The Islanders are "reportedly in the process" of
working a deal with Sharks co-Owners George and Gordon Gund
to play their home games in Cleveland at Gund Arena,
according to Al Strachan of the TORONTO SUN. If the deal
were to go through, Strachan writes that "it would have a
number of benefits to the league," including giving hockey
exposure in OH and solving "the messy situation which has
seen threats fly back and forth between the team owners and
the NHL head office" (TORONTO SUN, 9/28).
BACK TO COURT: On Friday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman
asked NY Supreme Court Justice Burton Joseph to "order
another inspection" of Nassau Coliseum, and if it was safe,
he would "order the Islanders to play their games" in the
building. The Isles said that they would "abide by
Bettman's order if the Coliseum is safe." Bettman: "The
NHL, me in particular, are very unhappy with this state of
affairs." All parties are due back in court this morning at
11:30am (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/26). Save the Islanders
Coalition President Steve Ellers wrote a Letter to the
Editor in Sunday's N.Y. TIMES, and asked Bettman to suspend
team co-Owner Steve Gluckstern and Howard Milstein "for
their actions until more worthy prospective Islander owners
are found" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/27). NEWSDAY's Ken Moritsugu
examined the negotiating tactics of both the Isles ownership
and SMG, and wrote that "no one is going to fold quickly."
Milstein has a "reputation as a tough negotiator who gets
what he wants," and SMG is also known for its tough
negotiations. One hockey insider called the legal battle "a
good old-fashioned real estate war between the [SMG partner]
Pritzger family and the Milsteins" (NEWSDAY, 9/27).
