Raw Charge, a Tampa Bay Lightning community

Off topic, to a degree, but Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeffrey Vinik is part of a group trying to purchase Channelside Bay Plaza, the entertainment and retail complex to the east of Times Palace. We'll try to have something more elaborate in the coming days on this.

Earnest Hooper summarizes the news of owner Jeff Vinik and the Lightning Foundation giving $50,000 to non-profits before each and every home game in the 2011-12 season.

Red Light District, as part of their 30 teams in 30 days coverage, asked me a couple'o'questions to coincide their overview of the Lightning this off-season. We riff on a number of matters including Stevie Y, Jeff Vinik and the search for the Bolts next coach..

It's official. The Tampa Bay Lightning have named Hockey Hall of Famer, Steve Yzerman, as the sixth general manager in the history of the franchise. Please check out Raw Charge for more.

A few words from the new owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jeff Vinik. He confirms that GM Brian Lawton and head coach Rick Tocchet have both been fired. More on this as information becomes available.

Tampabaylightning.com will be streaming tonight's unplugged event live. (warning, if today's press conference is anything like tonight's unplugged, there will be buffering issues). Comments are open for talk about the event as it happens. Vinik, Stamkos, and the rest of the gang (whoever they may be) will be part of this session.

They've been on the cusp of closing the deal to sell the Lightning to Jeffrey Vinik all day. The St. Petersburg Times is the first to say that the deal is basically done. We'll have more on this as it develops.