Lecavalier on the shoulder, the rookie and the firing

Tipped to these videos by a poster and still looking for the full-length versions. It's hard to get a read on Vinny Lecavalier's reaction to the firing of coach John Tortorella, who rode him relentlessly as a younger player but unquestionably helped make him a star.

The TSN interviews imply it was more like this than this, but that's the vagaries of video. The second clip, recorded when the firing was a foregone conclusion but still unofficial, came off cold and businesslike, but the NHL is a business. And it's often quite cold.

Brant James, Times staff writer. All photos by Times staff.

Vinny voted league's best

Lightning forward Vinny Lecavalier received 17 of 30 votes in a The Hockey News poll asking writers from each NHL city who has been the league's best player this season. Here are the complete results:

Vincent Lecavalier, TB       17          
Henrik Zetterberg, Det        4
Ilya Kovalchuk, Atl               3
Pascal Leclaire, CBJ             2
Henrik Lundqvist, NYR         2
Jarome Iginla, Cgy               1
Daniel Alfredsson, Ott          1

Lecavalier to make 'multimillion-dollar' announcement

TAMPA -- Tampa Bay Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier is holding a news conference today at 2:30 to make "an important announcement with multimillion dollar implications for the Tampa Bay area," according to a statement from the team.

The news release notes that someone from the Vincent Lecavalier Foundation is involved in the event, signalling the "important announcement" has a charitable aim.

We never knew

Remember when Lightning star Vinny Lecavalier fought Flames star Jarome Iginla in the 2004 Stanley Cup final?

Well, Sun Sports - covering Saturday's meeting, the first since that final - did a nice job retelling the story and added a nugget we never knew. Lecavalier and Iginla were roommates and became fast friends just a couple of months later when they played for Team Canada in the World Cup of Hockey.

(2004 Times photo by Dirk Shadd: The Lightning's Vinny Lecavalier, right, and the Flames' Jarome Iginla were trading pleasantries mere months after trading punches during the Stanley Cup final. Click photo to enlarge.)

Denis' save

If you haven't seen Marc Denis' tremendous save on Olli Jokinen from Tuesday's game, go to nhl.com, click on video, get to the correct day and click on the Lightning/Panthers game. There is a link to "SAVES.'' It's worth your time.

Also, if you want a laugh, go on YOUTUBE and search "Know your teammate'' and watch Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis crack each other up. Did you know they have a song?