Tragic Loss: Tampa bay lightning Head Coach involved in car crash that Leads to…..

It is reported that the Lightning’s current owner, Jeff Vinik, will continue to have a significant ownership stake as part of the new group as well as retain full control of the franchise for the next several years.

He purchased the Lightning for a reported $170 million back in 2010. Since then, the team has won two Stanley Cups and made another two trips to the final.

The deal is currently not final. However, the purchaser is reportedly believed to be Doug Ostrover, co-founder and CEO of Blue Owl Capital, an investment firm giant with a revenue of $1.73 billion.

The Tampa Bay Lightning launched a multistage sale process that will value the organization at close to $2 billion, according to sources at Sportsnet.

Stakes in the team will be sold in stages, according to Sportsnet, with Vinik retaining full operational control of the franchise for the next several years. He would also still hold a significant stake as part of the new ownership group.

“I can confirm that we are in discussions to further expand our ownership group of the Tampa Bay Lightning,” Vinik said in a statement to media outlets.

“There will be no change in the day-to-day operations of the Lightning and Vinik Sports Group.

I am very excited about what is to come for the organization and we look forward to sharing more when the time is right.”

The Lightning are coming off a relatively unsuccessful 2023-24 campaign, losing in the first round of the playoffs for the second year in a row, this time to in-state rival and eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

Earlier in the decade, the Bolts appeared to be developing a dynasty after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021 and coming up just short of a third consecutive when losing to Colorado in the 2022 Final.