Wilson: Criticism of Feaster unwarranted

TORONTO -- Tom Wilson, CEO of Lightning owner Palace Sports & Entertainment, is fed up with criticism of general manager Jay Feaster for trading the No. 4 overall pick to the Flyers for left wing Ruslan Fedotenko and two second-round picks.

Wilson takes particular issue with whispers the deal was made because of Fedotenko's contract, which paid a meager $450,000 last season, or because the team did not want to pay a first-round pick.

"That really had no bearing on anything," he said. "More than looking at the dollars of a draft pick, it was, 'Is this guy going to play for us this year?' Overall, (Feaster) is happy as he can be, and if he's happy, I'm happy."

Wilson said when he left Auburn Hills, Mich., where PS&E is based, Friday night, the organization had signed off on a trade for two players who would have cost about $3-million combined.

Wilson declined to name the players or the team (deals were talked about with the Islanders, Oilers and Canucks), but he said Feaster ultimately backed out.

"So the dollars had nothing to do with it," Wilson said. "That (trade) was done, but I think Jay did a lot of homework and said, 'We don't want to do that.' "

The idea the Lightning would work on the ultra-cheap with a valuable commodity such as the No. 4 pick seems odd considering the constant declarations the team must "win now."

As Wilson said, "We need to draw fans. We need to keep people interested. We just need to make an impact."

SHOW US THE MONEY: Feaster said he understands some of the speculation about the budget-conscious Lightning is by reputation. He pointed out, though, that when Fedotenko and defenseman Brad Lukowich, who was acquired in a trade Saturday, are signed, it will cost about $1.5-million combined.

"And that helps us right now," Feaster said. "That's a better move for me with (owner) Bill Davidson than getting a $3-million guy who is no good defensively and who (coach John Tortorella) says is a joke.

"What we did this week is put one more brick in the credibility house. We were able to upgrade the team without doing something stupid."

THEATER OF THE ABSURD: There has even been speculation Feaster intentionally shortchanged himself when he traded the No. 4 pick because of his former relationship with the Flyers.

For six of the nine years Feaster worked for AHL Hershey, the team was a Flyers affiliate. And Feaster still has good friends in the organization.

Feaster laughed because when the Flyers ended the affiliation and started the Philadelphia Phantoms, the rivalry between the teams was, as he said, "a blood feud."

BE LIKE NIK: For goalie Joseph Pearce, one of the best things about being drafted by the Lightning is the chance to work with Nikolai Khabibulin. Pearce said he patterned some of his style after the goalie and even bought similar pads.

"He comes off as a good presence," Pearce said.

How will he react when he meets Khabibulin? "You try to play it cool when you get there," he said. "But getting in the locker room, your jaw probably drops."

TWO VIEWS: Head scout Jake Goertzen said the Lightning did not buy into the prevailing opinion the draft was weak.

"We'll know in four or five years," he said. "Until you do the numbers, you don't know."

The Carolina Hurricanes, who made four choices, thought differently.

When general manager Jim Rutherford was asked about trading four of this year's picks to the Lightning for one next year, he didn't hesitate.

"We just ran out of names," he said.

AROUND THE LEAGUE: Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said that goalie Dominik Hasek hasn't made up his mind about whether he'll retire or return to the team. "We expect him to make a decision by Tuesday or Wednesday," Holland said. ... Forward Theo Fleury likely will become an unrestricted free agent July 1 after the New York Rangers decided not pick up his $7-million contract option. He could wind up in Phoenix, where Coyotes managing partner Wayne Gretzky spoke highly of Fleury. ... The Penguins traded left wing Krzysztof Oliwa to the Rangers for future considerations.

-- DAMIAN CRISTODERO, TIMES WIRES