Some troubling notes from David Shoalts of the Globe & Mail this morning, in light of the news that up to six NHL teams needed advances from television and/or revenue-sharing money to help “pay the bills.” Pay the players and staff is more likely the meaning behind it.
Shoalts mentions that the Dallas Stars, Atlanta Thrashers, Phoenix Coyotes, Florida Panthers, New York Islanders and possibly the Tampa Bay Lightning are those teams that needed financial. Not exactly a surprising list, especially when you factor in Stars owner Tom Hicks’ financial troubles and the mediocre seasons every other team is mired in year after year.
What’s more worrisome is his notes that Islanders owner Charles Wang may have to eventually move the team from the Town of Hempstead, as he’s running into nothing but trouble and roadblocks trying to improve Nassau Coliseum or even build a new arena.
If the town does not come through, Bettman said, Wang will “start looking at his options on Long Island first to see what he can do, but the club has to have a new arena.” Newsday writer Steve Zipay noted that Bettman did not deny a possible move to Queens to “a Flushing Meadows tract adjacent to Citi Field that apparently will be up for bid this summer.”
Now granted there’s a caveat here. David Shoalts -- a much better reporter than his recent reputation would lead you to believe -- is going off sources and some speculation here. But there’s truth in here, and nothing completely out of left field.