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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:41:05 GMT -5
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1976
KANSAS CITY (AP) -' A preliminary proposal to buy t h e financially-troubled Kansas City Scouts of the National Hockey League was made Tuesday 'by Kansas City Kings of the National Basketball Association, a spokesman said.
There was no comment from either of the clubs, cotenants of the city's Kemper A r e n a . The announcement came from William Clarkson, serving as liaison for Mayor Charles Wheeler in the efforts to resolve the Scouts' dilemma.
The proposal involves the assumption of liabilities by the Kings and is contingent on their ability to obtain proper financing, Clarkson said in a formal statement. The hockey club's liabilities have been estimated at $7 million. Principal creditors are the NHL and St. Louis Blues.
The Scouts owe the Blues $800,000 for territorial rights. Included in the club's debt to the NHL is a $300,000 loan that was made to enable the Scouts to finish last season, their second in the league. Clarkson's statement said: "The Kings have made a proposal to the Scouts dependent on both parties resolving certain conditions satisfactory to each. The proposal consists of the Scouts effecting settlements with certain creditors, and the Kings assuming liabilities with respect to others, and is conditioned upon this and proper financing." The NHL also must approve any sale or transfer.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:41:20 GMT -5
Wednesday, May 5, 1978
KC Kings buy KG Scouts
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (UPI) — The National Basketball Association Kansas City-Kings, concerned about the effect the threatened demise of the pro hockey Kansas City Scouts would have on their own financial situation, have agreed to terms for the purchase of the struggling NHL franchise.
William Clarkson. who was assigned by Mayor Charles B. Wheeler to mediate negotiations between the two teams, said Tuesday the agreement depended upon the Kings' obtaining proper bank financing and the Scouts working out settlements with certain creditors,
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:41:37 GMT -5
May 15, 1976
Future of NHL'S California Seals Remains in Question
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The future of the California Seals, the National Hockey League's problem child since it entered the league in 1967, remained in question after a rapid-fire sequance of events.
Thursday night In San Francisco, the Mayor's Select Committee on Yerba Bucna Center struck down a proposal that team owner Melvin Swig be allowed to construct a 17,500- seat arena at a cost of $20 million for the downtown area. The hockey club has operated at severe financial loss in the 12,500- seat Oakland Alameda County Coliseum, and ever since he purchased the club last July, Swig had expressed his Intention of shifting the team to the new multi-purpose arena.
Once the plan was shot down, It was revealed Friday that Swig had informed the NHL of his -plan to "exercise his option of transfer," according to league President Clarence Campbell. "When Mr. Swig bought the club from us, we gave him the right lo give us notice that he planned to dispose of 'the club to a place of his choice if the notice was given by May 15,' Campbell said Friday at an impromptu news conference during the annual Stanley Cup luncheon.
Swig's notice arrived in the mail earlier in the week, felling the league "he's negotiating to dispose of the franchise," according to Campbell. Swig, reached at his California homo by telephone, told The Associated Press he has made "many Inquiries from major cities around the country interested in having the Seals.' Though he would not reveal the cities, ho responded "at least three possibly four," when asked their number.
"We have not made any decisions, we have not picked any city. We have not made any Decision as to what our move might be-if any-at present," said Swig. "Sometime early in June," he added, "we'll have to know where we're going. We're taking a long, hard look at our alternatives. We want to make sure we're doing the right thing for everyone involved. "We're going to have to make a cold, hard decision to keep the team in Oakland or move it, depending on what the situation looks like."
But the Seattle Times reported Friday that Swig had offered the franchise to Vince Abbey, former operator of the now-defunct Western Hockey League's Seattle Totems. The NHL is preparing for any possibility, it appears, since it was learned that for the second consecutive season the league is formulating schedules for next season for a 16, 17 or 18- team league, depending on the status of the Seals and financially beleaguered Kansas City Scouts.
Swig said in response, however, that closing down the franchise was "highly unlikely. But if there's no place to go and we're losing nothing but money, it is a last resort kind of possibility." Seals General Manager Bill McCreary said Friday that though Swig had informed the NHL of his decision, "all it does Is give him the right lo live within the guidelines of the agreement" (o which Campbell referred. But, he stressed there is no special time limit involved.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:41:55 GMT -5
Thurs., May 20, 1976
Denver Group Wants To Buy, Move Seals
Carl Scheer, president and general manager of the Denver Nuggets of the American Basketball Association, admitted last night that his organization is part of a group attempting to buy the California Seals and move them to Denver.
