Hurricanes Owner Peter Karmanos on Saturday said that he is "open to the possibility of selling his team outright instead of simply looking for investors," according to Ken Campbell of THE HOCKEY NEWS. However, if the NHL has "anything to say about it," the Hurricanes "are staying put" in Raleigh despite constant rumors having the team relocating to Quebec City. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman: "I don’t think it’s any different than what Peter has been telling me over time. I think he hasn’t ruled anything in or anything out and there’s no formal sale process ongoing. Peter may sell or he may not sell. He may sell all of it, he may sell some of it. He may sell none of it. And the franchise is not moving" (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 1/28). In Raleigh, Chip Alexander writes there are "some in the NHL who do not believe" Bettman. Some say that it is "inevitable the NHL will return" to Quebec City and that the Hurricanes are a "logical choice for relocation." Alexander: "Bettman keeps saying no. Again and Again." Raleigh remains "one of the fastest growing markets in the country and Bettman and the NHL would be loath to leave it" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 1/30).
HOME IMPROVEMENT: In N.Y., Brett Cyrgalis wrote with ongoing issues at Barclays Center, the chances of the Islanders staying there are "not encouraging." Bettman made it clear that first-year Islanders co-Majority Owners Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin are "doing their due diligence in looking to create a better facility -- even if that facility is not in Brooklyn." Bettman: "There are some issues about playing at Barclays, it may be fundamental to the ice system. That’s not something that can be fixed in the short term. I think, as is prudent, Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky are reviewing the situation and looking very seriously at what their options are" (N.Y. POST, 1/29). On Long Island, Mark Herrmann noted Barclays Center has "drawn mixed reviews from Long Island fans regarding the difficulty of getting to Brooklyn and the presence of seats that do not offer a full view of the rink." The building also has been "criticized by players because of the quality of the ice in an arena that was not designed with hockey in mind." Ledecky and Malkin have "spoken about a new arena, either near Citi Field or Belmont racetrack." Herrmann noted the Islanders could "leave Barclays Center after their third or fourth season in Brooklyn by triggering an opt-out clause in the license agreement." The Islanders are "required to play all of their home games at Barclays Center" (NEWSDAY, 1/29).
