Former Flyers VP Lou Scheinfeld said that the team "painted itself into a corner" once it covered a statue of late singer Kate Smith with a black tarp in response to racist lyrics she sung in the 1930s. Scheinfeld said, "They had no choice. It was obvious they couldn't leave it covered up and they couldn't uncover it." Scheinfeld added that covering the statue "was a mistake," and one that "put the Flyers in a tough spot." He said, "When you make a knee-jerk reaction, you can't take it back." Scheinfeld said that if late Flyers Founder Ed Snider were still alive, the statue would not have been "covered or removed" (PHILLY.com, 4/22).
THE SEARCH CONTINUES: In the aftermath of former Canucks President Trevor Linden's departure, the team is "still looking" for a president of hockey operations. The "scope of that search is unclear, as is the priority it's been assigned by ownership." The Canucks' front office is "understaffed" compared to "virtually every other NHL franchise." However, team Chair Francesco Aquilini has said that ownership will "supply the necessary resources to return the team to relevancy" (Vancouver PROVINCE, 4/21).
PHONE A FRIEND? TSN's Darren Dreger said that Red Wings Senior VP Ken Holland has "taken himself out of contention" for the open GM positions with the Oilers, as well as with the expansion team coming to Seattle. However, sources said that he is "still in the picture." Oilers CEO & Vice Chair Bob Nicholson will be "heading up the job search," and has a "long history with Holland from Hockey Canada, where Holland was on the managers committee on Olympics teams." Nicholson "may have already had a meeting with Holland to sound him out about the Oilers position" (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 4/22).
