Lecavalier, Crosby Grab the Spotlight
By Tom Layberger
January 23, 2009
Montreal -- Certainly they were not the only two players at Friday’s media session held in the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, but they commanded the most attention among the assembled throng. One was in demand because of what team he might soon be playing for and the other because he is not playing at all during the NHL’s showcase weekend.
Indeed, there was no shortage of microphones and cameras focused on Vincent Lecavalier and Sidney Crosby. The former has been all the buzz of the late – especially in these parts – with the Tampa Bay trade winds sweeping up a storm. Meanwhile, the latter is sidelined by a knee injury.
The local media has been frothing over the Lecavalier-to-Montreal rumors, scuttlebutt the Lightning captain acknowledges has been more than simple idle chatter.
“Usually there’s rumors, but this one seemed that it had a lot of legs on it,” said the French-Canadian star. “If it were to happen, (Lightning management) would come up to me with a list of teams or something like that. If it would happen to be Montreal, I mean, I grew up here. It’s a great organization, it’s a great town. My family’s from here and I have a lot of friends here.”
Lecavalier has certainly made a lot of friends – and fans – during what is now 10 seasons in Tampa. More than 750 games, nearly 300 goals and a Stanley Cup ring firmly entrench Lecavalier as the 16-year-old franchise’s all-time marquee player. But all that matters now is whether Lecavalier is playing his final game with the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 1998.
“I don’t know,” Lecavalier responded when asked if he thought a trade might happen. “I don’t think so. But in professional sports, you can’t predict the future. If it happens, it happens.”
What will not happen this weekend is Sidney Crosby suiting up for the skills competition or the all-star game itself. His left knee kept him out of a Jan. 16 home match against Anaheim. Crosby returned to play the final two games prior to the break, even logging 25:55 in a 2-1 defeat to Carolina on Tuesday, his most ice time since Dec. 8. But if fans are to get a glimpse of No. 87 this weekend, it will be off the ice.
“My plan was to come here from the moment that I decided that I wasn't going to be able to play due to injury,” said Crosby. “I'd had a talk with Gary Bettman as to the capacity of me being here, what it was going to be. I obviously wanted to be here, but I still want the focus to be on the guys that are here, too, and not the fact that I'm coming. I'm happy to be a part of it. I'm probably not here playing like I would like to be, but it's the second-best thing and I'm happy to be here anyway.”
The Penguins resume practice Monday and how Crosby's knee reacts will determine his status for the Pens’ next scheduled game, Wednesday at home against the Rangers.
“I think as for playing Wednesday, hopefully these five days of not doing anything will give me a chance to get back as close to 100 percent as I can,” he said. “Whether that's the case, I'll find out when I start skating again.”
Tom Layberger is the NHL Editor for Versus.com
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