Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Vinny Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis invited to Canada's Olympic orientation camp

Here's the announcement from the team:

Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis have been invited to Canada ’s National Men’s Team orientation camp in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Hockey Canada announced.  The camp will be held August 24-27 in Calgary , Alberta .

Lecavalier, a native of Ile Bizard, :placeQuebec , played in 77 games with the Lightning last season, recording 29 goals and 67 points.  It was his sixth consecutive season with 25 goals or more.  Lecavalier led :placeTampa Bay in power play goals with 10, game-winning goals with six and shots on goal with 291.  He was second on the team in goals and points.  Lecavalier also made his fourth career NHL All-Star Game appearance in his home city of :placeMontreal .

The 29-year-old has played in 787 career games, all with the Lightning.  He is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (787), goals (302), assists (367), points (669), power play goals (85) and game-winning goals (47).  He became the first 300-goal scorer in Tampa Bay history on March 1 at Calgary last season.

Lecavalier previously represented Canada :country-region at the 2006 Winter Olympics in :placeTorino , Italy .  He played in six games, recording three assists.  Lecavalier also played in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, tallying two goals and seven points as :placeCanada won the tournament.  He played in the 2001 World Championships, recording three goals and five points in seven games, and the 1998 World Junior Championships, registering a goal and two points in seven games.

St. Louis , a native of Laval , Quebec , was one of two Lightning players to play in all 82 games in 2008-09.  He led :placeTampa Bay in goals with 30, assists with 50 and points with 80.  He was also tied for second for plus/minus with a plus-4 rating and third in average time on ice with 21:17.  St. Louis now has 30 goals or more in five of the previous six seasons.

The 34-year-old ranks second on the Lightning all-time franchise lists for games played with 621, points with 565, goals with 234, power play goals with 69 and game-winning goals with 40.  He is the all-time leader in shorthanded goals with 27.

St. Louis has been a regular with Hockey Canada in international competition during the previous five years.  He participated in the 2009 World Championships, the 2008 World Championships, the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.  Most recently he led the 2009 World Championships in points with 15 and assists with 11.  St. Louis was tied for third in the tournament in plus/minus with a plus-8.  He tallied two goals and three points in six games during the 2006 Winter Olympics.

The Hockey Canada management group, comprised of executive director Steve Yzerman, Hockey Canada executive vice-president of hockey operations Misley, Hockey Canada president/CEO Bob Nicholson and associate directors Doug Armstrong (Sarnia, Ont./St. Louis, NHL), Ken Holland (Vernon, B.C./Detroit, NHL) and Kevin Lowe (Lachute, Que./Edmonton, NHL), assembled the list in collaboration with the coaching staff comprised of Babcock (Saskatoon, Sask./Detroit, NHL) and associate coaches Jacques Lemaire (LaSalle, Que.), Lindy Ruff (Warburg, Alta./Buffalo, NHL) and Ken Hitchcock (Edmonton, Alta./Columbus, NHL).

Players not invited to the National Men’s Team orientation camp can still be considered for both the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and 2010 IIHF World Championship.

Roster

Goaltenders (5): Martin Brodeur ( Montreal , Que./New Jersey, NHL), Marc-André Fleury ( Sorel , Que./Pittsburgh, NHL), Roberto Luongo ( Montreal , Que./Vancouver, NHL), Steve Mason ( Oakville , Ont./Columbus, NHL), Cam Ward ( Sherwood Park , Alta./Carolina, NHL)

Defensemen (16): François Beauchemin (Sorel, Que./Anaheim, NHL), Jay Bouwmeester (Edmonton, Alta./Calgary, NHL), Dan Boyle (Ottawa, Ont./San Jose, NHL), Brent Burns (Ajax, Ont./Minnesota, NHL), Drew Doughty (London, Ont./Los Angeles, NHL), Mike Green (Calgary, Alta./Washington, NHL), Dan Hamhuis (Smithers, B.C./Nashville, NHL), Duncan Keith (Penticton, B.C./Chicago, NHL), Scott Niedermayer (Cranbrook, B.C./Anaheim, NHL), Dion Phaneuf (Edmonton, Alta./Calgary, NHL), Chris Pronger (Dryden, Ont./Philadelphia, NHL), Robyn Regehr (Rosthern, Sask./Calgary, NHL), Stéphane Robidas (Sherbrooke, Que./Dallas, NHL), Brent Seabrook (Tsawwassen, B.C./Chicago, NHL), Marc Staal (Thunder Bay, Ont./N.Y. Rangers, NHL), Shea Weber (Sicamous, B.C./Nashville, NHL)

Forwards (25): Jeff Carter (London, Ont./Philadelphia, NHL), Dan Cleary (Carboneau, N.L./Detroit, NHL), Sidney Crosby (Cole Harbour, N.S./Pittsburgh, NHL), Shane Doan (Halkirk, Alta./Phoenix, NHL), Simon Gagné (Ste-Foy, Que./Philadelphia, NHL), Ryan Getzlaf (Regina, Sask./Anaheim, NHL), Dany Heatley (Calgary, Alta./Ottawa, NHL), Jarome Iginla (St. Albert, Alta./Calgary, NHL), Vincent Lecavalier (Île-Bizard, Que./Tampa Bay, NHL) , Milan Lucic (Vancouver, B.C./Boston, NHL), Patrick Marleau (Aneroid, Sask./San Jose, NHL), Andy McDonald (Strathroy, Ont./St. Louis, NHL), Brenden Morrow (Carlyle, Sask./Dallas, NHL), Rick Nash (Brampton, Ont./Columbus, NHL), Corey Perry (Peterborough, Ont./Anaheim, NHL), Michael Richards (Kenora, Ont./Philadelphia, NHL), Derek Roy (Rockland, Ont./Buffalo, NHL), Joe Sakic (Burnaby, B.C./Colorado, NHL), Patrick Sharp (Thunder Bay, Ont./Chicago, NHL), Ryan Smyth (Banff, Alta./Colorado, NHL), Martin St.Louis (Laval, Que./Tampa Bay, NHL) , Eric Staal (Thunder Bay, Ont./Carolina, NHL), Jordan Staal (Thunder Bay, Ont./Pittsburgh, NHL), Joe Thornton (St. Thomas, Ont./San Jose, NHL), Jonathan Toews (Winnipeg, Man./Chicago, NHL).

Comments

[RICK L]

It will be sooner than later that stamkos will be mentioned in the same breath as ovechkin and crosby,the kid can skate and has a laser shot ! curious what ovevhkin and crosby numbers were as rookies.

[olin]

...is called "pecking order and seniorority", look at the list of 25...all pretty good names. He'll get there soon.

[BrianB23]

Well, all the good goaltenders have been signed... hope Lawton knows what hes doing putting his money into Ohlund.

[Don in St. Pete]

Steve, Agree this should definitely motivate Stammer. He should be ready to turn some heads from the opening faceoff this year.

[goldenbolt]

there is no doubt in my mind that they missed an opening for the raw talent this young man has shown.

Still waiting to hear Smaby is signed sealed and delivered.

Nitty looks like the only choice now.

maybe a trade is in the works.

[Steve-O]

How does Stamkos get left off the invitee list after the summer he had centering MSL and Shane Doan. There are 25 guys more deserving of the opportunity? Total disrespect!! I hope it motivates him even more to work hard and open the season shooting the lights out!!! Make them look dumb Steven