Lecavalier lands in Philly

Vincent Lecavalier is trading in his
Tampa Bay Lightning uniform
for Philly black and orange.
Photo courtesy of wikipedia.com

After being bought out by the first NHL team he ever played for, Vincent Lecavalier has a new home in Philadelphia. The center has signed a five-year deal worth $22.5 million with the Flyers, according to ESPN.com.

The question is, can Lecavalier give the Flyers a go-to goal scorer? Truth be told his numbers have been declining for several years. He hasn't reached the 30-goal plateau since he recorded 40 goals for Tampa Bay during the 2007-08 season. He came close with 29 goals in the 2008-09 campaign, but he dropped to 24 goals the following season and hasn't come close to the mark since.

This past season, Lecavalier managed to score 10 goals in 39 games for the Lightning. He also dished out 22 assists to give him a decent point total of 32, but it's hardly what fans have come to expect from a man who once was a 50-goal, 50-assist player (2006-07 season).

If the Flyers are thinking that Lecavalier is going to regain the goal-scoring form he had six or seven years ago, they might be sorely disappointed. But if they are looking for him to boost their offense a bit by adding a playmaker, then he'll fill that role just fine.

Ultimately, the Flyers will need more help than what Lecavalier can provide if they're going to get back to the Stanley Cup playoffs after missing the postseason this past year. But signing Lecavalier is a good first step, as long as they don't ask him to carry the entire offense.