Laut TSN hat Koules den Machtkampf für sich entschieden, und der will weit unterm Cap bleiben, was wohl einen Vinnie-Trade bedeuten würde:
There's a feeling that the Montreal Canadiens will try to make a splash through a big trade at the draft and that may be a deal for Lecavalier, the big, first-line centre and bona fide French-Canadian star the team has lacked for years.
The Lightning not only hold the No. 2 pick in the draft behind the New York Islanders, but they're also reportedly looking to shop Lecavalier, with the star centre's home town of Montreal as a likely destination.
Lecavalier's future appears to be at the heart of a dispute between Lightning co-owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie over who has final say on decisions about the team.
The two men met with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday in a bid to resolve their differences, and a report from Tampa said it appeared that Koules came out on top.
Koules reportedly prefers to keep the team at the low end of the salary scale, in the low US$40-millions, which would favour trading Lecavalier before the US$85 million, 11-year contract that he signed this season kicks in on July 1.
Barrie is said to want a higher pay scale, which could mean keeping Lecavalier, the No. 1 pick from the 1998 draft who led the Lightning to a Stanley Cup in 2004.
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Phil Coffey auf NHL.com in seinem Draft-Blog:
Newsday is reporting that the Islanders will turn the Draft on its ear and select Matt Duchene with the top pick.
Newsday's sources said Victor Hedman will go to Tampa Bay and John Tavares will go third overall to Colorado.
In a word, wow!
* Scott Niedermayer will return to play next season courtesy of TSN.
* Also according to numerous reports, the rumored deal of Phil Kessel from Boston to Toronto for Tomas Kaberle isn't happening.