Posts Tagged Jerry Reinsdorf

No big offer for Kovalchuk from KHL? No over-paying on Kulemin … Bertuzzi gets 2 year offer

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL Free Agents, NHL News, NHL Rumors on June 8th, 2010

  • Chris Botta of AOL Fanhouse: It was rumored yesterday that Ilya Kovalchuk received a $14 million per season contract offer from the KHL, but a ‘reliable source’ tells Fanhouse that, that is not the case. New Jersey’s 1st round playoff loss may have leassened the chances of him returning. The Devils could use his star power to fill some seats, but they also have another LWer in Zach Parise, who be looking for a new contract after next season.
  • Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun: Burke would like to re-sign Nikolai Kulemin, but not a salary based on ice-time on a bad team. Burke doesn’t want to lose a promising young player, but he won’t overpay for it. Kulemin has good size, skill and improved greatly as the season progressed, but he’s not a 1st player just yet. Two former Leafs, Ian White and Matt Stajan were in the same boat, more playing opporunity than might have received on a better team, which is one reason they were moved out as their contract demands would have been higher. Stajan signed for 4 year and $14 million. If you’ve watched Stajan over the years, you’d know that Stajan isn’t worth $3.5 million a season. A handful teams have confirmed to touched base with Burke regarding Tomas Kaberle.
  • Kevin Allen of the USA Today: By now everyone and mother knows that the Blackhawks have a rough summer ahead of them trying to get some players re-signed, and shedding others. Allen thinks the Antti Niemi could ask for a deal in the $4 million range. They also have to look ahead to next summer when Dustin Byfuglien and more importantly, Brent Seabrook, will be restricted free agents.
  • Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press: Red Wings GM (Ken Holland) and assistant GM (Jim Nill) will be signing extensions later this week. The Red Wings have also sent Todd Bertuzzi a 2 year contract offer, and extended qualifying offers to Justin Abdelkader, Patrick Eaves, Darren Helm, Derek Meech and Drew Miller. They $6.5 to sign the above players, and possibly Andreas Lilja and/or a gritty forward.
  • Minneapolis Star Tribune:The Wild may be looking to move a defenseman this off-season. Cam Barker, Marek Zidlicky (no-trade clause) and Greg Zanon are probably not going anywhere. Nick Schultz would be a prime candidate but his 4 years at $3.6 million a season could be difficult to move. That leaves Brent Burns as the most likely candidate. The wild hope/think they may be able to get a top center or top 6 winger.
  • TSN: Jerry Reinsdorf has said “it was time to move on” from his pursuit of purchasing the Phoenix Coyotes, leaving the Ice Edged Group as the only local buyer. I’m actually surprised he lasted this long in this sale farse. I’d love to hear the comments he tells his buddies from the other leagues.
  • Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer: Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos Jr. has said the ‘Canes will be younger and that they won’t be spending over $50 million next season, it could be in the $44 million range. They won’t be active in the free agent market. It is also unlikely that they will be re-signing Ray Whitney before the July 1st free agent date.

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Ice Edge Group Now Buying the Phoenix Coyotes?

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL News, NHL Rumors on May 7th, 2010

  • David Shoalts of the Globe and Mail: Would someone PLEASE put an end to this ….. Shoalts is reporting that the Jerry Reinsdorf deal to buy the Phoenix Coyotes has hit a snag the city of Glendale, and they have gone back to the Ice Edge Group, who they earlier rejected. Weeks ago the city council accepted Reinsdorf’s bid 6-0 and rejected the Ice Edge bid 5-1. Reinsdorf’s bid called for subsidies for the team, which is almost $47 million in bonds and other revenues. The Ice Edge Group was approached again last week by the city, though the Reinsdorf deal still could go through. If a local buyer can’t be found June 30th, the league could sell the team to someone that would be able to move them to a different city. A report from ESPN is saying that if both Reinsdorf’s and the Ice Edge Groups bid falls through, the team could be sold to Canadian billionaire David Thompson, who would move the team back to Winnipeg.
  • Scott Burnside of ESPN: Sources have told ESPN that the Reinsdorf deal is dead and the city is back talking to the Ice Edge Group to keep the team in Phoenix. The City of Glendale is filing documents this morning accepting a new lease deal with Ice Edge, and will be working with them exclusively. The league hasn’t agreed to sell the team to the Ice Edge Group just yet, and there are some conditions the city must guarantee to the NHL, with one being covering the operating losses next year. If the city doesn’t agree with the NHL’s conditions, and the deal with Ice Edge falls through, the league could turn to Canadian billionaire David Thompson. There is apparently a purchase agreement already drawn up for Thompson to buy the Coyotes. Thompson would then move the Coyotes back to Winnipeg. The Ice Edge’s proposal was originally shot down by Glendale, even though they had agreed to not move the team for the next 24 years (time remaining on lease), Reinsdorf’s deal would have allowed him to move/sell the team after 5 years. Where the Ice Edge group was getting their funds to buy the team has been called into question in the past, but there is word now that they have it secured.

