The Philadelphia Flyers are still seeking to win their third Stanley Cup title. The team has not done so since 1975, and that's not without effort. The Flyers are always expected to be in the mix in the Eastern Conference, and have shown they are willing to put together a roster that is capable of winning a Stanley Cup.
The easiest way for teams to do so is by signing a good collection of free agents. Perhaps the easiest way is to sign the biggest name with the best track record available. Sometimes, it pans out wonderfully, and makes the team look smart for making the move. Then, there are the ones that age horribly and could eventually cost executives their jobs.
One free agent that stands out for the Flyers as a bust is Vincent Lecavalier.
Flyers took a gamble by signing Vincent Lecavalier back in 2013
When you think of Lecavalier, you think of him spending the majority of his career with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 1998 first-overall pick spent 15 years with the Lightning, where he had plenty of highs, such as winning the Stanley Cup back in 2004 and securing the Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals scored in a season with 52 back in the 2006-07 campaign.
But at the tail end of his tenure with Tampa Bay, Lecavalier's numbers significantly dropped off. From putting up 108 points in the 2006-07 season to falling to 32 points in his final campaign in 2012-13. That can be attributed to multiple injuries he dealt with during the latter portion of his tenure, such as a broken hand and broken foot. It got to the point where the Lightning bought out the remaining seven years of Lecavalier's 11-year, $85 million contract in 2013, allowing him to hit free agency.
Despite looking at the drop-off in production, the Flyers were fully on board to bring in Lecavalier. The Flyers and Lecavalier agreed to terms on a five-year, $22.5 million contract. The expectation was that, surely, the former Stanley Cup champion could be a huge benefit for the Flyers as they looked to be the last team standing in the playoffs for years to come.
But, that never came to be.
Vincent Lecavalier's short and forgettable tenure with Flyers
Lecavalier's tenure with the Flyers did not pan out like either side had anticipated. Early on in the 2013-14 season, Lecavalier suffered a minor fracture of his lower back, which forced him to miss 13 games with the team. Lecavalier would return after that and play the remainder of the sesaon. But through 69 games, Lecavalier scored 20 goals and recorded 17 assists. So a little over half the point production as compared to games played.
In his lone playoff trip with the Flyers that season, Lecavalier logged one goal and one assist in their seven-game first-round series loss to the rival New York Rangers.
The following season, Lecavalier was essentially a non-factor on the Flyers, especially as he carried a $4.5 million cap hit per year through the entirety of his contract. He was even a healthy scratch for the first time of his career during this season. Through 57 games, Lecavalier recorded eight goals and 12 assists.
After just seven games played in the 2016-17 season, Lecavalier was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. But as part of the trade, Lecavalier would retire at the end of the season and forgo the remaining two years left on his contract.
The Flyers tried to bring in a proven winner in Lecavalier in hopes that he could help them get over the hurdle to reach the Stanley Cup Final and finally win it all. Yet, that never came to be, as Lecavalier was ultimately a flop in Philadelphia, as he was past his prime and the injuries took a toll on him. As it turns out, the Lightning were onto something by buying out Lecavalier's lucrative contract. The Flyers learned the hard way that they were smart to do so, as their long-term commitment to Lecavalier only lasted a little over two seasons.
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