A report yesterday claimed that the sale of the Seals by owner Mel Swig to a group headed by television announcer Bud Palmer is imminent. "We have had contact with Palmer recently and were asked if we were interested in joining forces with this group in an attempt to buy the Seals," Scheer said. 'The answer was yes.
"But I have not been in contact with Swig and the negotiations are being handled by Palmer." But it has been learned that Swig and club president' Munson Campbell were in Denver last week to meet with Palmer, Scheer and Bill Coors, another member of the group whose family owns the beer company.
Swig is in Massachusetts at a Board of Trustees meeting at Brandeis University, of which he is a member, and Campbell could not be reached for comment last night. However, before the Denver story broke yesterday, Swig told The Tribune, "We're .not doing anything at the moment. No plans, no decisions, no nothing. We're kicking it around, taking a look and studying the situation.
"It probably will be another month before we finally conclude what we want to do. I've had a lot of phone calls from people, responsible people with buildings available and the desire to be in the hockey business, both in the United States and Canada.
" "I've heard from four or five cities, and Seattle is not one of them in spite of what was reported. The possibility of the Seals moving popped up again last week when Swig was refused permission by San Francisco's special committee on the proposed Yerba Buena project to begin construction on his proposed $20 million arena. Coliseum, Inc., has said many times that the Seals' lease, which has two years to run, is ironclad.
"We're studying that, too," said Swig. "I hope to meet with the Coliseum people soon. I'm planning to get together with Bob Nahas, president of the Coliseum, hopefully next week. "There would be damages, I suppose," said Swig when asked what might happen if the Seals were moved out of Oakland.
Despite Swig's denial, a well-placed source reports that Swig and Vince Abbey of Seattle discussed Abbey's possible purchase of the Seals within the past two weeks. Swig is reportedly asking $9 million for his club, substantially more than the $4.5 he paid for it.
National Hockey League President Clarence Campbell feels the Seals situation will be resolved sooner than Swig indicates. "I think the situation will be clarified by the time we have our annual meeting, which starts June 7," said Campbell yesterday from NHL headquarters in Montreal. "I would think there will be a Seals franchise some place next season, but it's Mr. Swig's choice where, not ours. I wish there was some way 1 could make some kind of a contribution, but at the moment all the cards are in "Mr. Swig's hands.'"
Palmer formed a group called the Denver Sporting Club last July in an attempt to bring an NHL franchise to brand-new 18.500-seat McNichols Arena, but then he learned that owner Ivan Mullinex of Denver's World Hockey Association club had exclusive hockey rights at the arena. When the WHA team folded earlier this year, the Nuggets undertook a project of their own to purchase and move in the struggling Kansas City 'Scouts of the NHL, but were unsuccessful.
Then the Palmer group reorganized, and even though the Nuggets' tie-in with the group hasn't been spelled out yet, Palmer wants the basketball team's front office to run the hockey club as well because of the efficient job it has done with the ABA franchise.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:42:12 GMT -5
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1976
Toronto out, Winnipeg in?
TORONTO (CP) — Alan Eagleson says he has so far been unable to come to terms with Maple Leaf Gardens as one of the silts for the Canada Cup hockey series in September and is looking elsewhere.
"I have no time for fooling around about arena arrangements and 1 have started looking elsewhere for sites says Eagleson, the Toronto lawyer who is representing the Canadian government in arranging the tournament. The original plan called for five or six games to be played in Toronto with about the same number in Montreal and a few games in Philadelphia.
The tournament, in which professionals will compete, will be a round-robin among national teams from the Soviet Union, Finland, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, the United States Al Eagleson, who is also president of the National Hockey League Players' Association, says he has been approached by Winnipeg Jets "who would like to host two games." "So I'll fly there next week to negotiate a deal."
Eagleson has offered $25.000 to $35,000 a game for use of Maple Leaf Gardens but one report is that Gardens president Harold Ballard wants $50,000. "I called Harold Ballard twice asking for an appointment but was told to deal with Peter Larsen. I called Larsen and told him if he wants to see me, we could get together, but that he would only be wasting our time since he has no authority to make any kind of a deal." Ballard said in a telephone interview, "That's Eagleson's way of doing business." "I never negotiate through the newspapers. If he wants to run it like a business, let's run it like a business."
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:42:27 GMT -5
THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1976
BIRMINGHAM, Al. – Owner John Baisett of the Toronto Toros of the WHA said Wednesday he had reduced his search for a new home for his team to two cities: Birmingham and St. Paul.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:42:43 GMT -5
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS. FRIDAY, MAY 21. 1976
NHL clubs visit here
Winnipeg Jets general manager Rudy Pilous Thursday announced the World Hockey Association club will play exhibition games against Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League this fall.
