Bettman To Meet With Lightning co-Owners, Give Control To One
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Bettman Meeting With Barrie, Koules
Today To Determine Lightning's Authority |
Lightning co-Owners Len Barrie and Oren Koules today will meet with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to "determine which one of them will have the authority to make decisions for the franchise," according to a front-page piece by John Romano of the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. There is "unrest in the ownership group," and almost one year after Barrie and Koules took control of the Lightning, a "messy divorce between bickering owners is a real possibility." Bettman today in essence is "determining custody of a hockey team," and that makes Barrie and Koules "look like complete incompetents." In recent months, there have been "whispers of a rift" between the two, but they have "long denied any hint of boardroom brawling." However, several Lightning sources have "painted a much different portrait of the ownership group." The sources "suggest this is a franchise in disarray, and one whose brand is being devalued in the eyes of fans and sponsors," and the "fissure seems wide" between the two. Koules reportedly wants to keep GM Brian Lawton, trade C Vincent Lecavalier and "pare the payroll" to about $40M, while Barrie is "not as solidly behind Lawton, wants to build around Lecavalier and is in favor of signing some free agents to get the payroll closer" to $50M. Romano notes today's meeting with Bettman is an "opportunity to get turned back in a proper direction." As "embarrassing as it might seem to have the commissioner of the league playing peacemaker between millionaires, the time is right," and this should be the "moment that Bettman hands control to Barrie." Barrie's "shortcomings as the day-to-day boss are only suspected," but Koules' have "been confirmed" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 6/23).
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES: ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun cited a source as saying that last offseason, both Barrie and Koules "were cutting deals with player agents on July 1 at the same time general manager Brian Lawton was fielding offers -- an arrangement all three had agreed upon." However, given the "deterioration of the relationship, such an agreement won't work this offseason." LeBrun: "Part of the reason for the meeting with Bettman is that Lawton and Koules fear Barrie may try to sign his own players next week" (ESPN.com, 6/23).
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