NHL Reportedly Concerned With Speed Of Gillett's Canadiens Sale

NHL Exec Says Canadiens Followed Proper Policies, Procedures Regarding Sale

READY AND WILLING: In a special to the Montreal GAZETTE, Molson Coors Brewing Co. VP/Marketing Geoffrey Molson, who is leading the Molson family's bid for the Canadiens, said he and brothers Andrew and Justin are "strongly motivated to take up the challenge and to make sure that our team is very competitive every season." Geoffrey Molson: "We intend to be owners for the long term and to strive to bring the Stanley Cup back to Montreal." Molson noted that Quebec-based labor federation Fonds de solidarite des travailleurs du Quebec and telecommunications company BCE "have confirmed that they are our partners in the transaction to acquire the balance" of the Canadiens. Molson added that the Woodbridge Company, which has the "largest interest in CTVglobemedia," also is an "equity partner." Molson: "We also have several other Montreal partners whose names will be disclosed when appropriate" (Montreal GAZETTE, 6/26).

PANTHER PROBLEM? In Ft. Lauderdale, Sarah Talalay wrote the role of Sports Properties Acquistions Corp. (SPAC) President & CEO Tony Tavares in SPAC's acquisition talks with the NHL Panthers "makes this story interesting," as Tavares also is "linked to a group that is bidding to purchase" the Coyotes and keep the team in Phoenix. That group includes White Sox and Bulls Chair Jerry Reinsdorf and is "completely separate" from SPAC. If Reinsdorf is "successful, it's quite possible Tavares could be installed to run the Coyotes," in which case he would "most likely resign" from SPAC. It is "unknown how large Tavares' interest would be in the Panthers or Coyotes, but it's unlikely the league would allow an executive (and owner) of one team to invest in a second team" (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 6/25).

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