The Jets meet the Blues Sept. 24, before facing off against Pittsburgh two days later. Both games will be played at the Winnipeg Arena.
Prior to playing the Jets, Pittsburgh will play Calgary Cowboys on Sept. 23. The Penguins also play in Edmonton twice, meeting the Oilers Sept. 26 and 28. St. Louis visits Calgary Sept 27 and Edmonton Sept. 29
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:43:00 GMT -5
Saturday, May 22,1976
K.C; loses NHL franchise
KANSAS CIY, Mo. (UPI) - Kansas City lost its National Hockey League franchise Friday.
The National Basketball Association Kansas City Kings withdrew their offer to purchase the two-year-old NHL Kansas City Scouts. Sources said that came in light of an NHL refusal to accept the Kings' offer.
The Kings said he offer was withdrawn because the city refused to include in the hockey team's lease for Kemper Arena, a provision allowing the team to change cities if it lost $250,000 in a year or $75,000 in any two out of three years. Under the provision, the hockey team would be liable for only a $130,000 penalty and not the remainder of its lease.
Sources close to the NHL, however, said the league had refused to accept the Kings' ownership proposal, under which the basketball team would assume only 50 cents of each dollar of debt built up by the hockey team. It appeared the rental demand was designed as a cover to the NHL's refusal.
William E. Clarkson, a local businessman, who represented the city in negotiations for the sale of the hockey team o the Kings, said as far as he was concerned a NHL franchise for Kansas City was a dead issue. "I feel like I have been hit over the head with a ball bat," said Clarkson. "I don't see any way hockey can be saved for Kansas City. I think it is over with."
The Scouts came to Kansas City as an expansion team two years ago. They won only 15 games their first year and 12 last season. The attendance was as disappointing. After selling 5,000 season tickets and averaging 7,000 fans their first year the figures fell to 3,800 season tickets and 6,000 fans in 1975-76, a season in which the team's owners had expected to increase both categories.
Joe Axelson, President of the Kings, said the basketball owners hoped the requested clause would be unnecessary, but said hey needed to protect themselves if they were going to assume ownership of the Scouts, a team that lost $5 million in two years.
"This (moving the team) is the last thing the Kings' group would do, but it is a contingency against which the group had to protect its investors and lenders," he said.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:43:15 GMT -5
Tuesday, May 25,1976
NHL expected to drop Scouts from league
KANSAS CITY (AP), - This city's two-year-old National Hockey League franchise was expected to fold today, a victim of spotty attendance, staggering financial setbacks, and, some say , faulty management.
The announcement of the dissolution of the Kansas City Scouts was expected to be made in Chicago by the Board of Governors of the NHL. The demise of the Scouts looked inevitable Monday when the Kansas City Kings of the National Basketball Association reaffirmed their decision to withdraw from negotiations to purchase the team.
"Unless somebody comes out of the woodwork the league will decide that there will be no hockey in Kansas City," Edwin Thompson, Scouts president, said Monday.
Jim Cullen, secretary of the NHL, said no other interests have approached the league in regard to purchasing the Scouts. He said that in his view the league has no choice but to terminate the franchise, an action which would leave Thompson with huge debts and raises the possibility that he may be forced into bankruptcy.
As recently as last Wednesday the ownership of the Kings, which shared the city's new Kemper Arena with the Scouts, appeared ready to assume the hockey operation. But a hitch developed when city manager Robert Kipp nixed a request by the Kings that they be given an escape clause in the event that the Scouts become too burdensome financially. Kipp's decision was supported by the city council's finance and audit committee and Kipp was quoted as saying the Kings were trying to "raid" the city. The Kings ownership, publicly angered at Kipp's remarks, announced the offer to purchase the Scouts was being withdrawn.
Mayor Charles Wheeler Jr., said on Sunday he was "very optimistic about the Scouts staying in Kansas City." And members of the finance and audit committee huddled in an attempt to work out a compromise to the escape clause problem.
But when the mayor's liason called the Kings to tell them of the new development he was told there would be no reversal of the decision not to pursue the negotiations. Other efforts to persuade the Kings to reconsider failed.
"We tried to do something that we felt was good for the community and we got kicked in the teeth," Paul Rosenberg, executive vice president and managing partner of the Kings said. "We'll concentrate on running our basketball team.''
