March 15, 1996

Getting the arena in shape

TRISH WORRON Journal Staff Writer

Dan Craig is obsessed with ice.

If you let him, he'll go on and on about its texture, its how it bonds, the time needed for it to mature. But his perfectionism has paid off. His rink at the Coliseum is known as the best in the National Hockey League.

Now he has a new challenge - getting the arena in shape for the World Figure Skating Championships, which officially begin Sunday with the qualifying rounds.

Craig, the arena's operations manager, says there's a huge difference between the surfaces preferred by skaters like Doug Weight and Elvis Stojko.

"Hockey players like a hard ice because they can work up the speed they want," says Craig. "But that ice would be dangerous in figure skating. They need a softer ice because it gives them stability so they can hold their edges better," particularly when landing jumps.

And as any Canadian kid who has skated on a spring day knows, ice gets softer when it gets warmer. Through trial and error over the years and by working with former world champs Donald Jackson and Kurt Browning, Craig has figured out that skating surfaces should be precisely six degrees Celsius warmer than those used in hockey.

(The best temperature for hockey ice is -9 to -10 degrees. For skating it's -3 to -4.)

Adjusting temperatures will be a breeze compared to the havoc skaters picks will cause to Craig's rink.

"They're landing on picks, that's their stability. But that means they can leave divots an inch deep, even more." Since the Coliseum ice is normally only an inch thick, the rink had to be reflooded and doubled in thickness.

As for the holes in the ice, Craig knows exactly where the trouble spots will be. "You've got to remember they'll be performing for the judges, nobody else.

So if they jump, that's where they'll do it. They'll land there," he says, pointing to the judges' stand at midrink.

His eight-member crew is ready to make emergency patches if a hole is particularly bad. Otherwise, the Zambonis will be out every hour around the clock, maintaining the surface.

Until competition officially starts, Craig's biggest worry is keeping the ice white - it was specially painted with a powder that covered all the hockey lines and goal cages. And at this particular moment, he's not very happy.

"Who's been walking on the ice with dirty shoes?" he bellows, after spying a trail of mucky footprints leading across the rink.

"You see with figure skating, you want the ice as bright as possible so things show up well on the TV cameras. I don't want any marks on it. That shows a lack of professionalism."

The Coliseum has been turned upside down for the world event. All the ads around the rink had to be taken down to make way for the figure-skating sponsors. Even the sponsor's name on the giant time-clock had to covered over.

Nearly 1,000 seats were ripped out to make way for the judges' seats and TV anchor booths.

Craig doesn't expect to get much sleep over the coming week. "I'm running on adrelaine. But you know what, I'm having the greatest time. This is such a great show for Alberta. I'm going to be sad when it all ends."

And busy. Minutes after the gala ends, his crew will be back at work. There's a sold-out old-timers hockey game 48 hours later and that means goal lines have to be repainted, the ice reflooded, all the seats put back and booths ripped out.

February 4, 1997

Oilers shares could hit the market,
but there are a lot of hurdles

GOING PUBLIC

Private companies going public must issue a preliminary prospectus, a document which must reveal, among other things:

* the price to the public.

* how much money ends up with the seller.

* what the money is going to be used for.

* how long the investment will be available.

* where the market for the securities will be, i.e. will it sell on a stock exchange.

* what is the outstanding short and long-term debt of the company.

* who the insiders are, which means identifying anybody with more than 10 per cent of the stock, as well as officers and directors.

Source: Alberta
Securities Commission

MEANWHILE, IN
OTHER OILERS NEWS

EDMONTON - The Edmonton Oilers fan who dumped his drink on Calgary Flames assistant coach Guy Lapointe drew a 30-day penalty Monday in provincial court.

Crown prosecutor Clif Purvis said Raymond Howarth, 27, made the city look bad when he reached over the glass Nov. 23 and poured a rum and Coke on Lapointe's head.

"This incident was televised. It has given the city of Edmonton a black eye," he said.

