Lecavalier Traded May Improve Odds of Winnipeg's Return

In today’s Winnipeg Sun, Bruce Garrioch, the long time scribe covering all things NHL, especially Senators-related, broke a story about that recent conversation between Gary Bettman, Oren Koules and Len Barrie who are the two owners of the Tampa Bay Lightning. As background, it is said that things have gotten so rough between the two owners that the major hockey decisions are becoming paralyzed due to the lack of common vision. So bad in fact that Commissioner Bettman summoned both to New York for what is being termed “marriage counselling”. And even the GM had to send out notes to other GMs and player agents to re-establish who was making the hockey decisions on behalf of the Lightning. That in itself is newsworthy as it suggests a split may be imminent.

Those hounding over the Coyotes would be Offside to suggest that the Arizona team offers the only option to Winnipeg.

Garrioch’s news today was this: “From what I'm told, Bettman said: 'You better not trade this guy or nobody is going to buy that franchise',” a league source said yesterday. This was in reference to Vincent Lecavalier, the Lightning’s only superstar.

Does it seem strange to you that Gary Bettman would be talking about selling the team less than a year after these 2 guys bought it? This sounds like the marriage is over and the conversation has turned to how best to divide the remaining assets. Based on this week’s news by Ken Campbell at The Hockey News that either one or both of Lightning owners now want out and either partner may be trying to buy the other out via new investors.

A bit of recent history may excite NHL fans in Manitoba who are anxious to see the NHL return to Winnipeg.

Consider Bill Davidson, the past owner, tried to sell the team for over a year to any interest, local and any other. That suggests that finding ownership willing to buy and keep the team in Tampa is just as remote just one year later. Add in a bad economic situation and banks tightening credit even further and it looks less likely that owners will come forward, even further less likely that they would wish to keep the money-losing team in Florida.

Remember, Davidson was so desperate to sell the team, that he took back almost half of the sale price ($100 million over a $206 million purchase) as loan from Koules and Barrie, just to complete the sale process.

Considering the on-ice performance has returned to poor form and these 2 owners have neither the financial capital nor the emotional goodwill to continue working together and its’ easy to see that Tampa is the NHL’s next nightmare, even before the Phoenix Coyotes mess is settled.

Gary Bettman’s opinion may be correct. The 2nd worst team in the NHL, without their only star, will attract even less potential suitors, as they tend to arrive once every 20 years (unless you are the Penguins). For Manitoba fans, seeing Vinny get traded at today’s entry draft, just might be enough reason to cheer.

And when things get really bad in Tampa, expect them to start looking at other options for their team. And it just so happens that the Lightning, not the Coyotes, are playing in Winnipeg this upcoming NHL pre-season.

Oh to be a fly on the wall of the MTS Centre when Chipman’s group makes contact with Barrie and Koules in just 13 weeks time!

If you have a different take on recent Lightning Strikes, let us all know on the Manitoba Mythbusters Forum. www.mbmbforum.com

Chris
Chair, Manitoba Mythbusters
www.ManitobaMythbusters.com
www.myNHLincludesWinnipeg.com
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