Insider Revisits How the Canadiens Nearly Pulled Off a Blockbuster Trade for Vincent Lecavalier in 2009
Photo credit: IMAGN
Renaud Lavoie revisited a trade that never happened but is still being talked about by Montreal Canadiens fans even after all these years.
During one of his segments on BPM Sports' show Le Club du Matin, the journalist revealed that it was none other than NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman who opposed the trade that would have sent Vincent Lecavalier to the Canadiens in 2009.
You read that right.
A Major Revelation from Renaud Lavoie About Vincent Lecavalier and the Montreal Canadiens
It's incredible..
"Gary Bettman himself said no - Vincent Lecavalier will not be traded to the Montreal Canadiens, he's too important for the Lightning."
- Renaud Lavoie
- Renaud Lavoie
To refresh your memory, the Canadiens were celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2009 and were searching for a superstar from Quebec. Lecavalier was the main target of then-general manager Bob Gainey.
According to Lavoie, there were even two separate trades completed at the time between the Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The first occurred in January 2009, and the deal was reportedly so close that Lecavalier even called Lavoie himself to tell him he had been traded.
However, the Lightning's co-owners at the time, Len Barrie and Oren Koules, weren't on the same page, which was enough to cancel the trade.
But the one that became public knowledge was the deal finalized during the draft held in Montreal.
The Canadiens had reportedly offered Max Pacioretty, Carey Price, P.K. Subban, and a first-round pick to acquire the Quebec-born star, who was considered one of the NHL's best players at the time.
Everything seemed set - until Gary Bettman stepped in.
He didn't want to harm the Lightning organization, which wasn't as stable as it is today, and felt that seeing a player of Lecavalier's caliber leave Tampa Bay would have been bad for the team's image.
It seems Bettman's favoritism toward American markets - especially those in Florida - is nothing new.
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