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:43:30 GMT -5
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1976
Canada Cup coming to Winnipeg
Free Press Staff Writer
Thanks to the enterprise of Winnipeg Jets, and a chance meeting in Poland, this city will be the scene of one and possibly as many as three games in the six-country international hockey tournament for the Canada Cup next fall.
Tournament chairman Alan Eagleson of Toronto announced Tuesday that Winnipeg would definitely be the site of one game — Sweden vs. Finland, Thursday, Sept. 9, at 5 p.m. It was back in April when the Jets' international chairman. Dr. Gerry Wilson, and the team's lawyer, Al MacInnes, arrived at the world hoc-key championships at Katowice, Poland.
They had no rooms. Eagleson remembered Dr. Wilson from his days when Punch Imlach thought he could become a Toronto Maple Leaf despite a series of knee injuries. Eagleson welcomed the Winnipeg men to double up w i t h tournament officials from Canada. From them, Eagleson learned of Winnipeg's interest in being host to one or two or more games in Winnipeg.
One game he thought would be of great interest locally would be between Sweden and Russia on Sunday, Sept. 5. However, the Arena is not available on that date. A horse show has been scheduled. He indicated that Winnipeg could be the scene of still another game, between Finland and the U.S., on Saturday, Sept. 11.
"The Sweden-Russia game couldn't be happening on a worse date," said Allan Finnbogason, chairman o f Winnipeg Enterprises. "The hockey game would be right in the middle of the horse show." Eagleson praised the diligence of the Jets in their approach to him. "I didn't hear from your mayor until Friday," "he said.”And I don't like telegrams."
Winnipeg is as far west as the games will be scheduled, said Eagleson. Originally, Sweden and Czechoslovakia were scheduled to meet in Winnipeg but the Czechoslovakian hockey officials were reluctant to force their team to travel the extra distance.
The Sweden – Finland game would be a natural for Winnipeg. Seven members of the Jets are Swedish and two are Finnish. "For the Swedes it'll be like a home game," said Eagleson. "That's why we don't want to play a Canada- Sweden game here." A pre-tournament game between Canada and the U.S. is also being discussed for Winnipeg. "It's quite possible that hockey fans in Winnipeg will see five of the six teams," said Eagleson. "No other city will be able to claim that."
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:43:51 GMT -5
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26. 1976
NHL takes first step to folding Scouts
CHICAGO (UPI) >-: Elimination of the Kansas City Scouts and transfer of the California Seals to Denver came up as likely roster changes for the National Hockey League \before its annual meeting, June 7-8.
The NHL Board of Governors took the first step Tuesday toward termination of the Scouts franchise. They delivered a complaint sheet to the Scouts, pointing out the team's financial defaults. The Scouts have not paid their NHL dues or repaid a loan of $300,000 from each team , $1:5 million total — this year. .
NHL Commissioner Clarence Campbell explained the complaint sheet was a step in the procedure leading to involuntary termination of a franchise .under which the league could take over the franchise but which Campbell said, "We will not do."
Edwin Thompson, the head of the-syndicate of investors who own the Scouts, agreed with the governors that in order to freeze the assets of the team, it will make no attempt to dispose of players or the rights to players, including those. chosen in the amateur draft.
Mayor Charles Wheeler of Kansas City appeared at 'the meeting and said he would attempt to boost the sale of season tickets -to a total of $1 million and interest investors to put in another $2 million in order, to keep the Scouts viable "I think we'll keep the franchise," he said.
"Campbell said the present owners of the Scouts neither were able nor wanted to retain the franchise and unless Kansas City interests purchased the:team before the June 7 deadline, "The. franchise would, phase out." Campbell said should the Scouts die, the league would operate with 17 teams. The California'franchise was purchased by Mel Swig a year ago. Under terms of the agreement, Swig had the option to move the team to any site suitable to the NHL if arrangements for a-new arena in San Francisco were not completed "Swig is negotiating with a variety of people," Campbell said. "He has the option to sell the team, share it, move it or operate it. He can move it any place as long as the new franchise holder is satisfactory to the league.
"We're led to believe that a Denver group is interested and that negotiations are in progress which could result in the transfer of the Seals to Denver. If there is any interest in Seattle, in obtaining the Seals, it has not been visible to us." Campbell said the decision on the Seals must be reached by the opening of the annual meeting June 7, when the Kansas City problem also should be resolved.'
The owners also discussed the apparent growth of violence in hockey and referred to the rules committee two sets of proposed changes that would increase penalties and, for the first time, impose "some measure of management responsibility." The rules committee must submit its recommendations at the annual meeting.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:44:07 GMT -5
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1976
SCOUTS LOST, Seals still in hot water
CHICAGO (AP) — The National Hockey League served notice Tuesday that the financially- troubled Kansas City Scouts franchise is ready to be terminated, but gave city officials 10 days to come up with an acceptable plan to keep hockey there.