"Unfortunately, others will or may judge Edmontonians as a result of his activities."

The Whitecourt lumber equipment operator, who will serve his jail sentence in the local RCMP cells over 15 weekends starting Saturday, was also fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to mischief.

Purvis said he has a record for similar crimes, with convictions for two previous counts of mischief as well as impaired driving and assault.

"Mr. Howarth is not a stranger to this type of activity involving alcohol and stupidity."

He and six friends spent the game drinking and yelling out comments from their seats behind the Flames bench.

The group was being ejected by Coliseum staff four minutes before the end of the game when Howarth soaked Lapointe.

Lapointe took a swing at Howarth. Flames forward Sasha Lakovic climbed the partition to try to get into the fray.

They were suspended by the NHL.

The league also fined the Oilers $20,000 for failing to have enough security "to prevent, frankly, idiots like Mr. Howarth from conducting themselves in this fashion," Purvis said.

- Gordon Kent,
Journal Staff Writer

February 6, 1997

Peter Puck is selling part of his empire -
Will there be any takers?

FOR SALE...

What's for sale: up to 45 per cent of a new public company that owns 100 per cent of Edmonton Oilers, Edmonton Trappers, Edmonton Drillers, Hamilton Bulldogs, and Coliseum Management Inc.

Who gets what: Institutional and sophisticated individual investors buying at least $97,000 worth get 75 to 80 per cent of shares. Seasons' ticket holders, Edmonton residents, and then other smaller individual investors get the rest.

Time line: Asset valuations to be released in two weeks. Public disclosures through prospectus to be released in 60 to 90 days. Deal complete by the fall.

How much will be raised: $40 to $50 million, all to pay off Oilers debt to Alberta Treasury Branches.

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

What exactly is Peter Pocklington willing to sell? What he's selling is shares in a number of his companies: the Edmonton Oilers, Coliseum Management Inc., the Edmonton Trappers, the Edmonton Drillers and the Hamilton Bulldogs. Pocklington says he plans to retain "55-57 percent" of the whole package. The rest is for sale providing there is enough interest from investors to sell that much stock.

Can he raise $50 million? And where will it go? Pocklington may have to look far and wide to find $50 million worth of investors. This isn't the New York Rangers, and the Alberta Exchange isn't exactly Nasdaq. Whatever he raises, however, will go to repay Pocklington's debt to the Alberta Treasury Branch.

So this won't mean more money to spend on players? Nope. It's still the same small-market-on-the-Canadian-prairie club, which means free agents Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic are safe in Colorado. If the profits increase, then the payroll may also. But this income isn't going to the team, it's going to the bank.

Is there a minimum purchase here? Nothing has been announced yet, but the Florida Panthers insisted on a minimum $1,000 investment when they went on the market. That stock opened at $10 a share however. The Oilers stocks may cost less to start.

Does this mean if you buy some shares you'll have a say in how the Oilers are run? Put it this way, you won't be able to get Dennis Bonvie called up from Hamilton. Or a parking stall in Lot A, next to Puck's Mercedes. As long as Pocklington is the majority owner, any suggestions from minority owners will be exactly that - suggestions.

What does Peter Pocklington actually pay Glen Sather? Now there's some meat and potatoes! That's one long sought after figure that should be disclosed in the prospectus. The highest paid GM in hockey? Hard to say. But Pat Quinn makes better than $1 million in Vancouver, and frankly, would Slats have stayed around here for this long if he weren't paid with the best?

Mark Spector,
Journal Hockey Writer

THE FUTURE

NHL commissioner Bettman wasn't talking Wednesday after Oilers' owner Peter Pocklington said his hockey club was going on the stock market.

Bettman will wait to see more of the details first, but he is not going to stand in the way of any restructuring by the Oiler owner.

"The league will work with the Oilers on anything that assures a continual successful operation in Edmonton," said NHL VP of public relations Arthur Pincus.

Bettman has known of the Oiler stock plans for some time. His history on matters like to is that he keeps a low profile until team ownership details are hammered out.

