Lightning C Lecavalier signs 11-year deal

Jul 13, 2008 - 1:08 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Vincent Lecavalier will be a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning for quite a long time.

According to a report by TSN of Canada on Saturday, Lecavalier signed an 11-year contract extension worth $85 million with the Lightning, keeping him with the team through the 2019-20 season.

The deal is two years longer than the one for $77 million to which Lecavalier reportedly agreed last month.

According to the report, the 28-year-old Lecavalier will make $10 million per season over the first six years under the terms of the new deal, which goes into effect in 2009-10. His salary will dip over the duration of the deal, going from $8.5 million in 2016-17 all the way down to $1 million in the final campaign, in order to protect the Lightning from salary cap restrictions and the potential retirement of the center.

Selected first overall in the 1998 draft, Lecavalier has one year left on his current four-year, $27.5 million contract. The three-time All-Star would have been eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July 2009.

Lecavalier helped lead the Lightning to their only Stanley Cup championship in 2004. He holds the franchise record for points (602), goals (273) and games played (710).

This past season, Lecavalier registered 40 goals and 92 points, ranking seventh in the league in scoring. He underwent shoulder surgery in mid-April but is expected to be ready for training camp in September.