Flyers have rooting interest in Lecavalier

ON SUNDAY NIGHT Vinny Lecavalier, the worst free-agent signing in Flyers history, scored his fourth goal in nine games as a Los Angeles King.

Monday morning, Jordan Weal sent tremors through Flyerland when he skated with the second power-play unit as the Flyers again scrambled to find scoring, now hoping to end a two-game skid that, left unchecked, could sabotage their tenuous playoff hopes. Weal's practice time heightened two days of titters about Beal replacing R.J. Umberger, who hadn't scored a goal since Donald Trump was just a reality TV star.

In April, Ron Hextall fired Craig Berube in part because Berube, a first-time NHL head coach, failed to successfully incorporate expensive, unproductive veterans Lecavalier and Umberger.

Neither has his replacement, first-time NHL head coach Dave Hakstol, and so Hextall traded Lecavalier to the Kings.

Really, Hakstol gave Lecavalier little chance to acclimate himself to his system. Lecavalier was a misfit on a fast, young, defensive-minded team, and so he dressed just seven times in 38 games. When he was hired, Hakstol promised Lecavalier a fresh start. Still, Lecavalier found himself buried even deeper than Berube buried him. Frankly, Lecavalier, 35, plodding and prone to aggressive mistakes, did not earn chances from Hakstol.

Honorably, Lecavalier - a Stanley Cup winner and a four-time All-Star, sixth among active goal scorers - never caused a problem.

"Bluntly? Yeah, he could have made life miserable," Hakstol said. "He chose to stay true to his character, which is first class and professional. He's a gentleman."

He remains so. Lecavalier has been riding high for a couple of weeks but has not shown resentment. Rather, he points out that Darryl Sutter's system is populated by accomplished players and is designed to absorb the sort of errors he makes in his instinctive efforts to score goals.

It's a truth his former teammates recognize.

"Vinny goes to LA, he's with a veteran team that's been there. Won it before," said Wayne Simmonds, a former King himself. "Sometimes it's a little bit easier slotting into a position like that, on a team that's built the way LA's built."

Rest assured, the Flyers are watching.

"I'm happy that he's doing well. He's fit into a role there," Hakstol said. "He's been able to score some goals, and a couple of big goals, for them."

Lecavalier's late goal Sunday forced overtime, where the Kings beat the Sharks. He is centering the second line, on which former Flyers sniper Jeff Carter plays wing. Predictably, Lecavalier also is on the second power-play unit, the source of his other three goals.

Incredibly, Lecavalier is helping to kill penalties.

"What? He's killing penalties?" asked Claude Giroux, smiling at the thought of Lecavalier, 6-4, clogging passing lanes . . . and smiling because, for two seasons, Lecavalier, 35, was a good teammate. "There's not one person that's not happy for him that he's doing well over there."

"He was one of the best teammates I've ever had," agreed Jake Voracek. "The situation here in Philly wasn't easy for him, or the organization, but especially for him. But he always came to the rink and worked his (butt) off. Always had a great attitude. That situation never reflected on his teammates. That shows how much character he has."

"He came to the rink with a smile on his face, and lifted the spirits of the boys," Simmonds said.

Well, it's easier to smile when you're one of the richest skaters ever. Tampa Bay gave Lecavalier a $33 million buyout in 2013, partly because they needed cap relief but mainly because Lecavalier's production flagged markedly after the 2007-08 season.

Nevertheless, the Flyers gave him a 5-year, $22.5 million deal, which sped the removal of Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren and the ascension of Hextall.

If Lecavalier follows through on his intention to retire at the end of this season he will have cost the Flyers $14.25 million for 28 goals and 58 points in 133 games (the Flyers will eat half of his cap hit this season). He had one goal and eight points in his last 37 games.

When Lecavalier was traded (with Luke Schenn) for Weal and a third-round pick this summer, he had scored one goal in a year. Chris Gratton and Ilya Bryzgalov might have been expensive, divisive free-agent flops, but at least they dressed.

Maybe if he had dressed, just to bolster the lousy second power-play unit and give the opposition a weapon to worry about, the Flyers would have gotten better value for their money.

"He didn't get the opportunity here. That's the way he was looked at here after the first year," Voracek said.

Lecavalier scored 20 goals in 2013-14, but Berube soured on him the next season. Scant playing time left Lecavalier skittish.

"With him, it had a lot to do with confidence. When he did play here, he didn't play much," Voracek said, and shrugged. "In LA he has the opportunity to succeed."

"He got a second chance; a rebirth, for Vinny," Simmonds said. "I think he still has a little bit to give. I think LA's a perfect spot for him."

"Sometimes it happens like that. A team and player don't click. Even when he wasn't playing, he always believed he would have another chance," Giroux said. "Obviously, he's got a lot more in the tank."

Obviously.

On Twitter: @inkstainedretch

Blog: philly.com/Flyersblog