In Vancouver, Ed Willes profiles Canucks VP/Hockey Operations & Assistant GM LAURENCE GILMAN and notes he has "been at the forefront of a movement that has dragged hockey" from the '50s to the '90s. Gilman is an "outsider," has "never played the game at a meaningful level and, 25 years ago, he would never have been considered for a job in an NHL team's front office." But Gilman currently is an "indispensable part" of the Canucks organization. Canucks President & GM MIKE GILLIS said, "People want to say it's Money-ball. Really, it's just looking at a problem and thinking of different ways to solve it" (Vancouver PROVINCE, 3/30).
OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM: NHL Panthers Owner CLIFF VINER is "dealing with the aftermath of his divorce, finalized in secret in the fall." Viner, his wife JILL and their lawyers "flew down to Key West in September to redefine the term 'quickie divorce.'" They filed and were "declared officially split forever in just a week." Although as a marital asset the Panthers "could have been in play in the divorce, Jill relinquished any right to a share of the team." Cliff "remains solely in control" (MIAMI HERALD, 3/29)....Mariners SS BRENDAN RYAN proposed to his long-time girlfriend Tuesday on the Sky Deck on the 90th floor of Mori Tower, one of Tokyo's tallest buildings. Ryan said, "I had this planned for quite a while. Once I heard we were going to Japan, I figured it was a pretty cool opportunity. Then MLB heard about it and stepped in and rolled out the red carpet for us and it was just awesome." MLB provided a "fake 'tour guide' who took the couple to the tower" (MLB.com, 3/29)....
UP FOR AUCTION: In N.Y., Richard Sandomir notes an auction of memorabilia belonging to late Baseball HOFer TED WILLIAMS will be held at Fenway Park on April 28. Hunt Auctions President DAVID HUNT said that he has known Williams' daughter CLAUDIA WILLIAMS "for several years but only in the past year did she decide it was time to sell much of the collection." Hunt Auctions indicated that the "most expensive artifacts" are Ted Williams' '49 AL MVP Award ($150,000-250,000) and the silver bat for winning the '57 AL batting title ($100,00-200,000). A baseball signed to Williams from BABE RUTH "might go for more" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/30).
NAMES: Former Dodgers Owner FRANK MCCOURT was seen "celebrating over dinner with a younger lady" at Crown restaurant on N.Y.'s Upper East Side Wednesday night after closing the $2B-plus sale of the team (N.Y. POST, 3/30)....New digital lifestyle magazine COUP Boston, which launches Monday, "scored a major coup, getting a peek inside the Hingham home" Patriots coach BILL BELICHICK shares with his girlfriend LINDA HOLLIDAY. The tour of Belichick's house will be the featured story in COUP's first issue (BOSTON HERALD, 3/30)....Blackhawks C PATRICK KANE bought a lakefront home in Hamburg, New York, for $2.68M, which is the "third-highest price ever paid for a home in Erie County" (BUFFALO NEWS, 3/30)....Trail Blazers G WESLEY MATTHEWS is the recipient of the Kia Community Assist Award for February in recognition of his efforts in the community and his ongoing philanthropic and charitable work (NBA)….Bruins C TYLER SEGUIN was seen sitting next to EchoStor Technologies CEO JOHN DOOLEY at the Jazz-Celtics game on Wednesday (BOSTON HERALD, 3/30)....Model KATE UPTON, actors JEREMY PIVEN, AZIZ ANSARI and VINCENT PIAZZA, and NFL Giants DE JUSTIN TUCK attended the Magic-Knicks game on Wednesday night at MSG (N.Y. POST, 3/30).
IN MEMORY: Athletes, clergy, journalists and family gathered Thursday in Chicago to memorialize Chicago Sun-Times sportswriter LACY BANKS (SUNTIMES.com, 3/30)....Longtime Raiders trainer GEORGE ANDERSON died at the age of 82 Thursday morning (AP, 3/29).
