advertisement
Lecavalier established himself as one of the preeminent centers of the National Hockey League throughout the mid-2000s with Tampa Bay, who drafted him first-overall in 1998.
The Flyers, having retained 50 percent of his salary at the time of the trade, were charged with a $2.25 million cap hit for the remainder of the 2015-16 season – which would have carried over to next season and 2017-18 had Lecavalier continued to play. He would go on to score 10 goals and 17 points in 42 regular season games for the Kings, providing stability and veteran leadership as a third-line center for head coach Darryl Sutter.
The Kings also announced they will open the season October 12 at San Jose, in a rematch of the first-round playoff series that the Sharks won in five games. He scored 949 points in 1,212 regular-season games, including 421 goals.
Lecavalier has said he has no major plans for retirement beyond fatherhood.
Lecavalier represented the Lightning at four NHL All-Star Games (2009, 2008, 2007 and 2003), and he was awarded the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for leading the Lightning and the NHL with 52 goals during the 2006-07 season.
General manager Dean Lombardi has said that the salary cap-strapped Kings could only acquire Lecavalier because of the forward’s stated intention to retire. I will never forget winning the Cup together in 2004, and the incredible support from Lightning fans.
Advertisement
Callahan won’t be able to return to the ice for about five months, which means he won’t compete for Team USA in the upcoming World Cup of Hockey.