Ultimate approval of the stock plan will depend on a vote by the other 25 teams. The next scheduled NHL board meeting isn't until June, but members might voter earlier than that on a conference call.

The league opened the door for stock options when they let Florida Panthers' owner Wayne Huizenga put his hockey club on the market. It started at $10 a share, now it's over $30.

"In just three months, it's tripled. I'm not going to promise our stock will triple like the Panthers did. People also bought into some hotels and resorts and some pizzaz that goes with the hockey team," said Pocklington, who wouldn't say how much his shares would cost.

Huizenga's lost a bundle in the NHL's smallest building (14,703 Miami Arena) with virtually no revenue coming in except ticket sales. He needed a cash infusion to keep his hockey team going until he gets his new rink in Sunrise, about 40 minutes away from the downtown arena. "I think he's lost about $50 million in his three years there and might lose another $15 million this year," said Pocklingon.

- Jim Matheson,
Journal Hockey Writer

February 6, 1997

Option C best route for Puck

CAM COLE
Journal Sports Columnist

Here's why I think it happened ...

Option A -- taking in a handful of limited partners -- was unworkable. As a rueful ex-associate of New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner once said: "There's nothing quite so limited as being a limited partner of George's."

Option B -- selling up to 45 per cent of the Edmonton Oilers to a single absentee investor -- was dangerous, because anyone that close to majority control would only have to sit back and wait for the inevitable next financial jackpot the team got into, and pounce. The Oilers would be in Albuquerque, Walla Walla or Newport News by this time next year.

So Peter Pocklington took the least distasteful of the three paths open to him, Option C -- he put all his sports and entertainment holdings into one as-yet-unnamed basket, fastened it to the end of a hook and lowered it into the public pond.

He confidently awaits bites and says he already has more than $20 million worth in something called "special warrants." With all my heart, I hope he does.

Meanwhile, we anxiously await the curveball. We don't know when it's coming, we're not even sure that it is. But we all have the same scouting report. Peter Puck has shown remarkable versatility in his career as a pitcher of business deals -- the high hard one, the screwball, the spitter -- but his bread-and-butter pitch has always been the low curve, just out of the strike zone.

That probably explains why there was a healthy skepticism in the All-Star Lounge at the Coliseum when Puck announced his plan Wednesday to sell public shares in his sports and entertainment properties -- divesting up to 45 per cent in order to reduce his debt load at the Alberta Treasury Branch by, if I'm doing the arithmetic correctly, $40-50 million.

"What I'm announcing today will form the basis for a new kind of relationship with this community," Pocklington said. "It will take some getting used to, for all of us, but the potential is tremendous."

He's got the part right about it taking some getting used to.

I'm not capable of determining whether it's a good deal or a bad deal, so don't ask. What we need here is a "forensic accountant."

Short of one of those, you can take at face value the figures you'll see in the prospectus, "90 to 120 days" from now, or you can laugh out loud at them, and either reaction might be well-founded.

Those who claim to have inside information say Pocklington -- whose business life has been dedicated to the principle of showing nobody anything -- never would have agreed to any scheme that would force him to open his books unless the Treasury Branch had a bazooka pointed at his head.

"It's not a coincidence," Pocklington agreed. "I don't like debt any more than they like it. But I don't carry $15 million in my jeans and that's what I had to put into the Coliseum upgrade.

"One of the things this will do is cement this team in one place, in a small market. Maybe if we get into another little drought -- and we're bound to, because these things go in cycles -- this will help us through it."

It will, if people buy into it.

But the image I can't quite conjure up, try as I may, is the one of Mr. and Mrs. Fan looking in their bank account, finding $1,000 there and saying: "Hey, I know: let's help old Peter reduce his debt load while investing in a sure-fire winner."

Pocklington referred to it as an opportunity to "own a piece of the rock," though it was unclear whether he was likening the new company to Gibraltar (solid) or Alcatraz (escape-proof).

