Senators Chair Rod Bryden said that he "will sell and
move" the team if government officials continue to put off
giving tax relief for Canada's NHL franchises, according to
Lisa Burke of the OTTAWA SUN. Bryden: "I think it would be
just unfortunate, at best, for this town if Ottawa had to
lose its team in order for the governments to sober up and
recognize that they have to do something. ... I don't think
four teams will leave Canada because I believe -- after the
first one goes -- the rest will get fair treatment" (OTTAWA
SUN, 10/22). Bryden brought an "artificial heart" to his
speech before the Ottawa Board of Trade "in case there
happened to be a political leader in the audience," and the
NATIONAL POST's Roy MacGregor reports that Bryden's speech
"signalled a significant shift in tactics" from asking for
percentage of lottery revenues. MacGregor: "The call now is
for compassion and generosity" (NATIONAL POST, 10/22).
DEADLINE NEAR: Senators holdout C Alexei Yashin, on a
possible "drop-dead date" of December 4 for him to report or
risk owing the team another year of service: "They can do
what they want as far as the deadline goes. I'm not worried
about it. That's something between the NHL and the [NHLPA].
I can't do anything about it" (OTTAWA SUN, 10/22). In
Ottawa, Bruce Garrioch reports, "The decision to set a drop-
dead date will likely end up in front of an independent
arbitrator in the next few months." Garrioch adds that it's
"not known" whether the NHLPA "supports Yashin's position,"
but it "can't afford to sit back and let" Bryden "win the
war." Garrioch: "If the NHLPA gives that bargaining chip
away and lets the league make an example of Yashin, then
it's not doing its job" (OTTAWA SUN, 10/22).
