Sale going slowly / European trip official

Lightning president Ron Campbell said negotions between owner Palace Sports & Entertainment and Oren Koules to buy the team are taking a lot longer than anyone had originally foreseen, but expects talks to go "much quicker in the coming weeks.''

Palace Sports had said it wanted a purchase agreement in place by the end of the month.

From his vantage point, commissioner Gary Bettman said there are "no red flags.'' And while we've heard that one before, the difference this time is Bettman apparently is much more closely involved than the first time, when Absolute Hockey Enterprises imploded and their bid for the team died.

It died, however, with Bettman brokering a deal that stopped a lawsuit between the partners and allowed Koules, a Hollywood producer, to mount a bid on his own, though his OK Hockey also includes his business partner Mark Berg and, as far as we can tell, California banker Russell Belinsky. The parameters of the deal are the same: $200-million for the team, the St. Pete Times Forum lease and 5.5 acres of land near the arena.

"I'm much more closely involved this time. There are no red flags,'' Bettman said at his All-Star news conference. "There are discussions going on in a way that if they reach a successful conclusion, should enable this transaction to proceed in the ordinary course.''

Campbell said koules is a "very, very passionate hockey person,'' and that if the sale proceeds, fans in the Tampa area "will be very, very excited.''

As far as the European trip to open next season, it is finally official, though everybody seems to have known about it since September. Lightning will play twice against the Rangers in Prague. The Penguins and Senators will play twice in Stockholm. There still is a possibility the Lightning will play an exhibition game in Europe before the games in Prague.

   

Comments

[JoeG]

Great,now the rest of the world will get to see how inept our team is.

[Another Joe]

Just get the sale done so the team can move on with improvements!

[Rudy]

Who cares?

[safa - CZ]

The mentioned rest of the world watching you indeed ;-) . Anyway, I will be very happy to see all the guys in Lightning uniforms in my country. Appreciate that decision at all.

[Michael Rennie]

KLAATU BARADA NIKTO!

[bear]

Anyone who has spent time parsing Gary Bettman would quickly know this deal is dead.

[Voice of the Turtle]

Campbell says Koules is a "very, very passionate hockey person" and "the fans will be very, very excited if the sale goes through. For the president of $200,000,000 hockey team, I'd say he has a very, very limited vocabulary and sounds very, very stupid.

Bettman: "There are discussions going on in a way that if they reach a successful conclusion, should enable this transaction to proceed in the ordinary course." Hey, Mr. National Hockey League Commissioner....Duhhhhhhh! And, I thought Campbell sounded stupid. Do they teach people to talk like that in law school?

[bear]

I'm having thoughts of winning the Lotto tomorrow in away that should allow me a Brad Richards lifestyle.

Pretty wild Turtle and when Bettman says no red flags then its raining red flags.

[Foghat Legman]

Personally, I don't think this deal will be accomplished. Not soon enough to salvage NEXT season or ever! There is a pox hanging over this Club and the Bay, and I do not see any simple, mono-faceted inoculations.
Sometimes I think Doug MacLean did it again, defecating on yet another franchise.
But looking back, I'd have to say I think the new Lightning logo is our new curse! (Taking a huge dump on Captain Dave Andreychuk two years ago, didn't help either.)
Remember all that jive about the logo change and the tacky new uniforms? Yeah, I'll go with that.

I still say, we should make like that S. Fla community organizing a class action lawsuit against their school board.
They permitted a popular principal to resign in the middle of the school year, thus disrupting the students' progression.
That limbo closely parallels our situation.

I still also wish Phil Esposito would win the super-spiffy-ultra-supreme-power ball lotto and buy this Club.
(And frogs wish they had wings so they wouldn't bump their butts a hoppin'.)
Think the gorgeous Svensk, Mrs. Tiger Woods would but the Bolts, a la Georgia Frontiere? I didn't think so.

Another single malt over this way, please.

[bear]

"There are discussions going on in a way that if they reach a successful conclusion, should enable this transaction to proceed in the ordinary course.''

Most likely means that OK has suggested a price of 1.5 given the joint collapse of the team and the Fl economy.

If he pays Palace's fantasy figure the deal goes forward.

[Ray]

Hey Bettman, learn to grow your sport in this backyard before you take it elsewhere. :sarcasm dripping:

[Hockey Chic]

Heres a thought maybe Bettman should market that mumbo jumbo they are trying to sell us and make some money off of that manure.

Meanwhile back at the ranch everything is hunky dory with our team right? Hey guys watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat.

Play it again Bettman...

[ted]

fire coach

[Mike13]

That's too bad. I actually bought that bit a few months ago about the deal being done by the end of January. Duped again.