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Sale of Coyotes getting closer … Penguins UFAs … Shirokov Staying

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL Free Agents, NHL News, NHL Rumors on May 4th, 2010

  • Randy Sportak of the Toronto Sun: Gary Bettman thinks the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes could be getting closer to being finalized. “The process continues. There is much that has to be done with the city of Glendale, both by the league and with the prospective owner, and it’s something we continue to work on.” Jerry Reinsdorf continues to work with both the league and Glendale. Bettman won’t put a timetable on when the process will be completed.
  • Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: The Penguins have 8 UFAs, 4 forwards, 4 defense. Forwards: Alexei Ponikarovsky, Bill Guerin, Ruslan Fedotenko and Matt Cooke. Defenseman: Sergei Gonchar, Mark Eaton, Jordan Leopold, and Jay McKee. Matt Cooke will most likely be back next season. Maybe one of either Leopold or Eaton would be resigned, unless Gonchar takes a hometown discount, which he hasn’t shown much public interest in doing. Some of the others would depend on what they are wanting to sign for, and for how long.
  • Matthew Sekeres of the Globe and Mail: There was a rumor out of Russia that Vancouver Canucks prospect Sergei Shirokov was planning on heading back the KHL next season. This appears to be nothing more than a rumor as Shirokov reiterated that he wants to play in the NHL, and plans on showing up at the Canucks training camp next fall. It was reported earlier this year that Shirokov was suspended by the KHL for 2 years for leaving his Russian club.
  • Bill Tiller of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: The Columbus Blue Jackets and Atlanta Thrashers may be interested in Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, Manitoba Moose head coach Scott Arniel. Columbus has already received permission to speak to him, and will do so in the next couple days. Tampa Bay and New Jersey may also be interested in Arniel. The Thrashers will also look at their AHL affiliate coach, Don Lever.

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Who’ll Buy the Coyotes? The Flyers Goaltending Issues … Kulemin Staying in Toronto?

Posted by Mark Easson in NHL Injuries, NHL News, NHL Rumors on March 21st, 2010

  • Pierre LeBrun of ESPN:
    • The League and Players will be voting on whether to fast-track new head-shot rules, which will most likely happen. Francois Beauchemin said to ESPN, “But I wish the league would have taken care of this last summer like we [the players] had asked them to,”.
    • The Ice Edge Group, which signed a letter of intent to buy the Coyotes, may not be front runners anymore to buy them. Jerry Reinsdorf could be back in the mix. Relocation may enter into the picture if a local owner isn’t found by May.
    • Mike Cammalleri should return to the Canadiens lineup later this week.
  • Jim Matheson of Edmonton Journal:
    • Matheson thinks the Oilers should trade prospect Linus Omark for the best draft pick they can get.
    • The Red Wings might go after European FA, Mats Zuccarello-Aasen, offering a 2-way contract that has an out to return to Sweden if he doesn’t make the big club or like the AHL.
    • Raffi Torres has no goals in 7 games since being traded to the Sabres. “I’ve been terrible; all I’ve done is given them a little bit of physical play,” said Torres.
    • Steve Stamkos has a painful bone bruise in his back.
  • Larry Brooks of the NY Post: The Philadelphia Flyers inquired about Tim Thomas at the deadline, but were unable to work out a deal to fit him under the cap. They might try again in the summer to land Thomas, as well as looking at Marty Turco, Evgeni Nabokov and Dan Ellis.
  • Scott Burnside of ESPN: The Flyers made a run at Tomas Vokoun, but the Panthers wanted Jeff Carter.
  • Tim Panaccio of CSNPhilly: The Flyers had hoped to use Michael Leighton’s playoff performance as a gage as to what kind of contract to offer him. Now that his season is most likely finished, this obviously won’t happen, and they will re-evaluate their goaltending situation after the season.
  • Paul Hunter of the Toronto Star: Maple Leafs winger Nikolai Kulemin has greatly improved his overal game this year, and now finds himself on the Leafs top line, getting plenty of ice time. Kulemin is a RFA after the season, and there have been reports that he might head to the KHL to collect a larger pay check, but that may not be the case. “I want to play here. Some players are going to Russia for some big money but I like it here,” he said. “I want to play here in the better league. I want to play better and make the team better.”

