Vincent Lecavalier confirms failed monster trade that would have sent him to Montreal!

On Friday, the Montreal Canadiens hired Vincent Lecavalier as special advisor to hockey operations. He reunited with former teammate, interim head coach Martin St. Louis.

The hiring also reminded fans that Lecavalier once came close to being traded in a monster deal to Montreal when he played for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

During his press conference, Lecavalier was even asked about that rumoured trade that never materialized and confirmed that he had agreed to the move.

What we had heard back then from the rumoured trade is that the Canadiens were considering sending their 2010 1st round pick (who turned out to be Jarred Tinordi) along with Carey Price, Max Pacioretty and P.K. Subban and in return for Lecavalier.

At that time, Bob Gainey was the general manager in Montreal.

In French, Lecavalier explained that a feud between the owners of both teams got in the way, and that's why the trade did not materialize. When he later became a free agent and signed in Philadelphia, he explained that Montreal came close, but he was convinced by the head coach then, Peter Laviolette, to take a chance with the Flyers. (Unfortunately for Lecavalier, the Flyers fired Laviolette three games into his first season in Philadelphia.) 

Lecavalier played 17 seasons in the NHL, collecting 949 points in 1,212 games with the Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings. He was selected first overall by Tampa in the 1998 NHL Draft, and won the Stanley Cup alongside St. Louis with the Lightning in 2004 before winning the Maurice Richard Trophy with 52 goals during the 2006-07 season.

And now he adds this job to his impressive resume while that more than impressing trade did not happen. But it was close!