By the way, the European trip was not approved by the NHLPA and is therefore not official. The teams have agreed to go, but the players have not. We'll see how that plays out in the coming weeks.

[Badbud]

They will go,they are under contract to play,there is no rule about them having a choice of where.

[Mike13]

Here's the link...

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AsRtzwwQZ979A1WkCpl5rxV7vLYF?slug=ap-all-star-bettman&prov=ap&type=lgns

[ajax]

1st of all, Ted you always make me giggle with your long extended blog: fire coach. Maybe we are all looking to deep and that is the simple answer. Bear? So you're high on the sale. If it goes thru at 200mil it surely would be a shocker. Little talent, few bodies, dead weight long term contracts, no minor league system. Sounds like they are buying the house I grew up in. And it wasn't pretty. Let's all get the rosy glasses back on and hope we are hearing the truth and hope it happens asap. Would have to say it officially seals the end of this years improvements. Weez got whats we got. My 5 years at the junior college helped me speak reals good too.

[boltcc]

Didn't the Lightning play a game over there in like 1998 against Buffalo?
Seems to me I remember Vinny making a beautiful goal and it was his rookie year. Please correct me if I'm wrong

[Badbud]

You are right.

[Eric]

Wow, what's up with the slew of moronic comments in the first 10 posts?

Really, you went through all the trouble of reading the story (hopefully) and filling out the form to post "who cares"? Obviously the people below you who posted. If you don't care, shut your yap. You usually have interesting things to say, why not now Rudy?

[Badbud]

NHLPA can biatch and Moan all they want,they are under contract to the teams and the team and NHL decide who they play, when they play, and where they play.

BTW,IMO.playing in europe, ia really dumb Idea,but not because NHL did not ask NHLPA if they could.

I just think the NHL should learn how to Market in USA,before trying it in europe.

[Rudy]

Well I’m sorry, but sometimes you get tired of all thou speculations, going nowhere, and everybody trying to figure out who going to be trade and who is not and really point is running away from everybody. I mean that sell already must tiring everybody. It’s on and off and on again and meanwhile they keep ridiculously loosing, players watching video, and try to figure out what they doing wrong ( do we have a coach for that?), then all of sudden they have extra training like punishment – is it not their job?
Did you watch that embarrassment yesterday with Marty? Why they did not put V4 for that.
I was so excited when he did that 101.6 it was?

[Nan]

Well, here is to hoping that Koules will buy the team and inject some enthusiasm into the club and the fans. Unfortunately, the sale will be too late for the club this year. They haven't even entered into an agreement yet. What a mess!

As far as the two games in Europe that the Lightning will be playing, I hope that they televise those games back to us in the States. Wouldn't that be something if the Lightning fans couldn't see their boys play?

[leo]

Let's get a pool going: How many goals are V4 and Marty gonna score tonight?
I say V4 3 and Marty 1.
P.

[Rudy]

V4 3goals Marty 0
Hopefully he will be not benched after what he try yesterday

[Rudy]

OK I’m sorry, guess I’m to pessimistic today, and let me get a drink

[bear]

Most are pessimistic for a reason Rudy, we've been had by the team and the league.

[vic]

Vinny will score 2 goals and so will Marty.
Ovechkin gets 4.

[Hockey Chic]

The pool would be slanted as the second period is over and it appears it is a Ovie kinda night. Marty had one or two assists so far.

Working online classes while trying to watch. Love the goalie cam and dipietro almost lost it while the announcers were talking to him about the game and the west score 1st goal.

Pretty good game so far lots of shots on goal gotta love it..

Go Bolts!!!

[Mike13]

Marty should not be embarrassed for what he tried during the shootout competition yesterday. The shooters were supposed to show boat and he didn't get a chance, Nabakov came way out of his net to pokecheck him. It was complete crap.

[Rudy]

It’s look like I was 50% right, it will be V4 0 Marty 0
But can you imagine Torts will be coach? We will have much more fun cos he will change goalies every 5 minutes, and I don’t think they will be sounding so happy.
And can you picture Denis? With all flip flops there? Fans will be roaring!!

[olin]

Hejasan Rudy- I will be in Tre Kronor- Modo-Lulea hockey heaven this week...Naslund,Ohlund,Edler,Tallinder,and Sedin&Sedin....LOL. I have to enjoy the 2nd half of season in some way...sale cannot happen fast enough for this guy. Hor av dig? Forsta dagen pa jobbet var ett helvete....!

[vic]

I win the pool! Ovechkin = 2 goals. I was closest. What do I win? A toaster? A matching set of luggage?
I'll settle for another 2 game winning streak.
Thanks leo.

