Tampa Bay Lightning have been sold

Since Doug MacLean is part of this group one can assume that Feaster
will be canned.

MEDIA ADVISORY

TAMPA BAY • The Tampa Bay Lightning will host a press conference today
at 11:00 a.m. in the XO VIP Club on the arena level of the St. Pete
Times Forum to announce the sale of the team, the leasehold rights to
the St. Pete Times Forum and adjacent properties.

Thomas S. Wilson, Chairman and Governor of the Lightning, will introduce
a new ownership group, Absolute Hockey Enterprises, which includes Doug
MacLean, Jeff Sherrin and Oren Koules. A purchase agreement has been
signed by Absolute Hockey, but the ownership transfer is subject to
approval by the National Hockey League’s Board of Governors.

:L

Loogie wrote:
> Since Doug MacLean is part of this group one can assume that Feaster
> will be canned.
>
> MEDIA ADVISORY
>
> TAMPA BAY • The Tampa Bay Lightning will host a press conference today
> at 11:00 a.m. in the XO VIP Club on the arena level of the St. Pete
> Times Forum to announce the sale of the team, the leasehold rights to
> the St. Pete Times Forum and adjacent properties.
>
> Thomas S. Wilson, Chairman and Governor of the Lightning, will introduce
> a new ownership group, Absolute Hockey Enterprises, which includes Doug
> MacLean, Jeff Sherrin and Oren Koules. A purchase agreement has been
> signed by Absolute Hockey, but the ownership transfer is subject to
> approval by the National Hockey League’s Board of Governors.
>
> :L


Guess Feaster will be staying as him and MacLean are friends.

:L

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A group led by former Florida Panthers coach Doug
MacLean has agreed to buy the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The NHL team says a group called Absolute Hockey Enterprises has signed
a purchase agreement with current owner Palace Sports and Entertainment.

The deal includes the leasing rights to the St. Pete Times Forum and
adjacent properties.

The sale is subject to approval by the NHL's board of governors.
Related Info

'Typically, you come into a situation where ownership has been an
issue,'' MacLean said at the news conference. ''We're following a great
ownership group that took the Tampa Bay franchise and really put it on
the map.'

Sources tell TSN MacLean will be the Chairman and CEO of the Lightning
while Jay Feaster will stay on as GM and John Tortorella will remain as
head coach.

"I had a great conversation with Jay Feaster yesterday," MacLean said.
"Jay and I have been good friends and I've had great admiration over the
years."

Absolute Hockey also includes Jeff Sherrin and Oren Koules. Team
spokesman Jay Preble said Sherrin is a Coral Springs real estate
developer and Koules a TV and movie producer.

MacLean coached Florida to the Stanley Cup final in 1996. He was fired
in April as the Columbus Blue Jackets president and GM.

The Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2004