I remember this like it was yesterday. It was towards the end of last season and Jay Feaster was on XM's Home Ice. (By the way, another great gift for your favorite hockey fan...an XM radio 24/7 hockey talk...plus you get to hear me seven days a week! It's always about me! Weekdays I am on at 6:20 and Saturdays and Sunday from noon to 12:30 ET....shameless plug now over.)

As I was saying, I remember it like it was yesterday....I was driving to the Dentist (who also happens to be my father-in-law) and Jay Feaster was on XM and he gave what I felt was the most truthful and honest public radio interview I had ever heard.

Jay talked about how the reality of the Tampa situation was that the owners had given him an ultimatum. That if the team didn't get a certain number of home playoff games the self-imposed cap would be slashed, and he was likely going to have to think about breaking up the big three. He talked about exactly how much money is made from the home play-off games, and how much they were short by keeping the payroll near the top end. It was a matter of 5-10 million if I remember right..not a lot to some teams, but obviously too much to lose for the Lightning.

So it was pretty surprising when the Lightning didn't play the needed home playoff games and the cap number wasn't lowered. It didn't feel like a "ploy" or that the owner would have played his GM. We all just believed that Jay must have been good enough to convince the ownership to stay at the table and try to win back their losses this year.

Then of course, we were all shocked when we heard that a group had come forward and was buying the Lightning. The first thing that came to my head was, "Well there you have it. You can stay at the table if you know at the end of the game, win or lose, the house will give you a fat check for A few HUNDRED Million and thank you for playing."

Well we all have heard the Lightning recently has said that the sale is NOT looking good. Just this past week in fact it looked to be pretty much DOA. Doesn't look like the house is writing that check...

So then it shouldn't be shocking to hear Jay Feaster once again come out in the past few days and warn his team that UNLESS we turn things around I will be forced to make major changes.

By DAMIAN CRISTODERO, a great writer from the St. Pete's Times started his story yesterday, with the following in bold. "Lightning general manager Jay Feaster says if things don't turn around by Christmas, ownership might start cutting -- perhaps even the team's core group of players, headed by Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis."


Now this being said, I have heard there were at least two other groups that were interested in the Lightning. So maybe they step forward quickly here. One apparently ALMOST had an offer together when the Letter of Intent was put together by the failing group a few months back.

So what does this all mean?

Patience is NOT to be expected from the current Lightning ownership. They would have moved one of these guys long ago had it not been for the possible sale...So the fact that Jay has given a Christmas deadline is telling.

I have talked to other sources who have told me that Brad Richards is untradeable and St. Louis is "somewhat moveable," but the return isn't enough to build any sort of future.

So does that mean that Vinny LeCavalier, perhaps the best player in the world, could be gone?

Sources say yes, and point to the the fact that a ransom could be gotten that could include a young goalie and several top players for Vinny. All of who could be slotted into the Tampa line-up and make the team more affordable...and maybe even more of a contender.

Also, the earlier deadline of December points towards #4 as well. Remember that the Thornton trade was made in November. To get more back, you need to give early. While you still hold some power and teams are still in the hunt.

I talked to another source who told me something that I also believe. "Of course every team out there would cherish Vinny, but a there are a few that would massively overpay for him. Two are of course Montreal and Toronto, but don't count out Philly, Pittsburgh, San Jose, or LA."

According to another source when asked about those teams, "I can tell you that talks have occurred within at least three on that list and one other from the West."

A third source just minutes ago gave me two huge clues as to where to look next. I followed up on the first clue and the VERY first thing the person I was calling up in Canada said to me, even prior to this blog being out, wasn't "Hello Ek." It was "Yes ek."

"Yes what?"

"Yes on Vinny. We are meeting Tonight and Tuesday Morning to figure out a realistic way. We simply must given the fact that .......(can't share this part of course).... these opportunities, if they do indeed come along, can define your franchise and your own personal future in the sport. So yes, we are VERY much getting in the game."

So on this snowy Sunday in the Northeast, just two days into a young December, my job just got a hell of a lot more interesting.

Needless to say...stay tuned.

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