Tampa Bay Lightning star Vincent Lecavalier is owed a bonus Thursday worth $500,000 US, according to the La Presse in Montreal. The paper also reports that the Lightning can't afford to make the payment to the star centreman.

— Canwest News Service

As a pal of mine back in B.C. always says, "broke as a joke."

I'm not sure why anyone's surprised about the Vinny Lecavalier trade talk at this point. I'm half expecting GM Brian Lawton to throw himself into any deal, along with all of that prime real estate next to the Lightning arena that's become a little less prime as the economy sours.

The Habs could take it over and put up a souvenir stand to sell Lecavalier-related wares. Lord knows the Tampa Bay faithful won't be buying any Lightning garb anytime soon.

I don't have the details (yet) on Lecavalier's bonus that La Presse is talking about, but his existing contract was a four-year deal for $27.5-million, and he received $6-million in the first year and $7.167-million in the three following years (including this season).

His new behemoth deal kicks in next season, along with a no-movement clause.

If this wacky ownership group deals Lecavalier, there'll be no coming back. The team's precarious fan base is already on the verge of revolt and has been heavily eroded since the team's championship in 2004.

No longer are the Lightning one of the top attended teams in the NHL, and there's a reason for that. Take a look on a Lightning message board or even the comments on popular media blogs that cover the team and you'll get a whole lot of vitriol:

• "if he is traded after the promise was made to him AND the fans that he would not be traded, there will be a lot and I mean a lot fewer people in the seats. I for one will refuse to buy tickets or even watch them on TV. Have Center Ice and get to watch a lot of other teams."
  
• "If I were Vinny I would now be hoping for a trade so I wouldn't have to live with these idiots for the rest of my career. Way to be men and back up what you say and own your mistakes OK Hockey. You disgust me."
  
• "Trading Vinny will kill the fanbase, and I know I won't be going to anymore games after that. Are they trying to get rid of everyone that helped win the cup or what? Haven't they learned through their stupid moves thus far? I guess not."
  
• "I doubt the franchise could survive a huge rebuilding effort. Whatever financial issues they may have now will get exponentially worse and may not recover in time to "start over." They SHOULD know that...but who knows."

And on and on and on.

I said right from the Barry Melrose hiring that the real losers in this Lightning debacle would be the fans, and they've been taking it in the teeth ever since these yahoos took roost in the ownership suite.

It's sad and I don't know if hockey in Tampa Bay can survive all this. Their current financial woes are about to get much, much worse.

"We're not dumb guys," co-owner Len Barrie told Lightning Strikes last week. "We didn't put in $100-million cash to lose it in three months. We have a good business here. We think we can turn it into a great business in the next three years."

By trading Lecavalier?

Really?

Here's blogger Tom Benjamin:

Its officially past circus in Tampa Bay. If they really do trade Vinnie scant months after signing him to an 11 year contract, they are either the most incompetent boobs to ever run a franchise or the team is very nearly broke.

Oh, these guys? They're a double threat.