Flyers Sign Free Agent Lecavalier to Multi-Year Deal

The Philadelphia Flyers have signed veteran center Vincent Lecavalier to a multi-year contract.

The Tampa Bay Lightning let their 33-year-old captain go last week, and the Flyers pounced Tuesday night, signing him to a reported five-year deal worth $22.5 million.

Tampa Bay cut ties with Lecavalier to clear space under a smaller salary cap. The Philadelphia Flyers took advantage of both of their compliance buyouts to release forward Danny Briere and goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.

Lecavalier didn't mesh with Tampa Bay's plans, or at least his contract didn't with seven years and $45 million remaining on it. The four-time All-Star, drafted No. 1 overall by the Lightning in 1998, helped the franchise win the Stanley Cup in 2004 and scored a franchise-high 383 goals.

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