Sale of Lightning finally closes

It's official, the Lightning is under new ownership.

The $200-million sale of the team, the St. Pete Times Forum lease and 5.5 acres adjacent to the arena to OK Hockey from Palace Sports & Entertainment, closed Thursday, team spokesman Bill Wickett said. It was the final step in the transfer of ownership. The league approved the new ownership last month.

The news ends an 11-month process that began with Absolute Hockey Enterprises aborted attempt to buy the team. New owner Oren Koules was part of the group that imploded. Koules now heads OK Hockey with former NHLer Len Barrie and six other minority investors.

Comments

[h29]

Twinebulge,

Yes, of course, “Boylegate” is an extreme analogy. Watergate and the attack on the Constitution with criminal actions such as break-ins at the DNC headquarters, Ellsberg’s shrink’s office, the hotel room of the guy that shot Wallace, the firebombing of the Brookings Institute, obstruction of justice, the use of the FBI and IRS for political purposes, the bombing of Cambodia, etc.. by the Executive branch beats this. Thank you for the history lesson.

Yet the term “gate” has become a synonym for scandal in our modern lexicon, especially as it pertains to a violation of trust. That being said, and as evidenced by the reaction of some on this blog, wouldn’t you agree that there is a trust issue here? IMHO

Yes we are being emotional and not seeing this as a logical business decision. But isn’t that what sports is all about? It used to be that if you wanted cold hard-hearted facts, you’d read the WSJ or the NYT. And to harken back to a time in one’s life when things were simpler, you would turn to a sports page. Alas, I know lines blur and this is not about a pick-up game of pond hockey.

I know this is a billion dollar business. Yet, I personally think that owners of sports team are in some way custodians of a public asset (yes legally, I know this is not true). So its not the fact Boyle is gone that makes this feel like a breach of fiduciary responsibility by a trustee, but instead this feels like a plan to that involved lying to the fans almost immediately after taking over this quasi-public asset, IMHO.

Is there a smoking gun to prove this deceit? I guess that discussion between the half men and Mullet was on the 18.5 minutes that their secretary Rosemary Woods accidently erased this morning.

[Twinebulge]

Calling this Boylegate as if it's a scandal or something seems a little childish IMHO. Nobody called it Bradgate or Khabigate, for good reason. It's not a political scandal it's a business decision, maybe not the best one the new group has made but come on they have done a killer job (no pun intended there, Oren) so far and nobody's perfect. I thought Boyle would stay what with the long contract and all, and look how we did for a season without him (last place), he was the engine of the offense and D, least replaceable person on the team at least under the old system. So is he important to this team, yes and was he important to winning the cup, again absolutely yes. Times change though and moving forward they weren't going to be able to have everything stick

With a team having the unbelievable upside talent & skills of Stamkos, Malone, Lecavalier, Prospal, St. Louis, Vrbata, some team toughness, some good young D and decent solid goaltending for a change....putting away $13k that was under "consideration" for spending on hockey tickets because Boyle is gone seems a bit on the extreme side, but hey it's not my money - my season tix cost 1/10 of that :)

with the rise of the Canadian dollar, the whole team may be joining Boyle to his native country! LIARS!

BOYLEGATE!

[David]

I'm not happy about Boyle leaving, but I don't think he's all that. I think he has a place here, but was overpaid and unfortunately is the one who has to pay for someone elses mistake of writing that contract.

Of course, my throwback opinion is that Bobby Orr ruined the way defense is played for all time. Yes I know that is heretical but I like my defensemen to play defense.

This, along with the Richards move, are showing that no-trade clauses aren't really all that. Yes you can stay, if you aren't waived, but you stay where you aren't wanted and that's a shame. I wouldn't blame Boyle if he chose to do that, every Maple Leaf did so at the trade deadline.

I don't want a defenseman to put a player through the glass, I want moderately physical, positionally sound defensemen.

I'd really like to have been a fly on the wall when the big contract was given to Boyle, and for the last week down at Jay Feaster's office. I'd love to know what went on, what is going on, and who is involved in what.