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    Phoenix Coyotes Bidding Now Open to Anyone

    Posted by Mark Easson in NHL News on August 6th, 2009

    The botched handling of the Phoenix Coyotes situation continues to make story lines. They say that ‘Any press is good press’, but I don’t see how this whole situation will have any good effect on the NHL (other than maybe removing a team from a non-hockey market and placing it in a hockey market). Bettman has turned this league into a laughing stock. NHL owners must be shaking their heads. How do they continue to have faith in this guy? It’s time to put an end to this nonsense.

    The first auction date to keep the team in Phoenix (at least for a 36 games) has been moved to September 10th, and now can include bids that wish to relocate. So Jimbo Balsillie is back in the picture. If the single goal of this auction is to get the most money to  pay back all the creditors, I don’t see how it can’t be Balsillie’s offer, since his bid is supposedly $62.5 million more than the Ice Edge Holdings offer, $64.5 more than Reinsdorf’s no-money-upfront-with-other-stipulations. It’s impossible to predict how this ‘Gong Show’ will play out as it seems that there is a new twist every couple days.

    Here are some articles for today on the Coyote mess:

  • Balsillie bid for Coyotes has life – Toronto Star
  • Phoenix Coyotes auction in Sept. now open to all bidders – The Arizona Republic
  • Cardinals strongly oppose Coyotes tax district in Glendale – The Arizona Republic
  • Bettman responsible for Coyotes’ mess – East Valley Tribune

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    The Coyotes Go To Reinsdorf

    Posted by Mark Easson in NHL News on July 30th, 2009

    After being rejected by the NHL once again, Jim Balsillie vows to continue his quest of owning a NHL team in Hamilton. Apparently there is no 3rd time charm good ole Jimbo, as his offer to buy the Coyotes was unanimously rejected. I wonder if he learned anything from this whole process. I doubt it.

    The NHL governors unanimously accepted Jerry Reinsdorf’s bid to buy the Coyotes, as they felt he was the best qualified potential owner.

    From the Globe and Mail:

    NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in an e-mail message that Mr. Balsillie was rejected under bylaw 35 of the league’s constitution. That section says the league can reject potential owners if it does not believe they are of “good character and integrity,” as well as for financial reasons. Daly declined to comment when asked to be more specific.

    I think it’s going to take some major ass kissing for Balsillie to get into the NHL. He needs to take a more business-like approach and stop challenging the league. It’s an ‘old boys’ network, and I don’t think the board of governors (the guys who ultimately decide his fate) like the way he has conducted his approaches to buying the Predators and Coyotes.

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    Another Interested Buyer for the Phoenix Coyotes

    Posted by Mark Easson in NHL News, NHL Rumors on July 25th, 2009

    It is now being reported that the Phoenix Coyotes lost more than $60 million last season. And there are people still interested in keeping the team in Phoenix. Are you kidding me? $67.1 million in net loss, including operating costs, interest and other costs.

    Yesterday was the cut off date for the bids to be submitted for the auction. Jerry Reinsdorf has already submitted his bid at $148 million with concessions set up with the city of Glendale.

    In a move that probably won’t sit well with Jim Balsillie, former RIM executive, Anthony LeBlanc, along with fellow Canadians Keith McCullough and Daryl Jones, submitted a letter of intent at $150 million. They also think the team could thrive in Phoenix, and plan to utilize Wayne Gretzky more effectively.

    Have these people looked at the financial records? Maybe check out how many people actually paid for tickets, and at what price they paying for them?

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