The Tampa Bay Lightning co-owners apparently can no longer coexist.
Oren Koules and Len Barrie flew to New York on Monday in preparation for a meeting today with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to discuss who has the final say in team-related decisions, a source close to the situation confirmed.
While rumors of dissention have been rampant for months, Koules and Barrie have publically denied any type of a rift between the two, who became principal owners a year ago when OK Hockey purchased the team.
There is no clear indication exactly what, if anything, will be resolved between the two sides today. Barrie declined to comment, while a league source would only confirm a meeting was taking place.
The next two weeks are critical. The Lightning have the No. 2 pick in Friday's NHL draft. On July 1, free agency begins and captain Vinny Lecavalier's 11-year, $85 million contract extension goes into effect.
The team has contemplated dealing Lecavalier before the new contract, which includes a no-movement clause, kicks in. Barrie is believed to be opposed to trading Lecavalier while Koules reportedly is in favor of moving the team captain to help keep player payroll in the low $40 million range.
Koules and Barrie splashed onto the NHL scene last free agency period, acquiring several big-name players while touting a "50-50" share of all the responsibilities. But as the season wore on, Barrie made fewer trips to Tampa while Koules was less visible. At a town hall meeting with fans last month, Koules and General Manager Brian Lawton addressed the crowd as Barrie was not in attendance.
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