Truth & Rumors > NHL

NHL to investigate Preds sale

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The NHL isn't looking away at what from the outside appears to be a blatant conflict of interest and from the inside might be violations of the NHL Constitution and League By-Laws by AEG, which secretly agreed to loan the now-indicted "Boots" Del Baggio $7 million for use toward becoming part of the ownership group of the Predators, coincidentally enough another candidate to move to Kansas City. Slap Shots has been told by a well-placed individual familiar with the thinking on Sixth Avenue that the NHL will look into the circumstances behind the loan from AEG to Del Baggio, and loans of up to $20 million to Del Baggio from outgoing Nashville owner and current Minnesota owner Craig Leipold. Think of it. Had Del Baggio remained a part of the group purchasing Nashville, the Kings and the Wild would have had a financial investment in the Predators, and apparently without the knowledge of Gary Bettman or any other member of the Board of Governors. Reporters from The Tennessean have done a remarkable job in uncovering details of the entangling financial alliances among those invested in the sale of the Predators, one of the NHL's chronic problem franchises. But though Bettman told that newspaper that the burden for revealing these loans fell on Del Baggio during his application process, we're told that the league intends to look very, very carefully at the behavior of AEG and Leipold, who were, by the way, two of Bettman's most militant allies throughout the lockout and canceled 2004-05 season.

New York Post

Gary Bettman, Dave Sandford/Getty Images Gary Bettman, Dave Sandford/Getty Images
August 4, 2008  05:30 AM ET

Wow. That's messed up.

August 4, 2008  05:57 AM ET

Maybe there's a push by organized crime in K.C. to get involved in hockey. lol

August 4, 2008  07:21 AM ET

Ugh, that hideous picture of Bettman again; what a horrible way to start a Monday morning.

Hopefully the League are going to look into Bettman's incompetence on this issue as well. And, in order to avoid accusations of bias, they should appoint an external agency to carry out the inquiry. I have an excellent candidate for Chairman of the interrogating, I mean investigating, committee - our own beloved erinaceid, Spiny Norman. I am confident that he would see justice done ......

August 4, 2008  08:37 AM ET

What a mess... guess we have no issues in sports and we need this mess... uh...no.

August 4, 2008  08:40 AM ET

shouldnt the "prob" have happened before the sale... little late to save face now shrimp... somebody slap this idiot with a pink slip

August 4, 2008  08:52 AM ET

This kind of thing isn't new to the NHL. The Norris family (the trophy for top defenceman is named after James Norris Sr.) at one time owned the majority stake in the Detroit Red Wings (owned by Bruce Norris) , as well as minority stakes in the Chicago Black Hawks (James Norris) and the New York Rangers (James Norris Sr.) during the original six days. James Norris Jr. also had an influence in expanding to St. Louis because he had controlling interest in the arena down there. The family also had ties to the mob in their dealings with horse racing and boxing. It' good to see that the new NHL is going back to it's roots.

August 4, 2008  09:05 AM ET

Investigate? What's there to investigate? Just fire the most hated, incompetent midget and hire somebody who knows what they're doing!

Buttman knew very well what was going on and put his stamp of approval on everything. He'd do anything to keep Balsillie from getting his hands of the midget's beloved Predators of Nashville! The Mecca of Hockey!

I'd settle for Bobby Orr and/or Steve Y!

August 4, 2008  09:47 AM ET

DCruiser: The Preds could be in Cuba and Buttman would still find a way to keep them there, Don't down Nashville. His reasons for keeping the city here are not b/c he has any love for this city... just a love of money/power.

Besides, there's a least an establishing fan base here in Nashville. Just keep them here.

August 4, 2008  09:49 AM ET

Investigate? What's there to investigate? Just fire the most hated, incompetent midget and hire somebody who knows what they're doing!

Buttman knew very well what was going on and put his stamp of approval on everything. He'd do anything to keep Balsillie from getting his hands of the midget's beloved Predators of Nashville! The Mecca of Hockey!

I'd settle for Bobby Orr and/or Steve Y!

DCruiser
Stevie Y sounds like an interesting choice. I always thought he had some integrity
In all seriousness...I would even suggest John davidson for Commisioner.
Or Don Cherry
Or The Tin man
or "Heck of a job" Brownie

August 4, 2008  09:50 AM ET

Ugh, that hideous picture of Bettman again; what a horrible way to start a Monday morning.

Actually my friend, I think that picture suits Mini Me perfectly


BETTMAN S***S

August 4, 2008  10:12 AM ET

Actually my friend, I think that picture suits Mini Me perfectly

BETTMAN S***S
Spiny Norman

Oh I don't disagree Spiny. I just don't particularly want to have to look at him :)

Comment has been removed
August 4, 2008  10:38 AM ET

apparently without the knowledge of Gary Bettman or any other member of the Board of Governors. Reporters from The Tennessean have done a remarkable job in uncovering details...

So a reporter, a couple reporters or a bunch of reporters...doesn't really matter, can see the crookedness in all of this with just a little investigating yet Buttman and all of the other Gov's didn't even see a thing on the service that looked odd? Yea right, I hope, with all my hockey lovin heart this is the beginning of the end for Buttman...man is he an idiot!!

August 4, 2008  10:47 AM ET

"Kansas City"??????????? Ouchies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh oh stilouis would love this :/ Thats why it would never happen..........

Too much BS in this stor to make it real

Grossedout9
Nice Cougars avatar there.
Just got my Cleveland Crusaders jersey in the mail on Friday

Comment has been removed
August 4, 2008  11:16 AM ET

If I may be serious here for a moment, this quote:
Think of it. Had Del Baggio remained a part of the group purchasing Nashville, the Kings and the Wild would have had a financial investment in the Predators, and apparently without the knowledge of Gary Bettman or any other member of the Board of Governors.

Sums up everything that is wrong with the NHL under this commisioner. Do they mean to suggest they can't be FULLY involved in a sale of one the their franchises, but they are going to court with Dolan of The Rangers' WEB SITE, with the possibility of kicking HIM out of the league?
Is it just me or is this reall insane?

BETTMAN S***S

August 4, 2008  11:18 AM ET

There's a guy selling knock offs on ebay
they have a Mich Stags as well right now
the seller is called r dogs or something. Look up The Stags and you'll find him
I also got a Whalers Jersey from them (or a subsid). All sewn by the way, no iron ons!

BETTMAN S***S

August 4, 2008  11:43 AM ET

When will someone investigate the NHL ???

August 4, 2008  11:44 AM ET

Is it just me or is this reall insane?

BETTMAN S***S
Spiny Norman

It's Gary "I was mini-me's stunt double" Bettman. It's said that doing the same thing over and over again with the same result while expecting a different one is the definition of insanity. Sounds exactly like Bettman's plan for the NHL. What is obviously insane to the rest of us makes perfect sense to him.

 
August 4, 2008  12:08 PM ET

Is it just me or is this reall insane?
BETTMAN S***S
Spiny Norman

It's not you and it is really insane. I have said this before, but either Bettman was in the know about all of this and is as crooked as Little Bo Peep's staff, or he wasn't, in which case he is incompetent and does not deserve to be Commissioner of the NHL.

"Bettman told that newspaper that the burden for revealing these loans fell on Del Baggio during his application process".
Way to absolve yourself of any responsibility, Gary. What about YOUR responsibility for vetting the application properly and using your best endeavours to ensure that potential owners are trustworthy and solvent? And, while we're at it, not making the NHL look foolish and corrupt? The buck stops with you, Bettman, like it or not.

As for the Rangers website issue, that really is beyond ridiculous.

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