Vincent Lecavalier, newly acquired by Kings, plans to retire at season's end
Vincent Lecavalier's tenure with the Los Angeles Kings will be short-lived.
Acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday, the veteran forward plans to retire at the end of the season, thereby foregoing the final two years of his contract, agent Kent Hughes told Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.
Related: Flyers trade Lecavalier, Luke Schenn to Kings
Lecavalier, who was sent to the Kings along with defenseman Luke Schenn, carries a cap hit of $4.5 million - half of which will be retained on a prorated basis by the Flyers.
The 35-year-old signed his five-year, $22.5-million contract back in 2013 after being bought out by the Tampa Bay Lightning, but after a nice first season with the Flyers - in which he scored 20 goals in 69 games - Lecavalier was left oft-scratched, and had appeared in only seven games this season under new head coach Dave Hakstol.
With the Kings, he'll be given the chance to skate for a Stanley Cup contender, and potentially end his career on the highest of highs. And should he follow through and retire, the Kings won't be on the hook for the final two years of his deal.
A veteran of 1,170 career games, Lecavalier has recorded 411 goals and 521 assists, winning a Cup with Tampa Bay back in 2004.