NHL president Clarence Campbell said the Scouts had received a complaint note from the league informing the club that it had failed to pay dues and also had failed to repay a $300,000 loan secured from the1 league to complete the 1975-76 season. Campbell said that Kansas City owner Edwin Thompson had informed the league that the present ownership of the club is "unable to continue operations and that it has no desire to try to reorganize its finances."
Campbell added that the league had no desire to take over the Scouts. The fate of the troubled California Golden Seals franchise also was discussed during the one-day session held near O'Hare International Airport, but the status of the franchise's sale remains uncertain, said Campbell.
The Seals have been financially troubled under several owners since the team was admitted to the league in 1967. Campbell said Seals owner Mel Swig has informed the league that he intends to exercise his option either to sell the club or move it from Oakland.
The NHL official said the 10-day extension was granted to Kansas City officials who appeared before the NHL's board of governors to "express their desire to keep the team in Kansas City.”Mayor Charles Wheeler (of Kansas City) said he is interested in taking whatever action is necessary to help to retain the club," Campbell said. "He didn't say he and his staff would be successful, but he said he felt the people of Kansas City want hockey." After the meeting, Wheeler said he was happy with the way the board of governors responded to his request and said he is confident that the city will keep the franchise.
The league had been expected to terminate the franchise after Kansas City Kings of the National Basketball Association withdrew an offer to purchase the Scouts. The Kings, who had shared the city's new Kemper Auditorium with the hockey team, apparently were set to buy the Scouts but a major stumbling block developed in negotiations when City Manager Robert Kipp rejected a request to provide the Kings with an escape clause in case the Scouts became financially burdened.
Although Wheeler did not disclose what he and five other members of the Kansas City delegation plan to do to facilitate the sale of the Scouts, he did say the city planned to offer the Kings 20 extra dates in Kemper Auditorium. The Scouts will be terminated officially at a June 7 meeting of the board of governors if there is no sale, Campbell said.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:44:26 GMT -5
WEDNESDAY, MAY 26. 1976
Hal Sigurdson
No, neither the Kansas City Scouts nor any other National Hockey League team is going to be playing its home games out of Winnipeg Arena next season. One of the silliest speculative stories of recent vintage has to be the one that had the financially stricken Scouts on the verge of calling Winnipeg home. Of course it won't happen.
Mind you, it has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not Clarence Campbell likes us, whether or not Alan Eagleson has from time to time referred to the World Hockey Association as a bush league or even that the WHA Jets once spirited Robert Marvin Hull away from the NHL Chicago Black Hawks. All that is so much flapdoodle. The NHL governors would take in Jack The Ripper as a partner if he could convince them he had a fat wallet and an inclination to pay his bills.
The NHL won't be in Winnipeg next season for the simple reason the league and the Winnipeg operators would be up to their armpits in lawsuits if it even seemed likely to happen.
The first people to start issuing writs would be Winnipeg's WHA partners. After all, the entire league chipped in to pay Hull's signing bonus. In addition there's the U.S. anti-trust laws to consider ... restraint of trade and all that.
Eagleson made it clear
Next in line to start issuing writs would be the NHL Players' Association. Eagleson, the NHLPAs executive director who was in town Tuesday to announce one firm and two or three tentative games for Winnipeg in next fall's international hockey tournament, made that quite plain.
Contrary to other reports you may have heard, the Eagle says as an individual he would be quite amenable to an NHL franchise in Winnipeg. As the players' association man, however, he'd have to take a hard look at it. '
"Winnipeg in the NHL would hurt the future of the WHA," he said, "which is not good for hockey players." He also pointed out the players and owners recently formalized a five-year agreement and that any hint of merger between the NHL and WHA would be in direct contravention of that agreement. The NHL owners aren't about to take in a partner who is going to get them into a war with the wage slaves. Not now.
As a realist, though, Eagleson knows full well major league hockey cannot survive indefinitely in its present form, with the two warring leagues pushing costs beyond the means of all but the plushest markets. More franchises than ever before are in real financial difficulty. At least two — Kansas City in the NHL and San Diego in the WHA - are likely to perish this summer.
Single league is a must
That means 60 to 80 fewer hockey jobs to go around. That isn't good for hockey players, either. It isn't going to happen next season, perhaps not even the one after that, but eventually major league hockey in North America will have to shake down to just one league. How it will happen is anyone's guess, but happen it must.
