Vincent Lecavalier recalls how he was almost traded to Leafs in 2001

“That deal was done. I got a call from Kent (Hughes). I remember, I was in my pre-game nap and he called me. ‘Alright son, you’re going to Toronto!’ So I was like oh wow, OK. It was kind of in the works for the last couple of weeks. It’s going to be a new challenge, they’re telling me I was going to play with Mats Sundin. The next thing you know, about a half an hour later, he calls me back and said ‘no go!’ I guess the president heard about it, fired Rick Dudley, the GM, and said you’re not making a trade like that unless you talk to me.

“As quick as I thought I was traded, about half an hour later, I wasn’t. Obviously, a couple of years later we won a cup in Tampa and it was awesome, but at that time, in ’01, I was kinda happy. The Lightning weren’t there yet, they weren’t the hockey market that it is today. And I grew up watching Montreal-Toronto and was like wow, that’s going to be unreal, but yeah, didn’t happen.”

It’s fascinating to think about, as a Lecavalier trade involving Tomas Kaberle, Jonas Hoglund and Nik Antropov would’ve fundamentally altered the Maple Leafs’ lineup, while giving Sundin another genuine, ascending talent to work with. It certainly worked out for Lecavalier, who helped the Lightning win their first-ever Stanley Cup in 2004, adding nine goals and 16 points in 23 games during the playoff run.

Lecavalier is still working closely with Kent Hughes, currently working as a special advisor of hockey operations for the Montreal Canadiens. It’s fascinating how history worked out, as Lecavalier became one of the greatest players in Lightning history, while being named MVP of the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. With the playoffs around the corner, it’s certainly an interesting hypothetical for Maple Leafs fans to ponder, on what could’ve been.