I must be getting old, because I'm starting to think Pocklington really does want to keep the Oilers in Edmonton, and this is his best chance. I'm in that room, nodding my head when Puck says he's doing this because interest rates are so low, it's the perfect time to renegotiate the mortgage. I'm listening to him describe the resurgent Oilers, the list of Pavarottis and Domingos he's booking into the Coliseum, the success of the Triple-A Trappers -- and I'm thinking: "He's right.

"They're on a roll."

He's invoking the name of Conn Smythe, who built Maple Leaf Gardens in the middle of the great depression by paying laborers with stock in the business, and I'm thinking: "Good one, Peter."

"Last year, during the (Save The Oilers) campaign, many people told me that if I wanted the community's support, maybe I should offer the community a chance to own some of the business," Pocklington said. "I've thought about that long and hard. Today, I want to announce that it's going to happen."

He shrugged off the prospect of having to open his sporting enterprises' books with: "It's already pretty much of an open book. Everyone knows what every player makes."

But not everyone knows what owners make. Not even close. By some accounting methods, Pocklington was still making money on the Oilers even in his worst year. By some accounting methods, the Florida Panthers lost $52 million their first three years of operation with a two-bit payroll and spectacular results.

Somewhere in between, no doubt, is an accurate figure.

To those who claim to smell a rat, Pocklington said: "Then don't buy in. There's risk in anything. The only assurance I can give is that we're profitable and this company will start with a strong balance sheet."

Pocklington will hold the majority of the shares in the company. Pocklington will make the decisions at the NHL level.

"But let me say clearly that this will not be Peter Pocklington's company. In every sense, it will be the shareholders' company and I will be fully answerable to the shareholders," he said.

All I know about being answerable to shareholders is what I see at the Edmonton Eskimos' annual meeting when the football team releases a profit-and-loss sheet with expense items like "Other costs." You could hide an elephant there, if you were so inclined.

I don't know which way Puck is inclined. I rarely have. I'd love to see this thing work, if only because it stands to reason that if enough citizens own a piece of the Oilers, the club will be around a good, long time.

But cut this out and stick it on your fridge for future reference, just in case the stock deal doesn't go. The owner said Friday the Oilers should make a $4-5 million profit this season.

"Unfortunately, it took some debt to get us where we are," said Pocklington.

That's why he has to put it up for sale. The debt, that is. He's keeping the hockey team.

April 15, 1997

NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!

By TERRY JONES
Edmonton Sun

DALLAS - So you think you're a friend of Ken Hitchcock from all those days in Sherwood Park and Edmonton and at the sporting goods store and ...

Forget it.

He doesn't know you. Never met you. Doesn't want to hear from you. Even if you've got tickets, don't even think about it.

"I'm changing my name for the next two weeks," says the coach of the Dallas Stars.

"It's us versus them. Cities and friends are out.

"I'm not going to return phone calls, messages at hotels.

"I'm going to do everything I can to hate Edmonton and the Oilers and that's going to be tough but that's the way I'm gonna be."

Hitchcock may be secretly delighted that his first experience as a coach in the Stanley Cup playoffs is against the Oilers, what with the way they've played against Dallas and with the way they've played lately. But that's the team.

You get the idea it's the Edmonton part that bothers him.

Two weeks ago he was at the Coliseum to register another Dallas Stars win over the Oilers to complete the regular season. And he said it didn't even cross his mind that this would happen. Neither, he says, did it occur to GM Bob Gainey, who was scouting playoff opponents.

SWEATERS AND STICKS

"Our focus was on Chicago and St. Louis and Phoenix and Anaheim. We didn't even think of Edmonton.

"Bob went and scouted up there but he wasn't even looking at Edmonton. He was looking at the teams Edmonton was playing."

Two weeks ago Hitchcock came to town with six Dallas sweaters and four autographed sticks to give to friends for charity auctions. And he's left as many as 60 tickets for friends from hockey, golf and the sporting goods business. But not this time.

