Tom Cigarran, chairman of Healthways and AmSurg, and his son Chris, a Healthways senior vice president, are two of the eight investors in the local ownership group trying to buy the Nashville Predators.

De Thompson V, president of Thompson Machinery, and John Thompson, also with Thompson Machinery, are part of the group, along with Joel Dobberpuhl, an investment manager in Franklin. The Thompson firm, which sells Caterpillar equipment, sponsors a Zamboni for the Predators.

The Thompsons also own The City Paper. Thompson ownership in the team could thus translate into stronger coverage of the Predators by the free daily in future hockey seasons.

Dobberpuhl runs Franklin-based hedge fund Jetstream Capital. Noteworthy: A recent SEC filing shows failed Preds bidder Jim Balsillie's Research in Motion among Jetstream investments.

They all are in the group with David Freeman, chief executive officer of 36 Venture Capital, Herb Fritch, CEO of HealthSpring, and William "Boots" Del Biaggio. Del Biaggio has the single biggest stake in the ownership group. Sources have said he has more than 40%.

The deal for the Predators is expected to close by the end of September. They have offered $193 million for the team.