[ajax]

The rumor mill. I think I read on this blog the St. Louis for Turco rumor. I read on the Dallas blog that the asst. Gm was asked for Dallas, and he said absolutely no truth to that rumor. Dallas has a good team this year and no proven backup goalie, so doesn't make sense. I think Turco is one heck of a goalie, but he won't be a free agent until he is like 34 yrs old.
I heard Montreal has a nice young kid who needs alot of work and is fragile as an egg, but with our awesome goalie coach he might "develope" in two years? Any truth to that? It is a no news day so I thought I would stir the pot.

[leo]

Some truth, ajax...but they only want Vinny for'im, and nothing else. (nice try)
Vic! Where ya been?
Sorry, the pool involved ONLY Vinny and Marty.
But since you're a good sport, I'll give you a one-game winning-streak. But I won't say when.
How's that? Good enough?
(Better be, I think that's all I can manage.)
P.

[ajax]

Vinny for Price headsup. Price is under contract for 2 more years at 850k? I would almost (almost) be tempted to do it. Price not being the key, the key being able to free up lots of money to add some D. Let me think about it while everyone else(but Bear) slams me for even daring to think about it. Sell while you are on top. That advice is almost always sound advice. Could Vinny's value go up even one penny more than where it is at now? I know one thing, shopping Vinny and you would get some ridiculously awesome offers. Shop Richards and you will get alot of "don't be ridiculous" There is my Zen for the day. PS I just ducked to avoid those million arrows flying my way.

[Voice of the Turtle]

I just learned from TSN that Brad Richards has been playing through a bout with mononucleosis for the last two months.

I don't think any of us would have been half so critical of his play if we had known that. He said nothing about it. Brad is a truely dedicated soldier who deserves enormous credit for his courage.

Maybe DC will check this out and report about it.

[ajax]

Like anything, the description can be interpreted probably a million ways. A person with a full blown case of mono would be almost impossible to play hockey 27 minutes a night. Strenuous activity is the last thing a doctor would allow if he had mono. I will be curious to read more about this.

[Swampfire Jackson]

I'd say Brad's dad burned mono has slowed him down for 2+ years!!!!!!

Stop smoochin' the bank statements and play some %$$#^%& hockey!

[Lisa]

ajax is right. but beyond the strenuous activity, he wouldn't be able to take contact because his spleen would be very fragile. Any doctor would not allow him to play hockey and the team would be majorly liable if they let him play knowing he had mono. He could end up like Chris Simms with a ruptured spleen requiring many units of blood and even running the risk of death if the rupture was not caught soon enough. I don't believe it.

[bear]

The mono thing sounds like a red herring to me for all the points previously mentioned, most notably his high minutes.

He has never wanted to be hit so no clues there.

Water bottles shared on the bench?? Maybe the rest of them have it too. That might explain much.

Ajax I agree with you, trade V4 ASAP. What if he breaks a wheel next week then where are you?

[Not The Marlboro Man]

I smell rotten fish when ever Gary Bettman is mentioned. I'm willing to betcha that negotiations are going slow because 1 of the 2 parties involved in this sale are looking to move the Bolts out of Tampa. I bet it doesn't happen soon but the ongoing colapse of the team coupled with poor ticket sales could be the motivation that the league needs to OK the move. Gary Bettman cannot be trusted, he is an owner's commissioner and could give a rats 2 cents about the fans or this area. Thats just my oppinion. So if it don't happen I'll be glad, if it does happen I'll say I told ya so and have to watch stinkin Panther Hockey on the boob tube.

No more Jim Beam Black for me...

[leo]

