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Tampa Bay Lightning Blogger •
So, Lightning fans … Looks like you only have to sit tight for about eight more hours or so before Vincent Lecavalier’s new contract (and the almighty power of the no-movement clause within) kicks in. You’ve dealt with this now, oh, forever. Surely you can handle another eight rotations around the clock, right?
Yes, tough it out just a bit longer and you can finally rest your head easy tonight, knowing that your beloved captain will remain a fixture of the Tampa Bay area for a long, long time.
Or can you?
Everybody now:
“Wait. What?”
Hold, please. Let’s backtrack a bit.
Citing The Montreal Gazette, a post from TheFourthPeriod.com today says that Lightning owner Len Barrie nixed a potential Lecavalier trade to Montreal at this past weekend’s draft.
Yesterday, B.D. Gallof of IslandersIndependent.com reported that Tampa Bay offered Vinny to the Isles as well, supposedly for three #1 picks (2009-2011).
And of course, there’s the less-than-a-week-old news that Barrie and co-owner Oren Koules are at odds over just about everything, with the Lecavalier business at or near the top of their points of contention.
You’ll recall NHL commish Gary Bettman stepping in to provide us with this incredible clarity on the situation:
Brian Lawton, Tampa Bay’s general manager, is in charge of hockey operations. Go figure. Barrie and Koules - yes, the club’s owners - must each approve any “major” decisions. What a concept, this being their business venture and all.
Armed with that knowledge and long-since very vocal about his vehement disapproval of any Lecavalier trade, Average Joe Lightning Fan seems to have deduced to himself, “They tried to move him twice already and it didn’t happen. If one of the bosses wants to keep him, we’re all set!”
Sounds like a logical enough deduction, yes?
Not so.
Yesterday brought whispers in the wind in certain circles that a quick resolution to this ownership squabble is soon forthcoming, perhaps even in the next day or so, with one involved party’s interest in the club about to be no more. Owner A wins out, au revoir, Vinny. Owner B stands tall, VL4 4 LIFE.
Currently, sources are split down the middle on which side prevails, though I know which way I’m leaning. (Put a little thought to it and you can lean too!)
And now the word on the street is that tonight’s perceived midnight deadline might turn out to be irrelevant after all. After months of incessant trade speculation and the shenanigans that has occurred over the last year or so (including, depending on who you believe, yet another thwarted trade to Montreal back in January) indications are that Vinny just might decide not to outright block a deal out of town, even with the very right to do so, by way of the no-movement clause that takes effect with the new contract.
Let’s all make sure we’ve just read that carefully. Notice I didn’t say he wants (or will want) out. Rather, he wouldn’t necessarily be the one preventing a deal from happening.
Again, everybody now:
“Are you telling me that this nail-biting, please-God-don’t-trade-Vinny torture might continue past midnight?”
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what I’m saying.
But the last thing I’d want to do is ruin any midnight celebrations you might have had planned. (Hell. I’m a party guy myself. Go ahead and rock it out anyway. No sense wasting any bubbly.)
I’d just hate to see Average Joe’s heartbreak compounded by this turning out to be a blindside hit once he thought himself in the clear.
Not that this is all that cut and dry, mind you. 1+1 may not ultimately = 2 here. Many different pieces would still have to fall into place.
Just know this:
Despite what you might hear or read elsewhere, despite the heavily-anticipated “freedom” that you thought tonight’s implied deadline might bring …
Anything is still possible.
Hang in there … And stay tuned …
JJ
jon.jordan@hockeybuzz.com
JJ on Facebook
JJ on Twitter
Yes, tough it out just a bit longer and you can finally rest your head easy tonight, knowing that your beloved captain will remain a fixture of the Tampa Bay area for a long, long time.
Or can you?
Everybody now:
“Wait. What?”
Hold, please. Let’s backtrack a bit.
Citing The Montreal Gazette, a post from TheFourthPeriod.com today says that Lightning owner Len Barrie nixed a potential Lecavalier trade to Montreal at this past weekend’s draft.
Yesterday, B.D. Gallof of IslandersIndependent.com reported that Tampa Bay offered Vinny to the Isles as well, supposedly for three #1 picks (2009-2011).
And of course, there’s the less-than-a-week-old news that Barrie and co-owner Oren Koules are at odds over just about everything, with the Lecavalier business at or near the top of their points of contention.
You’ll recall NHL commish Gary Bettman stepping in to provide us with this incredible clarity on the situation:
Brian Lawton, Tampa Bay’s general manager, is in charge of hockey operations. Go figure. Barrie and Koules - yes, the club’s owners - must each approve any “major” decisions. What a concept, this being their business venture and all.
Armed with that knowledge and long-since very vocal about his vehement disapproval of any Lecavalier trade, Average Joe Lightning Fan seems to have deduced to himself, “They tried to move him twice already and it didn’t happen. If one of the bosses wants to keep him, we’re all set!”
Sounds like a logical enough deduction, yes?
Not so.
Yesterday brought whispers in the wind in certain circles that a quick resolution to this ownership squabble is soon forthcoming, perhaps even in the next day or so, with one involved party’s interest in the club about to be no more. Owner A wins out, au revoir, Vinny. Owner B stands tall, VL4 4 LIFE.
Currently, sources are split down the middle on which side prevails, though I know which way I’m leaning. (Put a little thought to it and you can lean too!)
And now the word on the street is that tonight’s perceived midnight deadline might turn out to be irrelevant after all. After months of incessant trade speculation and the shenanigans that has occurred over the last year or so (including, depending on who you believe, yet another thwarted trade to Montreal back in January) indications are that Vinny just might decide not to outright block a deal out of town, even with the very right to do so, by way of the no-movement clause that takes effect with the new contract.
Let’s all make sure we’ve just read that carefully. Notice I didn’t say he wants (or will want) out. Rather, he wouldn’t necessarily be the one preventing a deal from happening.
Again, everybody now:
“Are you telling me that this nail-biting, please-God-don’t-trade-Vinny torture might continue past midnight?”
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what I’m saying.
But the last thing I’d want to do is ruin any midnight celebrations you might have had planned. (Hell. I’m a party guy myself. Go ahead and rock it out anyway. No sense wasting any bubbly.)
I’d just hate to see Average Joe’s heartbreak compounded by this turning out to be a blindside hit once he thought himself in the clear.
Not that this is all that cut and dry, mind you. 1+1 may not ultimately = 2 here. Many different pieces would still have to fall into place.
Just know this:
Despite what you might hear or read elsewhere, despite the heavily-anticipated “freedom” that you thought tonight’s implied deadline might bring …
Anything is still possible.
Hang in there … And stay tuned …
JJ
jon.jordan@hockeybuzz.com
JJ on Facebook
JJ on Twitter
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