Joe’s been tough on Vinny Lecavalier all year long and hasn’t been distracted by points here or there and big shot totals. Vinny is just not Vinny anymore.

The Magic Shake isn’t helping. And neither is stability with his massive new contract and trade rumors all but dead.

But now you don’t have to believe Joe.

Vinny tells Damian Cristodero, of the St. Pete Times, that he’s uncomfortable around the net.

“Squeezing the stick,” [Lecavalier] said. “Around the net, when you don’t have a lot of goals, your vision is not the same. I feel great everywhere on the ice but around the net. It doesn’t shut down, but for some reason, your vision gets smaller.”

Sadly, Vinny has hit rock bottom as a player, just after his $85-million guaranteed contract kicked in. He admits he’s lost his confidence.

“I’m working hard on it,” Lecavalier said. “I’ve been doing this for 11 years. It just doesn’t stop like that, so I’ll keep working. I work hard in practice and believe in the end I’ll get my confidence back.”

Joe can’t remember the last time a player at Vinny’s age just magically rediscovered his entire game after falling so far. It’ll be a miracle if he ends up being worth half the money the Lightning owe him. 

Joe remembers all that fan uproar over trading potentially trading Lecavalier this summer. …Somewhere in the secret bowels of the Ice Palace, the Lightning brass might just be kicking themselves really hard. 

Joe supposes that if Vinny can’t turn it around soon, Brian Lawton will be very quick to answer his phone after the All-Star break.

Hey, it’s not like Vinny is putting people in the seats. 

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