Lightning C Lecavalier to have surgery

Apr 2, 2009 - 5:23 PM TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- Tampa Bay Lightning center Vincent Lecavalier will have surgery to repair his injured right wrist, the team announced Thursday.

Lecavalier will travel to Philadelphia, where the arthroscopic procedure will be performed by Dr. A. Lee Osterman on Friday at the Philadelphia Hand Center.

Friday's procedure was originally scheduled to take place last summer but was delayed after Lecavalier suffered damage to his right shoulder during the Lightning's second-to-last game of the 2007-08 season.

"Obviously it is disappointing that Vinny will not be able to finish the season, but we feel that it is in both his and the team's best interest to have the wrist operated on now," Lawton said.

"Vinny has been battling this injury all season and I really can't say enough about his ability to play through the pain and discomfort."

Lecavalier, who turns 29 later this month, has 29 goals and 38 assists in 77 games.

The first overall pick of the 1998 draft, Lecavalier has 302 goals and 367 assists in 787 contests with the Lightning.