I think his best years are behind him ... and since he keeps talking about wanting to stay here... both parties can agree to a new contract which will void that one. He doesn't need that much money to stay somewhere he loves and on a team that looks like a favorite to win it all the sudden.

[skippy]

Some may not get why people have a "mancrush" over Boyle, others of us don't get why the more knuckle dragging members of this fanbase can't appreciate a defenseman unless he puts guys through the glass every shift!

[Don in St. Pete]

here's the problem I have with all the girls that have a crush on Boyle. First of all he's married so forgetaboutit. Second of all Danny in his best year 2 years ago played poor to mediocre defense. Yes he could score and lug the puck, but now we have plenty of people who can score and we need a couple nasty attitudes on defense to keep the front of the net clear when the other teams top line is on the ice.

[Micahel]

David, its not a man crush. First of all, many fans wanted Bard to go. (I was not one of them) Second, Dan Boyle is one of the best, if not the best offensive defenseman in the league. Right? He finds ways to jump start the team. Remember the season before last, the Lightning were playing the Rangers at the Forum, and we went into the 3rd trailing 3-0? Boyle scored 2 goals in the first 5 minutes or so, Vinny4 tied it, and Boyle completed the hat trick with the winning goal. The team looked dead until then, with bery little energy, but Boyle got them going. And remember when he came back this season against Ottawa? With us trailing 4-0, he scored a goal that got us a little energy, and though the Bolts lost 8-4, he had 2 goals, the night he is returning from 2 severed tendions, and the team was disintrested in winning that game. Talk about a guy who put everything out there he had. He tried to win that game himself.

maybe POWW.com could make up some red signs: No to Boyle leaving.

[boltcc]

K E E P B O Y L E

[David]

I don't understand the man-crush this town has on Brad Richards and Dan Boyle.

[bingo]

Boylegate Boylegate Boylegate Boylegate Boylegate Boylegate Boylegate Boylegate

Where are those e-mail addresses they were going to have for the fans to mail them some questions?

We could all send them this:

Thanks for the dreams and then came the SAW 4 episode. Boylegate Boylegate Boylegate Boylegate Boylegate Boylegate Boylegate

BTW: My 6 half season Jeep level tickets that I was considering just went out the door....... 6 x 2200 = 13200 and all the food that the kids and family would eat..... Nice going guys.

[Jim-NJ]

BOYLEGATE!!!!!!!!!!!

[Geografer]

Boylegate - love it!! I would rejoice had the events of the last 24 hours not happened.
h29 - doesn't matter if the guy goes and resigns elsewhere - we are still on the hook. Which means he is getting paid by us and Montreal. Same with Tucker who just signed that nice fat contract with the Avs (talk about overpaying) he will get his huge buyout plus his new pay.

[Nan]

Hey, I like calling this "Boylegate". Great stuff H29! Danny - just say NO! We want you here! Are you reading this OK?

[brendan]

Let's hope Boyle stays, not getting Ralston took a lof of luster off of our signings

Brendan Sean O'Leary

[h29]

Stupid question:

Just saw that the Habs picked up Marc Denis. I assume this does not impact our cap since this was a buy-out and not a waiver move. Hope I'm wrong. Anyone care to educate me?

[TS-SS]

This just in, San Jose Sharks sign Defenseman Rob Blake to a 1-year, $5 million deal. That's one team off Danny's back!!

[TS-SS]

I'm right there next to you h29... things were good until this "Boylegate" scandal came down the pipe. Not a good feeling knowing your ownership is trying trade away one of top 5 offensive D-men in the entire league. Kinda makes you feel a bit sick in the stomach.

[schlepp]

nice way to put it h29 couldn't agree with you more. I dont think i will trust these guys as far i a can throw them.

[h29]

I would have popped open a cold one to celebrate before the whole Boylegate started. Now my cold ones will be consumed to lament the close of the sale. Just wait for the rest of the body parts to fall and the blood to splatter to gauge these guys.

Beware of half men who come with smiles and incomplete financing!

[David]

Are we sure?
Absolutely?
Positively?

I declare July 3rd a new national holiday, Lightning Emancipation Day. LED for short.

[Smacky McConverse]

And there was much rejoicing...