Well, to start with, he’s a big, handsome man of 6-4 and 220 pounds of muscle, lithe and fluid who can hit a slap shot from 40 feet into a coffee can, if that were demanded.

He has that melodic French name — Vincent Le-CAV-al-yeh (or something like that) — and has just signed a new deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning that assures him of all the money he and his will ever need.

He drives a Ferrari, changing from a Bentley, which he parks in his garage on his Tampa bayside digs on Davis Islands, down the street from Derek Jeter.

He is the captain of his team with which he has such a romance, and as he has been from the day he was drafted number one overall in 1998 and he has performed and played like the champion he was expected to be and has been.

Evidence: the Lightning under the new ownership Oren Koules and Len Barie, on league with new Coach Barry Melrose quickly signed him for the next 11 years on the ice and perhaps more off. The new contract is staggered, benefiting Vinny during his heydays ahead when he can be of the most assistance on the ice. The new guys in town did what they had to do to keep this wonderful player.

He’s a center and he is big. You can follow Vinny on the ice, whereas you may lose say, Martin St. Louis, which is what that small, fast man wants. Won’t lose Vinny. If you are in enemy skakes, you do not want to do that. He’ll nail you from the blind side. He is one of the two or three best all around players in the National Hockey League.

Vinny Lecavalier, did we mention, is a fine Tampa/St. Petersburg citizen. Gave $3 million for a kids hospital in St. Pete, among other charitable projects. Tampa General is a benefactor.

Team guy, of course, he is. He’s the captain and fulfills that role with vengeance.

And while he returns to Canada to get cold he rushes back to Davis Islands to stay.

“Tampa has been wonderful to me, and for me, as have been the people here. I wouldn’t want to be playing anywhere else,” said Vinny.

Perhaps those of us out here looking on are as thrilled by the quality of the man as anything else. No, more. Truth is, Vinny Levavalier has been to the Lightning what the great Lee Roy Selman was to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — the best in so many ways. And Lee Roy has a parkway named for him. Lecavalier will be remembered by such a salute, believe me, but, that’s premature.

This wonderful fellow and his aggressive new bosses have plenty of promises yet to keep, more slap shots to be fired home, more goaltenders to rout. Need more championships here to be displayed down there on Lecavalier Drive.

This franchise, born in a cattle exhibition hall at the Florida State Fairgounds (it was flat all we had) only because the late Doyle Carlton said Phil Esposito could use it for a while, has come a long way. The Lightning have found players like Vinny and Brad Richards and Martin and the rest, but, have plenty yet to do — another Stanley Cup, and in time, a big-time Levavalier tribute - to undertake. The Lightning have been Vinny’s lifetime. He was drafted when he was 20, he is 30 now and will be 40 at the end of his contract.

And, why sure, Capt. Vinny wearing that on challenge on his back. Our Tribune man who knows about such things, Erik Erlendsson, said the new guy agreed to pay Lecavalier $85 million over the next 11 years.

That’s a lot of slapshots.