NHL Franchise Notes: Avs Have Sold 85% Of Season Tickets

Avalanche Fans Not Happy With Signing Of May (l)

The Avalanche had sold 85% of season tickets through Sunday, and only 38 accounts had cancelled their plan (Avalanche). In Denver, Dave Krieger published the e-mail address of Avalanche Senior VP/Communication Jean Martineau to allow fans to state their opinion of the team signing former Canucks LW Brad May, who was named in a lawsuit filed by former Avalanche C Steve Moore after he was attacked by Canucks RW Todd Bertuzzi. Less than 48 hours later, there were 344 messages — three supported signing May, while 339 “were somewhere on the spectrum between condemning and despising the signing.” Two were not related to the topic. Some season-ticket holders said that they “sent in their renewals before the May signing and wished they hadn’t” (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 8/15).

RANGERS: In N.Y., Larry Brooks reported Maple Leafs C Eric Lindros “has a grievance pending against” the Rangers for ’03-04 back pay since his contract “specified he receive $80,000 for every game — capped at $6[M] — he was not sidelined by a head injury.” Lindros contends that he “missed the final 16 games of the season with a shoulder injury he aggravated on Mar. 1, 2004, after he had been cleared to return from the concussion he sustained on Jan. 29” (N.Y. POST, 8/13).

COYOTES: The Coyotes’ September 16 preseason game against the Wild will be free to all Coyotes full season-ticket holders. The game will be Coyotes Managing General Partner Wayne Gretzky’s first as head coach (Coyotes).