Vinny as a Lightning executive

Thought this was interesting coming from Oren Koules on Thursday.

While the Lightning and Vinny Lecavalier are working on a nine-year, $77-million deal, Tampa Bay's plans for Lecavalier extend a lot further. Koules, who heads OK Hockey, which is expected to officially take control of the Lightning on Monday, said he sees Lecavalier as a Lightning executive after he retires.

So, the contract may not be a lifetime deal, but the organization seems to want to make a lifetime commitment.

"We absolutely do," Koules said. "We've already talked to Vinny about it. When we talked, we talked about lifestyle, about how long he wants to live here. He wants to retire here when he's done, and he wants to be part of this. We look at Stevie Y as the exact model of what we want to do with Vinny."

That would be Steve Yzerman, who after 22 seasons with the Red Wings, moved immediately into a vice president job working with senior vice president Jimmy Devellano and general manager Ken Holland.

That would be cool with new coach Barry Melrose, who spoke of how Jean Beleveau is viewed as an icon with the Canadiens.

"I love history," Melrose said. "I love continuity of an organization. Hopefully, someday, they'll be looking up in the stands at a Tampa Bay Lightning game in the playoffs, and there will be an older, chunkier Vinny Lecavalier sitting up there as a member of the Lightning."   

Comments

[Twinebulge]

BTW for the record I 'hopped on board' one fine morning up north in 1990 the day they revealed the team's formulation, made moving plans to Florida and the Tampa Bay area around the announcement, moved down 12/7/90. Early enough for ya

Just so I got this straight....new fans filling the Palace who don't know everything about the game yet....BAD thing....OK got it :p

[Twinebulge]

OK, so....winning a Stanley Cup should have no effect whatsoever as far as drawing new hockey fans in, right? No new people should take notice afterward, suddenly paying attention to the game now that they've witnessed the ultimate excitement of a championhship, that'd just be crazy. Maybe they become new fervent hockey fans and get interested in the new ownership group, get excited about the #1 pick, the superstar VL4, which means "The player named Vincent Lecavalier who wears the number four" but is easier to type, and his longterm deal, maybe become season-ticket holders--at least, that is, until they hear the "real" hockey fans calling them bandwagoners and shills for doing it. Who'd want to be part of THAT scene and people who think like that

Welcome OK Hockey, so far so good (oops that's butt smooching, I mean Snap to it here, you scruffy young wannabes, you're probably gonna fail, it's just a matter of when). And welcome aboard the grandwagon new fans, just don't be seen wearing a jersey of the opposing team at our games - ultra super tacky

[Don in St. Pete]

Jimmy, Sorry about the disparaging comments, but you've got it all wrong. We need this fans, new, old, young, ancient, knowledgeable and ingnorant. These fans will ensure hockey stays in Tampa Bay for many years and that ownership may tune in to the wishes of the fans. I am not going to rag on some guy because he doen't understand what Icing or Offsides are but will patiently explain it to him or her so that with that knowledge they might enjoy the game more. I will also continue to use V4 or MSL to limit the number of charachters I need to type. Like it or not this is the technology age.

[bingo]

Yo, Jimmy...... calm down Jeez.... what makes you so special. Were you the first guy in line for ticks? I and many other who grew up in the north went to games long ago and attended games because we loved the sport not because of the bolts. The florida natives now have a taste of what I've enjoyed for 40+ years. Call them what you want they are fans. I'm thrilled to be in the stadium with +20k for a game when we beat the poop out of the flyers, rangers, pens or anyone else from "God's land of hockey". So for a teenager franchise we are doing just great...... If you don't like the youthful post from new born hockey fans might I suggest you check out the TSN or HOCKEYBUZZ boards for your fix of hockey aficionado's.

Bingo

[Jimmy]

Hahahaha, exactly the reply I expected. How long have you followed this team? Not since October 7th 1992 I bet...come on man, stop the drug addict comments. Seriously. The overly dramatic stuff is no good for anyone. If you legitimately are someone who has followed this team since they were big time cellar dwellers then disregard my comments, my comments are made to all those people that just hopped atop the bandwagon and don't really know much about the game or the team...because you can't deny...the Forum is filled with them.

[Don in St. Pete]

Jimmy, you are either a douchebag or a dopehead either of which should get you prohibited from posting. This blog is for the fans who live, die, breathe and Bleed the Black, blue and White. If your not one of us, I suggest you go to the Shell key blog or something, anything.

[Jimmy]

Most all of these people on this Tampabay.com posting comments about Vincent Lecavalier, or VL4 as they stupidly call them, are a lot of those bandwagoning June 7th 2004 and on fans. Not to mention all the ignorant people jumping all on the Koules bandwagon like he is some kind of savior. Davidson was a good owner he is just a businessman and knows when to get out of an investment. I get tired of people acting so awe struck on these boards.

[Don in St. Pete]

Twinebulge, I'll second that recommendation! You are 100% right that this team wouldn't have done it without his leadership. Might also be a good impetus to get him to go into the Hall in a Bolts jersey, though not likely. OK, Len are you guys seeing this?

[Twinebulge]

Cynics can skip this

Next order of good PR decision-making (hey pd, still waiting for my first "shill" check from OK Hockey there buddy) needs to be the new owners stepping up and hanging the first Lightning jersey from the rafters. Look, we all know no one's getting 25 anyway, this guy is a future Hall of Famer, PPG king and led this team to the Stanley Cup by the sheer heaving effort of his iron will more surely than did Ray Bourque, who waltzed into Denver, posted one season with an already elite squad and saw his jersey rise to the roof. Andreychuk came here when we were losing 50 in a season, took charge, helped turn it around and really captained this team to a championship they would in no way have ever won without him. When Vinny's goes up there a decade from now, it should join Dave's IMHO

Have a Dave Andreychuk night to announce his promotion (good idea Mark) and to rekindle the Cup dream, hoist the jersey

[Mike13]

It's hard enough to answer the question, "where do you see yourself in 5 years?". This jive is hopefully about 10 years out. What the heck are we doing talking about it now?!

[Mark]

Lets not get ahead of ourselves. Vinny is the man, but it is a long time before he laces the skates up for the last time. I'm all for future plans, but it doesn't sound like they need to sell Vinny on this long term idea to sign him long term. I'm sure being in the front office of the Lightning is not a high priority for him right now. Lets get him signed to the career contract and pick this conversation up again in about 9 years.

Speaking of front office... What about getting Dave Andreychuk more involved? Maybe helping with scouting and maybe some caoching resposibilities.

[pd]

Whole pile of new Koules shills here Jim.You'd be right.

[Bryan]

Are you not getting enough attention or something, Jimmy?

[Jimmy]

I'm surprised no one has gotten on here kissing Koules's butt like every other board on this site. Give it a break people.

[Julia Child]

Maybe a chunkie Vinny will take on Jay Feaster as a role model (at least in terms of dining pratices).

[shane]

yeah, chunkier, it happens when you get old. I'm pretty sure dictionary.com can help you out there

[Twinebulge]

Chunkier?