from Darren Dreger of the Dreger Report at TSN,

Vincent Viola, a.k.a. New York businessman Vinnie Viola, is about to become the owner of the Florida Panthers. The deal, believed to be worth $250 million, will give Viola sole ownership of the franchise and could close as early as Thursday or Friday. NHL Board of Governors' approval has already been determined with league owners eager to welcome Viola to their exclusive club.

The $250 million sale price does not include the arena - which is county owned, but managed by the hockey team.

Panthers general manager Dale Tallon will likely be among the most excited when this transaction closes, as he and his management team have faced many challenges in trying to keep the team competitive on a rather paltry budget.

And once Tallon has full ownership clearance, expect veteran goaltender Tim Thomas to sign with the Panthers. If the deal comes together in time, it's possible Thomas could make his preseason debut against Tampa Bay on Thursday night.

continued plus some Seattle talk and helmets/fighting issue...