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Koules Passes His First Crisis Of Ownership

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By JOE HENDERSON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 26, 2008

You'd most likely expect to read an account right now of how the Lightning traded their best defenseman for a draft pick and pair of used sweat socks. It's what we've been conditioned to expect would happen. But then, you don't start a major rebuilding project by trading a player such as Dan Boyle.

So, shock of shocks, the Lightning were buyers at the trade deadline instead of sellers. They didn't deal Boyle; they signed him to a six-year, $40 million contract extension. Boyle put his name on the paper around 9:30 Monday night. It's too late to save this season but it's a flying start toward what still could be an uncertain future on Channelside Drive.

It doesn't mean Brad Richards will be here next season. And we know for sure Vinny Prospal won't be - he was sent to Philadelphia late Monday, which was expected.

Nor does it say that soon-to-be owner Oren Koules won't try to recoup the money that Boyle will be paid by squeezing elsewhere ("No, really, we're happy with our goaltenders.") That's angst for another column, though, because what this does say is that Koules has passed the first crisis of ownership.

And he's not even the owner yet.

"I hope this sends the message that this is an ownership group that wants to win," General Manager Jay Feaster said. "This is significant. This is a very important player on this team. As far as we're concerned, this was a player we couldn't afford to lose."

Then, in a master understatement, he added, "This was not a slam dunk."

Ya think? There is no guarantee that those negotiating this contract will be around to write the checks. Koules, working to finalize the purchase of the Bolts from Bill Davidson, probably could have scuttled any deal by refusing to sign off.

That would basically have forced Feaster to move Boyle by today's 3 p.m. trade deadline. Worse, the sale of the team to Koules might take until June or later, which would have had a paralyzing effect on making the deals and signing the kind of free-agent help the Bolts so desperately need.

That problem doesn't seem so large now.

While Feaster conceded the obvious - "This is not a normal situation with ownership" - it's encouraging to know everybody played nice, particularly with an important player like Boyle.

Paralyzing Effect

Not a normal situation?

You could say that.

Koules doesn't have veto power but with a discouraging word or two he could have made it impossible to complete this contract. If everything goes as it should, though, this will be his team next year and he probably would have spent a lot of energy and money trying to find a replacement for Boyle.

Now he doesn't have to. The future already looks better and that's what this deal was about.

"Although we're not going to give up, we recognize we have a very, very steep road to climb to make the playoffs," Feaster said.

But when people ask what Koules plans to do when he takes over, he can point to Boyle as his answer and people will believe him.

Answers Came Early

It's about time there was some good news.

The Bolts are the worst team in hockey's worst division.

They need big changes and quickly - starting in the owner's box, where this sale needs to be completed so things don't have to be done by committee. Once that is done, they can get about the business of rebuilding the remainder of this organization - farm system and scouting included. We can have a better feel about that this morning.

Feaster may not be done, either.

"I'll be really busy today," he said.

This story could have ended much differently. There are many times it probably would have ended differently, with a team in limbo and a strong likelihood that next season will be just as dreary as this one has been.

There is much work to do and signing Boyle won't solve all their problems, but it's a start. It's just what you're looking for from an owner who says he wants to win.

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