In N.Y., Larry Brooks notes Charles Wang's ownership of the Islanders came to an on-ice end yesterday after the team was beat 4-0 by the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Wang's ownership was "dominated for so long by financial crisis and the owner’s unsuccessful repeated attempts to sell the grandiose Lighthouse real estate plan to the either the politicians or citizens of Long Island, both of which constituencies said no to footing the bill for an arena to replace" the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The "critical point to remember is that no one has any idea what’s coming next, when the ownership group of Jonathan Ledecky and Scott Malkin takes charge in July" (N.Y. POST, 5/9). On Long Island, Mark Herrmann notes it will be up to Ledecky and Malkin to "oversee the next phase for a team that needs another gear" (NEWSDAY, 5/9).
TAKING CENTER STAGE: In Montreal, Stu Cowan noted the Impact "has the pro sports stage to itself in Montreal for more than a month," and the club is taking advantage, as it is "sitting in first place in the MLS Eastern Conference" with a 4-3-3 record. The club also "played its first two home games of the season at Saputo Stadium in front of sellout crowds of 20,801." The Impact last month announced a "club record with more than 9,500 season tickets sold -- including 3,500 new ones -- and had" a 91% renewal rate (MONTREAL GAZETTE, 5/7).
EMERGING STAR? BLEACHER REPORT's Mike Freeman noted the Cowboys again "are a legitimate threat," as they are "making smart decisions." The main thing other NFL teams "see is a different philosophical bent." They "point to the growing influence" of COO, Exec VP & Dir of Player Personnel Stephen Jones, Jerry's son, "on the football product." However, Stephen Jones' impact on the organization "isn't something that's new this offseason." Many people around the league "believe Stephen is now a legitimate, smart personnel man," and this "wasn't always the view of him" (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 5/6).
