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Lightning Give Fans Chance To Speak Up

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 16, 2008

Updated: 07/16/2008 01:11 am

TAMPA - After all the enthusiasm and excitement - along with a little bit of pessimism - created in the past three weeks, the new brain trust of the Lightning presented themselves to the Tampa Bay fan base Tuesday.

Facing an estimated crowd of 500 season-ticket holders and fans, owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie, along with Coach Barry Melrose, vice president of hockey operations Brian Lawton and Lightning lifer Vinny Lecavalier - who officially signed his 11-year contract extension - took questions in a town hall setting.

Fans were free to ask away with five open microphones in the stands in Sections 120-126, while those in the front rows merely had to raise their hands and wait for the microphone to find them.

Questions ranged from how the front office went about overhauling the roster, why Dan Boyle was traded, was the team considering bringing back popular forward Andre Roy, to whether Lecavalier had plans to add any "mini-Vinnys" in the near future.

"I think this was great," Koules said. "We want to be accessible and accountable to our fans and this is one way to get that done. We want to do more things like this in the future."

While the power brokers were interested in what's on the fans' minds, the fans were just as curious as to what the decision-makers were thinking about the team. While some in the seats already had their season tickets lined up - and the team made sure to let fans know which seats were available for purchase - some waited for the meeting to decide whether they were ready to re-up for another season after seeing the team finish last in 2007-08.

Les Nevicky of Brandon, who has held season tickets in Section 308 since the 2002-03 season, said he liked what he heard from the panel on the stage and will be renewing his tickets for this season.

"I think they are enthusiastic about what they are doing," Nevicky said. "I'm glad they decided to have a town hall meeting. I think they were able to let us know what direction the team is going to go. I think it's a good direction they are going. I envision that this will be an exciting team and I expect that the level of hustle will go up and that the red light will go on a lot."

Barrie, who last week predicted the team will win the Southeast Division, believes the same thing and stood behind his comments when asked whether he thought he was an owner in the mold of Mark Cuban of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.

"Hey, we are able to go out and give Barry all these great players," Barrie said. "What am I supposed to say, that we are going to finish third? ... We are going to win the division. ... I didn't guarantee it, I predicted it."

Every question asked of the panel was answered. That includes when one fan asked about comments made by Boyle following his trade to San Jose when the defenseman said he felt misled and mistreated by the organization in the days leading up to the deal that brought defenseman Matt Carle, Ty Wishart and a first- and fourth-round pick from the Sharks.

"Like anything in life there are two sides to every story," said Koules, who didn't elaborate on the team's side of the situation. "And I'm not here to say anything bad about Dan Boyle. He won a Stanley Cup with this team, he's a great person and a great defenseman and one of the best puck-moving defensemen in the league.

"But one of our goals is to make the team better now and be better in the future and the thing is, we got four great assets back."

Even Lecavalier, who earlier in the day put pen to paper on his $85 million contract that keeps him in Tampa until he turns 39, didn't dodge one female fan who asked whether children are in his future.

As he gave a quick glance off to the left of the stage in the direction of girlfriend/model/actress Caroline Portelance, Lecavalier took the political approach, stating, "We'll have to see."

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835 or eerlendsson@tampatrib.com.

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