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Lecavalier: ‘I really just want to get my chance’

Vincent Lecavalier

Vincent Lecavalier

Len Redkoles

Vincent Lecavalier never seemed to mesh with former Philadelphia Flyers coach Craig Berube, but will things work out any better for him under new bench boss Dave Hakstol?

Flyers GM Ron Hextall’s preference might be to never find out, but getting another team to take the final three seasons of his five-year, $22.5 million deal can’t be an easy task and retirement isn’t an option Lecavalier is willing to entertain. So while the possibility of a move certainly exists, both sides might ultimately have to make do with each other.

For Philadelphia, that means hoping Lecavalier will bounce back after scoring just eight goals and 20 points last season. For the 35-year-old forward, that means hoping he’ll get more ice time after being limited to an average of 12:38 minutes per game and even spending some time as a healthy scratch.

“I’m still in shape,” Lecavalier said, per NHL.com. “I really just want to get my chance. I am confident in my abilities and I move on.

“I kept a good attitude. You do not want to be a cancer in the room. You want to stay a good teammate, and that’s what I tried to do. A good bunch of guys, it makes things easier. It is the past. I want to be in shape in September and playing hockey, that’s it.”

The coaching change should provide him with a fresh start, but hurdles remain. He’s well past his prime now and has been plagued by injuries for years. The Flyers still have a lot of alternatives up the middle too, which might lead to Hakstol pushing Lecavalier to the right wing as Berube did.

Hakstol wants to withhold judgment until he can see his players’ training camp performances, per CSN Philly, so if nothing else it sounds like Lecavalier will get that chance he’s after.

Follow @RyanDadoun