With the signing of Steve Yzerman as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team can now be officially taken off the list of the NHL's endangered franchises.
The signing of Yzerman comes three and a half months after the team was sold to Boston investment banker, Jeff Vinik, on Feb. 5, 2010.
Vinik's purchase came as a relief to both the NHL and the Lightning's fans because it ended a period of squabbling ownership which damaged the credibility of the team in Tampa Bay and led to a marked decline of the team's performance on the ice.
Many Canadian fans, eager to see an American money-losing franchise shift north had Tampa Bay high on their lists as a franchise to be moved.
One of Vinik's first moves in the offseason was to fire general manager Brian Lawton and head coach Rick Tocchet.
The hiring of Yzerman was seen as a quick act of damage control. Yzerman was ranked high on the NHL's list to become a general manager, especially after his successful management of Canada's 2010 Olympic gold medal hockey team.
Yzerman, a lifelong Detroit Red Wing, had no executive future with the team which did not ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Steve Thompson
Yzerman Hiring Means the Tampa Bay Lightning Are Here To Stay
May 28th, 2010 by Steve Thompson Leave a reply »
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