Music: {allcanada} Bergevin: Habs' interest in Lecavalier 'pretty high'

Sunday, June 30, 2013

{allcanada} Bergevin: Habs' interest in Lecavalier 'pretty high'

NEWARK, N.J. -- Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin, coach Michel Therrien and owner Geoff Molson met with free agent Vincent Lecavalier on Saturday in an attempt to convince the big center to come and play for his hometown team.

Bergevin has a considerable amount of interest in making that happen.

"From one to 10?" Bergevin said when asked to describe the Canadiens' interest in Lecavalier. "Pretty high."

When told that sounded like it would be an eight on a scale of one to 10, Bergevin said, "Safe to say. At least."

Bergevin attempted to add size to the Canadiens in the NHL Draft on Sunday, but he conceded that the quickest way to accomplish that goal would be by adding Lecavalier as a free agent.

"He's got size," Bergevin said. "That's intriguing, to say the least."

Lecavalier was bought out of the final seven years of his contract by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, freeing up $7.7 million in cap space. Lecavalier, 33, will be paid north of $30 million over the next 14 years as part of his buyout, but he said in a conference call Thursday that he would be interested in signing a long-term contract that would get him to retirement.

When asked if the Canadiens would be willing to satisfy that criteria, Bergevin declined comment.

Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com reported Sunday the Canadiens were one of a dozen teams to contact Lecavalier, and that he would be trying to get that down to three or four teams over the next couple of days.