"If Winnipeg can just hang on where it is, keep putting 8,000 to 9,000 people in the building, it shouldn't have any trouble becoming part of that league," Eagleson said.
Where the real stumbling block for Winnipeg lies is just where it always has — the size of its arena. Over the long haul, a major league hockey team — WHA or NHL — can't pay the bills with only 10,000 seats. A minimum of 15,000 are required. Over to you, city hall.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:44:42 GMT -5
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY. MAY 27. 1976
Hatskin itching for a suit
By REYN DAVIS Free Press Staff Writer A w a r n i n g was issued Wednesday to World Hockey Association teams that might be tempted to bolt to the National Hockey League. "I for one, would love to sue 'the NHL on any antitrust issues," said Ben Hatskin, the WHA's chief executive officer.
Hatskin was referring to this week's rumor that Winnipeg Jets were interested in becoming members of the NHL in place of Kansas City Scouts. "For one thing it costs $2 million if a team wants to pull out of the WHA," said Hatskin. "But that would be chicken feed compared to the suits. "If we need the NHL, would someone tell me what the hell is happening."
Gflles Leger, coach and director of player personnel of Toronto Toros, might have let the cat out of the bag at a general managers' meeting Wednesday in the Winnipeg Inn. "We definitely won't be back in Toronto next year," he said, twirling his ever present cigar- "It looks like w e ' l l go to cither Birmingham or Minnesota. Birmingham has a super facility."
No formal application has been filed for a new.franchise in Minnesota. Wayne Belisle, former president of the now-defunct F i g h t i n g Saints, spent a few hours at the meeting Tuesday. His hope of seeing WHA teams return Fighting Saints to St. Paul were all but dashed. Belisle's group was treated like any other would-be franchise holder — carefully.
This meeting was not the place to present pitches for franchises, ft Belisle is successful in landing, say, the Toronto Toros or San Diego Mariners it will have to happen when all the trustees are present and they won't meet again until the annual meeting June 16-17 in the Hotel Toronto.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:45:02 GMT -5
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY. MAY 27. 1976
Scouts have 10 days
KANSAS CITY (AP) — Hockey supporters iu Kansas City have 10 days to save the Scouts from folding, but even if the N a t i o n a l Hockey League franchise terminates, the city has plans to ease the financial loss.
The NHL board of governors served notice Tuesday that the franchise would be terminated if an acceptable arrangement to keep hockey in the city is not submitted before the board's June 7 meeting in Montreal. The 'annual Kemper Arena deficit without hockey would be $485,000, John Urie, city fin a n c e director, estimated Wednesday, a tab that would have to be picked up by the taxpayers.
That estimate, he said, is based "on our being able to fill about a dozen of the good dates opened by the loss of the hockey franchise. And we certainly intend to fill those dates. We aren't going to sit on our hands if we're left without hockey." Urie also estimated that should the Scouts return next season, the city still will lose more than $400,000, almost double the default last year, because of unpayable debts owed by the present franchise owners.
The city operates the arena and leases it out to Kansas City Kings of the National Basketball Association, the Scouts, road shows and conventions, such as the Republican National Convention in August. If there is no hockey in Kansas City next year, and if none of the dates opened by the absence of the Scouts is filled, the city stands to lose about $744,000 on arena operations. Urie said it cost $1,802,000 to operate the arena last year, with both pro basketball and hockey. He said he expects the operating costs to drop without hockey, but that anticipated s a l a r y costs might offset any savings.
F o r t y dates would be opened at Kemper Arena without hockey, but only about a dozen are prime dates, attractive to sponsors of spectaculars, shows and other events.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:45:17 GMT -5
Fri., May 28, 1976
Winnipeg Wins World Cup, 9-1
WINNIPEG (AP) – The Winnipeg Jets gained their first ever World Hockey Association championship last night with a humiliating 9-1 victory over the defending champion Houston Aeros. The Jets outscored Houston 3- 1 in the first period, 4-0 in the second and 2-0 in the third to win their fourth consecutive game and sweep the best-of-seven World Cup final.
The capacity crowd of 10,386, the largest crowd in Winnipeg this season, gave the Jets a thunderous welcome when they skated onto the ice to begin the game and seldom let up until after the championship trophy had been presented.
"1 never would ha\e believed it," Houston Coach Bill Dineen said. "That was the best game any team has played against us all season," Dineen said in the subdued Aeros' dressing room. "Those guys could have played the Montreal Canadiens tonight and beat them." The Jets outshot Houston 33- 17, spread their goals among six players and all four lines and got solid goaltending from Joe Daley when they needed it to build up a lead.