Oooh, you didn't want the media (i.e. the PEOPLE) to BUG Danny. Ooooh, I see.
You didn't want people to bug Dan Boyle, a PROFESSIONAL hockey-player, who is specifically TRAINED to answer those questions, oooh, I see.
In other words, management succesfully kept the news from the PEOPLE (i.e. the Senators) to throw a monkey in the wrench in the next game. uuuuhhh, the Senators, right.
This Brad monocluesososis thing, I love it! Brilliant! The pure moxy of the thing takes brass ones, dontcha think?
Totally agree with SwampThing: "Oh,oh, you're not feeling well, Brad? You sick? Can't breathe? Hawking up? Muscles feel like jello? Yeah? WELL, THEN STAY HOME!!!
Oh, you can play? SO, PLAY!!! What is this, a kindergarten?"
Ajax,
This is where I come up against THE WALL. By being a Partisan, you will automatically think that I'm trying to pull a fast one. Thing is, I ain't. I truly have the Lightning interests at heart. (My family, and the Demers')
Here it is: Not only is Vinny worth LOADS,...we will NEVER get SO much as we would in Montreal, for obvious reasons.
Let's say DETROIT offers us the moon. MTL will ante up.
Let's say KEVIN LOWE offers us the moon. MTL will ante up.
Let's say COL, DAL, STL, CAL, CHI offers us the sun and the stars in the sky. MTL will ante up.
We all know this to be true and ajax, you wanna get in the line of fire but that trench you're in?
You know I dug it.
Talkin' 'bout my Boy. You SAW the crap I took. Fact is, I hadda let it go or be run off, aye?
Let's stop with the minors business; The Kid's the Real Deal. Huet is WINNING games; he's the veteran, and the Kid was stressing him out, plain and simple. (Look at Huet's record since the Kid was sent down. Halak is tending daffodils behind the bench.)
Le Club de Hockey Canadien is after something...They have some sort of PLAN.
Can't say what it is.
A final word on Bettman,
I agree with those who express themselves a propos Gary's "incomprehension of the game and hard-headedness in wanting to sell a product within a market that doesn't care for the culture of that product".
However,
He promised parity and got it. For me, I never liked the idea of teams BUYING championships. (That's why the Habs are the greatest team in the world and not the Yankees. Real Madrid has 20.) Habs SWEATED for it. Lord Stanley DEMANDS nothing less.
Don't laugh about the Euro hockey games; THEY have TV too! If Euros tune in to Versus, TSN or ESPN because they got a taste of the NHL and liked what they saw, guess what?
The salary caps go up!
Sure, Bettman's goofy. But he's a waaay better business-man than I'll ever be; I'll tell you that for nuthin.
You guys say he's a farce and should chuck himself off a bridge? I'll take your word for it but for my part, I have NEVER thought of him as a FAILURE.
P.
Wow, long blog, page out've ajax's book, night all!

[Mike13]

It's too early to trade anybody of real value on this team. Not while there is still a chance (as remote as it might be). Talk to me again in 3 weeks. I still think it would be a huge mistake to trade VL4 as we cannot possibly get back what he is worth. (Think Joe Thornton trade here folks). Unless they are offering known stars in exchange (Malkin & Gonchar, Semin & Green, Spezza & Redden, etc), I would not do it.

[Casper]

Don't blow up the bridge and get tired, has-been, pseudo-stars in return.

The best any new blood can do to help us won't be seen until October, when everybody is another year older.

Take the picks and look for the fresh, fast 'uns.
Here's a switch, trade some of our Mr. MaGoo SCOUTS for some picks! (You know me, I live for life's ironies.)

This is a fine time to jettison the dead weight, huh?

Oh, but definitely keep Brad. This is not unlike having a spouse with no concern for money; watching you sell off everything you own just to buy more, other, goodies that'll rot down the road.

Glad it isn't MY wife and I can only watch this soap opera.

[ajax]

Leo, good blog but not long enough.

[Mike14]

But Casper, didn't you know? Brad has mono. Apparently, he's had it for months.

[bear]

Brad got mono from the pen when he signed his contract.

Leo what are you a half miler?..suck it up and go the distance.

[leo]

Wha..? Longer?
But I'll ruin all me fine points, spread meself out. No, no, no.
Short, concise, thematic
And incendiary.
Hey Brad, sorry about the mono comment up above. You take it easy out there, y'hear? Don't exert yourself too much. What's important is your health.
So you'll be in great shape when we trade your @&&.
P.

[ajax]

Yahoo hockey ratings just got posted and we are 29th. He goes further to state only two teams are out of the playoff race. The L.A. Kings and yes, our local boys. We were watching the Stanley Cup game 7 on TV last night. What a freefall from the penthouse. Count'em. 7 forwards with 20 goals. Everyone playing about 19 mminutes. Captain Dave and a healthy Tim Taylor on the "3rd" line. An awesome penalty kill with Cullimore and Kubina cleaning house in front of the net. A goalie!!!! Brad and Vinny never thought about killing penalties!!! What a team and now we are in the outhouse and it will probably only get worse before it gets better. For me it is a great big, Thank-you Jay Feaster. I would go on and on but you all might start calling me Leo. Peace

[leo]

Hey, I resemble that remark!
Now that the Brad "crap-season mystery" is solved, what's ailing the OTHER 2nd, 3rd and 4th liners?
Acceleration trauma?
Ice poisoning?
Rubber allergies?
Net blindness?
What?
P.

[ajax]

further sign of the apocolips?? tough word to spell. In Cup season we gave up 42 PP goals in 82 games. In 50 games this year, 38! If we only give up 4 more PP goals in the next 32 games I will guarantee we make the playoffs. How's that for being positive!! Richards and Ward are two awesome penalty killers.

[leo]

Hockey-chic? That you?
P.