On the day of a parade that will be one of the most memorable days in Tampa in a long time, a man that was an integral part of another Tampa parade has been put in charge of the festivities. Former Tampa Bay Lightning center Vinny Lecavalier will be the grand marshal of the 2018 Gasparilla Pirate Fest & Parade of the Pirates on January 27th, which will coincide with NHL All-Star Weekend in Tampa.
The first overall pick in the 1998 NHL Draft, Lecavalier played 14 seasons in Tampa Bay. He served as an assistant captain for the 2004 Stanley Cup Champions, and as captain for seven seasons. He remains the franchise's all-time leader in goals with 383 and games played with 1037.
“I am honored and grateful to Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla for selecting me to be the Grand Marshal of the 2018 Pirate Fest and Parade, especially at a time when the Lightning will be hosting the All-Star Game in our community,” said Lecavalier in a statement. Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla was founded in 1904 and are the organizers of the parade as the "Krewe of record." “Tampa Bay is a special place with great traditions and the Lightning and Gasparilla are two of them. I look forward to representing both with pride in the parade.”
Lecavalier's addition adds to what will already be a hockey-themed day in Tampa Bay: the invasion by a vast flotilla of sea-faring craft begins at 11 a.m., the parade down Bayshore Boulevard at 2 p.m., and the NHL All Star Saturday at Amalie Arena beginning at 7 p.m. The All-Star Game will be the next day, using a 3-on-3 format and dividing teams by the four NHL divisions for the third consecutive year.
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