Thanks Jay Feaster?

The rebuilding in Tampa Bay started early, hit hard, and when the dust settled, the team looked drastically different than it did last year.

The Lightning are not just different, but more importantly they are much better.

The Lightning went through a very important draft and a very busy off-season.

None of this is a problem, because it helps a General Manager build the team they want.

Feaster however, will not be the Lightning GM come September and see his rebuilding effort come into focus.

The real question for me is: why would Feaster wait until all the important dates and activities in the summer are done?

He built the ship, hired the crew, and as it is about to set sail— Feaster jumps ship.

From the report, it seems like Feaster was pushed out by the new owners and did not feel like he had control over the team.

Why would the owners not kick Feaster out and find a guy that had their vision of a team earlier?

Unless, the new GM comes from this group of owners, I am pretty sure the team will have an interesting time finding a GM.

What if he did not want “The Mullet” behind the bench or Vinny Lecavalier to be the long-term player he is now?

What good GM would want to have no control over the team they have “control” over?

A team that wants to rebuild like the Lightning, should take a page from the Blue Jackets’ book.

They canned their GM at the end of the season and allowed their new GM to draft and do a bit of free agency.

New GM, Scott Howson, has been able to take the reigns for an entire year now and according to reports is quite happy with his team.

The new Lightning GM will have to wait a whole season before they can start building their team.

The new GM is going to be looking at two or more years until they can make a team they want.

I have to hope for the sake of Tampa Bay fans this is not a bad omen for their season or future.