4 memorable moments from Vincent Lecavalier’s NHL career

It was a formality, but Vincent Lecavalier officially retired from the NHL on Tuesday, leaving an accomplished legacy after 17 pro seasons.

Here's a look at four memorable moments for the man who made the same number famous in Tampa Bay.

Selected 1st overall

With the first pick in the 1998 NHL draft, the Tampa Bay Lightning selected Lecavalier from the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL, where he accumulated 217 points over two seasons.

He was limited to 28 points in his rookie season, but went on to score 874 points in 1,037 games with the Lightning, respectively ranking second and first in franchise history.

Lecavalier would wind up finishing his career with 421 goals and 949 points in 1,212 games.

Fight versus Jarome Iginla

The Stanley Cup Final rarely includes fights, but Lecavalier took part in one of the more polarizing tilts in league history when he squared off with then Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla in Game 3 of the 2004 final.

Lecavalier scored 16 points in 23 games on Tampa Bay's march to the Cup, but his iconic tilt with Iginla was just as unforgettable.

"Rocket" Richard-winning season

He was one of the most consistent scorers of his generation but the 2006-07 season was Lecavalier's best, scoring 52 goals en route to winning the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the league's top scorer.

Lecavalier chipped in 56 assists for a career-high 108 points, good for third in the NHL behind Sidney Crosby and Joe Thornton.

Over a 14-season stretch from 1999-2014, Lecavalier scored at least 20 goals in 13 of them, topping 30 five times.

Setting up the Cup winner

In a decisive Game 7, Lecavalier was instrumental in setting up the Cup winner.

Lecavalier grabbed the puck in the corner, and worked through multiple Flames to set up Ruslan Fedotenko with only five minutes to go, insuring Tampa Bay's first and only Stanley Cup championship.

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