HE JETS came out flying and if not for the outstanding goaltending of Ron Grahame, they would have built up a larger lead in the first period. Anders Hedberg, Veli Ketola and Peter Sullivan scored two goals each for Winnipeg with Bobby Hull, Lyle Moffat and Bobby Guindon adding solo goals. Ted Taylor collected Houston's only goal to give the Aeros a short-lived tic midway through the first period.
"THATS THE way this club lias worked all year," winning Coach Bobby Kromra said. "A complete team effort from all 22 guys. They worked hard all season hut when the playoffs came around, they become a very hungry hockey team." "Every game we play we play it the same way," speedy Anders Hedberg, a two-goal scorer in the third game Tuesday, said. "We go all out all the way, no matter what the score." Hedberg also summed up the feelings of most of the Jets when he said the championship helped to prove that Winnipeg's non-aggressive style of play can beat rough, aggressive teams.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:45:33 GMT -5
SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1976
Pilous: bring on the NHL
In the aftermath of Winnipeg Jets' four-game sweep of Houston Aeros in the World Hockey Association's Avco Cup final, general manager Rudy Pilous has suggested it is time to begin formulating plans for a challenge series against the National Hockey League.
Pilous said both leagues should get together and arrange their playoff schedules so that the Stanley Cup and Avco Cup finals end at approximately the same time so the two champions can meet in a challenge series.
"It would be a highly competitive series," Pilous said after the Jets beat Houston 9-1 in the final game Thursday night to end the Aeros' two-year reign as league champions. "It's too bad it couldn't have been this year," he said. "With the two best teams and the two best coaches in hockey both winning, that would have made for a tremendous series."
Pilous said that such a series next year is both feasible and possible" with the co-operation of both leagues and their respective players' associations.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:45:47 GMT -5
SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1976 Hal Sigurdson
The multitudes cheered. The carillon rang. The politicians pontificated. The Winnipeg Jets? Mostly they smiled a lot, basking in the adulation of their victory parade down Portage Avenue at noon Friday.
"Very nice” growled Gerry Lane, whose prose and handiwork regularly adorn these pages. "Now can we kindly get on with summer?" Now that you mention it, Gerry, not a bad idea. The Jets richly deserve all their plaudits. Through 104 league and playoff games they took their lumps, turned the other cheek and kept right on winning. They won with such consistency and elan they have rekindled hope the meek may yet inherit the earth. Too bad, though, it couldn't all have been compressed into hockey season.
But no matter. The Jets' march to the World Hockey Association title, a march that included only a single misstep against Joe Crozier's Calgary Cowboys was worth the wait. Worth the 18-day layoff and sweltering through those 6-3 and 9-1 victories over the defending champion Houston Aeros Tuesday and Thursday at a steamy Winnipeg Arena
Sweeter for some
Victory was of course satisfying to all the Jets, but perhaps a little sweeter for some than others. Like Billy Robinson, the Jets' chief scout the man who has been waiting longest for Friday's parade. And like forward Normie Beaudin. When the Jets were formed in 1972-73 Robinson was their first employee. Beaudin signed on as their first player.
It had to be sweet, too, for Bobby Hull, one of the game's all-time greats, but a player who has been waiting since 1961 for a second sip of victory champagne. General manager Rudy Pilous, a private man despite all his ebullience and story-telling, must have taken a special kind of satisfaction from the results of the now finally completed season.
It was Rudy who coached those 1971 Chicago Black Hawks Hull played for to their only Stanley Cup victory since 1938. No! much later he was ex-couch of the Black Hawks. Not long after that he was being 10- tally ignored by the National Hockey League establishment, viewed as a relic of the past and replaced by the young Turks. Rudy has not been around long enough to have had a hand in the entire shaping of the Jets, but since his arrival he has added many of the competent, unspectacular veterans every team must have. They're called winners.
Matter of pride
The 1975-76 season has dramatically demonstrated R. Pilous still knows a thing or three about the game of hockey. The game as it is played today. Justifiably, Rudy will take quiet pride in being general manager of the WHA champions. He will take satisfaction from the fact everyone in hockey's establishment knows all about it, too. The best tiling about the Jets' win is it seems to have the city's establishment once more thinking in terms of a larger arena. Mayor Steve Juba was hinting broadly at Friday's victory luncheon at either an expanded Winnipeg Arena or a brand new building. One or the other has to happen it there arc to be many more victory parades down Portage Avenue for hockey teams.
