Flyers to sign Vincent Lecavalier to 5-year deal

The Flyers were among the many teams that spent time at the NHL Draft talking to Vincent Lecavalier. Apparently, they made quite the impression.

Lecavalier is choosing to sign with the Flyers when the free-agency signing period officially begins on Friday. The deal is for five years, worth $4.5 million per year.

Lecavalier holds a place in Flyers' history as being a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning since breaking into the NHL in the 1998-99 season. He was also part of the 2003-04 team that won the Stanley Cup, beating the Flyers in a seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Final.

Lecavalier, a 33-year-old center, played a total of 1,037 games with the Lightning in 14 seasons. He scored 383 goals while adding 491 assists for a total of 874 points. In 2013, he scored 10 goals and added 22 assists for 32 points in 39 games.

He has also played in 63 playoff games, scoring 24 goals and netting 52 points. Lecavalier is also a four-time All-Star with his most recent appearances coming in 2008 and 2009.

Lecavalier's signing may seem foolish of the Flyers at first. It is a move that doesn't directly address a team need. But the move is customary of the Flyers. They jump at big names. They like making splashes.

Lecavalier is a strong power play man, scoring nearly 1/3 of his goals on the man-advantage including half of his goals in the 2013 season. He is also among the best passers in hockey.

The Flyers next major splash, after the trade then sign deal for Mark Streit, comes with the signing of the veteran center. They still could improve on defense and use a second goalie in the wake of Ilya Bryzgalov's buyout.

Kevin Durso is a contributor for Flyerdelphia. You can follow him on twitter @KDursoPhilsNet.