In Boston, Stephen Harris writes there are several "factors that could lead to very irrational decisions" within the Bruins organization after the team missed the playoffs for the first time since '06-07. Bruins President Cam Neely "has long hungered to have more direct involvement in on-ice hockey operations." Neely "doesn’t necessarily make a great administrator, but he surely believes he’ll have the answers to fix this team." Meanwhile, Bruins Owner Jeremy Jacobs this year "anointed son Charlie as CEO of Delaware North’s Boston holdings." It is "fair to assume Charlie Jacobs sorely wants to prove himself worthy of his august new title." Both Neely and Charlie Jacobs, "each for his own reasons, may be happy to wave goodbye" to GM Peter Chiarelli (BOSTON HERALD, 4/13). Also in Boston, Dan Shaughnessy writes Chiarelli and Bruins coach Claude Julien are "good hockey guys who have simply been on the job too long." Shaughnessy: "Heads must roll. Not making the playoffs is simply unacceptable for this crew" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/13).
SUPER MARIO'S WORLD: In Pittsburgh, Dave Molinari wrote it "wouldn't be a total shock" if either Penguins co-Owner & Chair Mario Lemieux or co-Owner Ron Burkle -- or both -- "has at least considered the merits of selling his share of the team." The "glamour days" of the franchise "appear to be over." It is now conceivable that Lemieux and Burkle "would welcome the challenge of trying to oversee the Penguins’ return to truly elite status." But it also "seems possible that at least one -- Burkle would be the most likely -- would be content to take his 2009 Stanley Cup ring, some great memories and a generous return on his initial investment and move on to other pursuits." Meanwhile, it "won't be easy" for the Penguins to keep their sellout streak, which "reached 375 in the regular-season finale Friday night, intact." The Penguins "have been much more aggressive about marketing individual-game tickets in recent months, and a disappointing regular season can only compound the challenge of retaining season-ticket holders, many of whom have endured five playoff flameouts in a row" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/12).
TO THE FIVE BOROUGHS: Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark said that his sales pitch for '15-16 Islanders tickets "has been two-pronged." SI's Jack Dickey writes Yormark when selling to Brooklyn-based fans "talks up the speed of the game and borough pride." But on Long Island, his slogan is "Tradition has a new home." Yormark said that he "has become acutely aware of how much Islanders fans value their traditions." He added that more season-ticket holders "have agreed to come to Brooklyn than he expected -- Barclays anticipates that between 20% and 30% of next year's attendees will be from Long Island" (SI, 4/13 issue).