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:47:04 GMT -5
SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1976
'Best team in the world'
By REYN DAVIS Free Press Staff Writer
Joe Daley was wearing the same jacket he wore four years ago when lie signed a contract with Winnipeg Jets, then more a dream than a reality. His special occasions garment — green and gold lapcsiry on a beige background — suited the mood of the beginning 33-year-old goaltender, a champion at Son;; last.
Daley led the procession of players down Portage Avenue as Winnipeggers turned out 25.000 strong to hail their hockey champions. Recreation Minister Rene Tottpin presented a miniature Red River cart to coach Bobby Kromm. "We, the government of Manitoba, consider the Jets to be the best team in the world," said Mr. Toupin. "Our only hope is that the powers to be see that we have the chance to beat Montreal or the Russians." he called the Jets "great ambassadors" for the city and province.
M a y o r S t e v e Juba claimed it Jets' Day, then dropped a bombshell of his own. "We'll be moving in the area of a new areua or expansion very, very soon," said Mayor Juba. Private enterprise is involved. But Tm not privileged to divulge details at this time." The mayor was visited Friday morning by Jim Burns and J. W. McKeag. Prominent local businessmen who sit on the Jets' management committee.
All of the Jets, save all-star centre Ulf Nilsson. Took part in the parade, a reception at Portage and Main, and a civic reception at the Winnipeg Inn. N i l s s o n was recovering from an eye injury suffered in Thursday night's 9-1 victory over Houston Aeros in the fourth and final game of a best-of-seven series for the Avco World Trophy, symbolic of the World Hockey Association championship.
A car bearing his name and number took part in the parade. All that was missing was Nilsson. Bobby Hull — his future uncertain in Winnipeg — said he visited Nilsson in the hospital at 5:30 a.m. They talked about the game. the1 celebration and the season. " Bobby . " ' said Nilsson. nodding his head sleepily. "I can't keep my eye open any longer."
Nilsson was the runaway winner of the playoff scoring championship. Collecting seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points. He lelt the final game in the second period when he was struck in the eye by Aeros' Andre Hinse. By then h e had already collected three assists.
P r i m e Minister Trudeau sent his congratulations to the Jets, applauding them for their stand on violence, t h e i r talent, finesse and speed. It marked the first time in the four year history of the WHA that the championship has been won by a Canadian team.
Kromm was suffering from a cold and he limped. "Last night in the excitement and all, Larry Hornung stepped on my foot."' he said. "11 feels "like he cut off my toes."
The secret of the Jets' success, a c c o r d i n g to Kromm, was blending "great players like Hull. Nilsson, Anders Hedberg, Lars-Erik Sjoberg and Thommie Bergman, with hard-workers like Bill Lesuk and Duke Asmundson."
Mayor Juba presented personally inscribed gold medals to each player, trainer Bill Bozak, equipment manager Kelly P r u d e n , assistant equipment m a n a g e r Max Pilous, coach Kromm and .u t- n o r a l manager Rudy Pilous. It was Bobby Hull who thanked the gathering at the civic reception. "Today you out-did yourselves."' he said. "It was a terrific thrill to be coming down Portage ... without the wind blowing.”Those people had a warm, warm feeling."
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Post by JETStender on Jan 15, 2009 1:47:28 GMT -5
SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1976
Juba unveils plan for larger arena
Mayor Steve Juba said Friday the city will have a new arena to house the Winnipeg Jets hockey club, but he wouldn't say when, where, how or why. The mayor hinted at a new arena at a luncheon reception given to honor the Jets. who won the World Hockey Association championship Thursday night.
"We can and should have ; anew arena." he said, "and we are going to have one. period." The mayor told the hockey players. Vans and some city councillors that "private enterprise is involved, but I'm not privileged to divulge any more information."
When the mayor said the construction of a new arena would have to go ''through the process ot council" he drew loud boos from the audience. Eariier this year city council \oted down a proposed expansion 10 the Winnipeg Arena.
Prior to the luncheon the mayor met privately with James Burns, president of The Great-West Life Assurance Company and W. John McKcas, the former lieutenant- governor of Manitoba. None of the men would comment after the meeting but city hall sources say they discussed the possibility of an arena at the Canadian N a t i o n a l Railways' East Yards site.
A major housing-commercial- office redevelopment of CN's East Yards has been adopted in principle by city council . Great-West Life plans to relocate its head office at the site. The mayor would like to sec the 66-acre site used as a park but he has slid in the past a recreational facility might be acceptable.
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