Both Kings, Flyers Benefit from Vinny Lecavalier's Desire to Prove Playoff Worth

It’s been a quiet season for trades in the NHL, with deals exceedingly rare and generally quite small. That changed Wednesday, when the Los Angeles Kings’ apparent desire to have every player in the league bigger than 6’1” and 215 pounds landed them center Vincent Lecavalier and defenseman Luke Schenn from the Philadelphia Flyers:

At first glance, this was a baffling trade for the Kings and a massive coup for the Flyers, but two additional pieces of information make this look more like a sensible move for both sides.

First, as expected, Philadelphia will retain salary. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Flyers are going to cover 50 percent of the contracts of both Lecavalier and Schenn. That makes Schenn an affordable third-pair option, as what’s left of his $3.6 million cap hit falls to just $1.8 million. It still leaves Lecavalier signed until 2017-18 at $2.25 million, which normally one would see as a massive liability for Los Angeles.  

That’s where Lecavalier's desire comes in. The onetime star had been relegated to a depth role in Philadelphia, getting fourth-line minutes and frequently not playing at all. ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun speculated Tuesday that Lecavalier would consider terminating his contract if it meant a chance to play again. LeBrun quoted the centre passionately expressing his desire to be a part of a contender:

"

I still believe in what I can do and what I can bring. I can bring leadership, whatever role a team would want me to do. I can play solid both ways. It’s just a matter of having the chance to have some type of role. Whatever role that is, I’d be ready to fill it and help that team win. That’s the most important thing at my age and where I’ve been; the last few years have been really tough. I just really want to win and help be part of that puzzle to help a team win.

"

Ultimately, Lecavalier decided the chance to play was worth more than the $9.0 million left on his contract after this season. According to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie, the 35-year-old will retire at the end of the year, winking the final two seasons of his contract out of existence.

That willingness gave Flyers general manager Ron Hextall all the room he needed. With Philadelphia in serious financial distress, the opportunity to get out from under one of the nightmare contracts inherited from predecessor Paul Holmgren was too good to pass up. The addition of Schenn at half-price was a nice sweetener to get the job done.

The Flyers are in much better shape as a result of these moves. Retaining some money until the end of the season is no big deal at all, and the addition of a young forward and a decent draft pick are bonuses.

The key item here is clearing away salary. This summer, the team will be just one year of R.J. Umberger and the Andrew MacDonald contract away from being totally free of embarrassing deals.

Although the Flyers are the big winners of the day, Los Angeles didn’t do too badly, either.

Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

Schenn is the key addition from the Kings’ perspective. Although he’s been much reviled because of his cap hit, Schenn is a competent third-pair defenceman. The Kings have needed one for most of the season, as Matt Greene has played just three games, and a little over a month ago Kings Insider Jon Rosen tweeted Greene would be out long term after undergoing shoulder surgery:

Lecavalier was a disaster in Philadelphia and may or may not be able to hold down a regular NHL job. But while he is an expensive gamble in terms of cap space, he is not in terms of assets. The payoff for the Kings’ willingness to make this move was that the club was able to add depth at centre and on defence without shipping out any future assets of real significance.

There’s also another aspect to this trade from L.A.’s perspective. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston tweeted out an interesting perspective from a source independent of either team making the deal:

If there is anywhere a player like Lecavalier (and to a lesser degree Schenn) is likely to enjoy success, it is Los Angeles. Speed always has extreme value in the NHL, but on a team that plays a low-risk defensive style and heavily values size, it can be easier for a guy who has lost a step to find a way to contribute.

This was a reasonably good transaction for most everyone involved. The Flyers’ cap situation improved significantly in the span of a day. Los Angeles added depth for a playoff run at minimal asset cost. It all happened because Lecavalier was willing to sacrifice guaranteed money; as a reward, he’s going to get an honest shot at playing a regular role on a legitimate contender.

Statistics courtesy of NHL.com. Contract details via generalfanager.com.

Jonathan Willis covers the NHL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter for more of his work.