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Bolts Insist It's Absolutely Not Slash-And-Burn Time

LIGHTNING COLUMN

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 28, 2007

Anybody want to buy a hockey team?

Anybody at all?

The sale of the Lightning appears kaput.

Better go see Vinny Lecavalier while you can.

What's not to think about this morning?

It's all over but the lawsuit. The deal breaker appears to be that movie wheel Oren Koules balked and hockey wheel Doug MacLean and investors for Absolute Hockey Enterprises had, between them, a roll of quarters in a sock.

Can (still) owner Bill Davidson's summer clearance sale be far behind? Is this the end of the Big Four? Are the Bolts about to be an inconsequential team in an inconsequential league? Is anyone out there selling question marks?

It's an Absolute Mess

Will Davidson Keep Spending?

Actually, the Lightning are being inconsequential without ownership change, since they lose as many as they win even with three of the Big Four, including Lecavalier, currently the best player in hockey.

Back to the un-done deal.

Hollywood producer Oren ("Saw" movies) Koules, Mr. Deep Pockets for the $200 million deal, is being sued by his pals in Absolute Hockey, led by real estate developer Jeff Sherrin and longtime NHL executive MacLean, for breach of contract and civil conspiracy, among other things.

Whatever happened to just going out and getting a decent goaltender?

So it's back on Palace Sports & Entertainment, on Davidson, who no longer wants the hockey money drain.

Davidson rescued this franchise and did what was needed, which is why there's a championship banner in the Forum.

But have we reached dumping day?

Will Dollar Bill try to buy one of Koules' Saws and starting hacking payroll?

Not so, said Lightning CEO and Governor Tom Wilson.

"We have no intention of cutting costs or doing anything that would make fans nervous or apprehensive."

Wilson added, "I can understand why the questions would be asked. All you can do is look at the history. We weren't making money the last couple of years and we spent all the money the cap allowed. We raised that amount this year."

But do you see Davidson standing pat?

Faced with .500 hockey from a team he doesn't want, will he keep the payroll at $43 million?

I say you can forget defenseman Dan Boyle being re-signed after the season.

And since Marty St. Louis and Brad Richards have no-trade clauses, how does this team not look at Lecavalier if it ever decides to truly slash? It would be like the bad old days.

"The only thing categorically I would tell you is that the odds of us going from $43 to $33 million are zero," Wilson said. "It's just not going to happen. We just don't have any interest in going back to that kind of program. The time you go back to that is when you're awful, when you have no chance."

Wayne Gretzky was traded.

Clock Ticking On Franchise

Looks as if Lightning coach John Tortorella and GM Jay Feaster, who took a few swipes at the Davidson group after the sale was announced, might have spoken too soon. Not that Tortorella cares, but it probably won't be held against them.

Just the same, boys, you might consider winning a lot this season.

Maybe Absolute Hockey makes a comeback.

Maybe Koules regroups and makes another offer.

The wild card is that other people want to buy hockey teams. Don't ask us why, but they do, and sometimes they move them.

"We still want this team down in Florida," Wilson said.

No sale to franchise movers?

"You never say never," Wilson said, "but we've been pretty consistent on everything. We would certainly not look to that. But you don't ever want to say never."

Anybody want to buy a hockey team and keep it in Tampa?

Anybody at all?

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