As of right now, Oren Koules controls the Tampa Bay Lightning after co-owner Len Barrie could not buy out partner. CBC Sports' Elliotte Freedman is reporting that Koules has until November 23rd to buy out Barrie's share and take full control of the Lightning.
Koules, who played three seasons of junior hockey in the WHL, now has until Nov. 23 to put together a package of his own.
He is now working with one potential partner, a real estate investor named Jeff Greene.
As if the Lightning's ownership situation wasn't strange enough, The St. Petersburg Times reported earlier this month that Mike Tyson was the best man at Greene's wedding.
The NHL would be happy for this situation to happen quietly with the bankruptcy problems in Phoenix and issues with the sale in Florida that have happened this summer. While the Lightning have less fan issues, the Canadian media is going to jump on any southern hockey market that has ownership issues and state that the team should not be there in the first place.