NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed Friday that the
league is slowing expansion because too many groups are seeking
franchises. In Boston, Kevin Paul Dupont notes Minneapolis/St.
Paul "might be elbow-to-elbow" with Nashville as the two leading
contenders (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/10). In Minneapolis, T-Wolves Owner
Glen Taylor said he would be interested in owning a hockey team
"if the city would eliminate the real estate taxes (about $3.5
million) on Target Center so hockey could be profitable." The
STAR TRIBUNE's Sid Hartman notes St. Paul "got a break" with the
delayed expansion as it "still doesn't have a lead investor."
Hartman notes "the best bet" for St. Paul is for the Whalers to
move (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 11/10).
NEWS & NOTES: In Toronto, David Shoalts notes "fears among"
the Maple Leafs ownership that their dispute with the Raptors may
"scuttle their hopes of moving" into the NHL's Eastern
Conference. Sources say some are "worried" that NBA Commissioner
David Stern will "use his influence to bar the Leafs' move to the
East unless they agree to cut the Raptors in on their plans for a
new arena." Bettman called the report "ridiculous" (Toronto
GLOBE & MAIL, 11/11)....In Toronto, Steve Simmons notes "an
oddity" in the NHL's pension-suit settlement is that 25 of the
recipients are working as NHL head coaches or GMs (TORONTO SUN,
11/10).
