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Wednesday, November 8, 2000
Readying to meet expectations
By Nancy Marrapese-Burrell
Special to ESPN.com
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When Vincent Lecavalier was taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the
1998 NHL entry draft, then-Tampa Bay Lightning owner Art Williams predicted
the 18-year-old was going to be the Michael Jordan of hockey.
As outrageous as that was, it illustrates just how much pressure goes
along with the lofty status of being the top selection in any draft. But Lecavalier, now 20 years old, seems poised to meet the hype head-on and deliver the goods in 2000-2001.
|  | | Lecavalier's focus is on getting the Lightning on a playoff-competitive level. |
Last season, his second in the NHL, he led the Lightning in
goals (25), assists (42) and points (67). In contrast, the No. 1 overall pick
in 1997 – Boston Bruins' center Joe Thornton – had 60 points (23 of them goals) in his third full season in the league.
Under new management, Tampa Bay made a mind-boggling number of moves last season, all designed to put
together a young core of players who can take the Lightning to the next
level. As the team captain, Lecavalier should benefit from that this year.
"I think the average age right now is 23 or 24," said Lecavalier. "So,
we are a very young team, and they want us to grow all together and to be a
very successful hockey team."
That Jordan reference notwithstanding, the thoughtful Lecavalier said he
hasn't given a lot of consideration to whether this could be his breakout season. But many across the league think it's a definite possibility now that he has a more stable supporting cast.
"I think I am still very young to say that," he said. "I haven't
really done anything in the league. I am 20 years old, and it is only my third
year. So, I just want to go game by game. I think that is the most important
thing for me. About pressure, I put pressure on myself and I don't really let
anyone put pressure on me. I play my game. I do my best to help the team. And
that is the most important thing."
The Lightning have been in the league for eight seasons, seven of which
resulted in them missing the playoffs. The only year they went to the
postseason was in 1995-96 when they lost in the first round. Lecavalier said
he's planning on this being the start of more success for the franchise.
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They brought me in the coach's office and Rick Dudley was there, and they told me I was going to be the captain. So, I was just very surprised. I didn't know what to do. I didn't really have a clue, so the thing I did is that, every single game, I got so pumped up because I wanted to show that ... if we are losing 4-2, I had to be the guy that had to get that hit to pump the players up, to motivate the players, so it is just little things like that you learn to do to help your team as much as possible. ” |
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— Lecavalier on being named team captain. |
"The biggest thing is just to build confidence," said Lecavalier.
"Last year, we had a very tough year. But I think that the beginning of the
season, that is really going to be a key moment for us. We have got to start
winning some hockey games, and we have got to start building that confidence.
Once we have that, it is addictive. You start winning and you keep winning.
Last year, we started losing in December and I think we went 20 games that we
lost in a row. So that was very tough."
Lecavalier feels the weight of some of that responsibility, given that he
is the captain of the team, an honor bestowed on him when he was a teenager
last spring.
"Actually, it was kind of tough at first," he admitted. "When I got
it last year, I was actually very, very surprised. At the same time, I was
very excited, but I didn't really know what to do at first. And I guess
(veteran defenseman) Petr Svoboda was kind of the leader in the room, so I
learned a lot last year. The thing I have to do right now is just lead by
example, work hard every game and try to help the team."
When Chris Gratton was dealt to the Buffalo Sabres, the Lightning's
management, including general manager Rick Dudley, decided on Lecavalier as
his successor. The youngster said it was a rather surreal scene when he became captain.
"They brought me in the next morning at 8 o'clock," said Lecavalier.
"I had just woke up, and they brought me in the coach's office and Rick
Dudley was there and they told me I was going to be the captain. So, I was just
very surprised. I didn't know what to do. I didn't really have a clue, so the
thing I did is that, every single game, I got so pumped up because I wanted
to show that ... if we are losing 4-2, I had to be the guy that had to get
that hit to pump the players up, to motivate the players, so it is just
little things like that you learn to do to help your team as much as
possible."
Nancy Marrapese-Burrell of the Boston Globe writes a weekly national NHL column for ESPN.com.
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