To Phil Esposito, the Lightning is like his baby.
Forget the Hall of Fame career, he said, forget the goals and his two Stanley Cup championships. "Nothing I ever did was as good in my mind or as satisfying, and nothing was as important, as getting this franchise."
That is why the Lightning founder said if the dispute between owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie ends with the financially troubled team up for sale, "Yes, I would try to put a group together" to buy it.
That time is not imminent.