ALBERTA BANK FORCING CHANGES IN NHL OWNERSHIP

     A member of Canada's Liberal Opposition said the
provincially-owned Alberta Treasury Branches bank will be
changing its corporate structure early in the new year, according
to the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL.  A board of directors will be
appointed to run the bank in place of a single government
appointee.  The changes stem from pressure by the Liberals over a
series of controversial loans to prominent Progressive
Conservative backers such as Stars Owner Norm Green and Oilers
Owner Peter Pocklington.  Green owes the bank over C$180M in
loans, and has put the Stars up as collateral for a C$54.4M loan,
on which the bank has told Green and the NHL it will foreclose if
not paid by an unspecified deadline.  NHL Commissioner Gary
Bettman has assumed the job of selling the Stars and is looking
for a buyer willing to pay the $85M asking price.  The GLOBE &
MAIL's David Shoalts notes sources say the deadline to sell the
team could be as soon as this week, or extend until the end of
December (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 11/29).