Edmonton is where he grew up. Sherwood Park is where he coached his midget AAA team to an incredible record of 575-69. United Cycle is where he used to sharpen Mark Messier's skates, when Mess was a kid and later as an Oiler. Edmonton is where Hitchcock grew to be 466 pounds.

He's described our city in the past year to his new friends in Dallas as a hockey heaven and tells them of how visiting players "race for the newspapers - it's like the centre of the hockey universe."

But this week he's painting the place as a hell, and to hell with you.

Well, the guy is a big softie. About half as big as he used to be - but still a softie. If you were one of those Northlands Coliseum security guys who used to sneak him in to watch the Oilers play in the Stanley Cup playoffs in the past, maybe he can find a way to sneak you in for old times' sake. Or maybe not.

"I was let into more than a few games by security people," he admits now.

As a coach he couldn't resist watching that Edmonton team win five Stanley Cups.

"As a coach I just loved their passion. Their cockiness. Their abrasion.

"That team played the game for the right reasons. And when the playoffs came around, they had another gear and they knew how to shift to it and step it up, really step it up.

"It was a whole other gear that nobody else played at.

"Today everybody talks about the talent of that team. But as a coach watching them, I admired their passion most."

All that stuff flooded home in the last 48 hours for Hitchcock. And he hates it. Or so he says.

"At the start I was a fan and at the end I was a friend of most of those guys. I remember when they went to a seventh game in the Stanley Cup final against Philadelphia, I drove eight and a half hours all the way from Kamloops, B.C., to be at that game.

"I remember shifts from that game in slow motion. I remember where I sat. Fifth row behind the net - where Grant Fuhr played - in the first and third periods."

We sat in his office at the Coppel, Texas training centre of the team, a half-mile down the street from the Dallas Cowboys training camp.

He looked out the window.

"This place remind you of anywhere?" he asked of the community I'd driven through in a rent-a-car to find the place.

WALK IN THE PARK ...

"Sherwood Park," I said of where I've resided for the past 23 years.

"Exactly," he said. "I tell people that all the time. I live here with 35,000 other people. It's the same size as Sherwood Park, the same kind of people ... I tell people from Edmonton that all the time when they ask me, `What's it like living in Texas?' I tell them it's like living in Sherwood Park."

But for the next two weeks he's here to tell you that Sherwood Park is a horsebleep town and that Edmonton sucks and that he hates the Oilers and that he wouldn't buy a tricycle from United Cycle and that the Riverside golf course is a pasture and ...

Yeah, and back at you, good buddy.

For the next two weeks it's probably mutual.

April 25, 1997

ONCE AN OILER, ALWAYS AN OILER

By TERRY JONES

Staff Writer

DALLAS - There's a sign on the door in the Edmonton Eskimos dressing room: "Once An Eskimo, Always An Eskimo."

Maybe the Edmonton Oilers ought to get the same sign made for their room.

It's been totally obvious, with the Oilers back in the Stanley Cup playoffs this year, that once an Oiler, always an Oiler.

That was telegraphed by Mark Messier's call to the Oilers dressing room Sunday night after the greatest/latest comeback in Stanley Cup playoff history and Kelly Buchberger's overtime goal to win it.

And it was just as obvious yesterday at the Oilers practice, where there was something of a celebration of Wayne Gretzky's ninth playoff hat trick from the night before in New York.

Messier said the Rangers had just returned from their afternoon game in Florida Sunday, and the first thing both he and Gretzky did was dial in the Oilers game.

"When they won it, I had to get on the phone and see what was going on in their dressing room," said Mess, who makes the point that he was born and raised in Edmonton. But he says it's mostly about people.

"I've been following them even closer this year because Kevin Lowe is there," he says. "And, of course, Slats is so good. I mean, he's done it again. Nobody is better than him.

"They've got a lot of good young players there. I really like that (Mike) Grier. I like him a lot."

Messier says nobody had told him about the Stanley Cup banners they unveiled for the 99th and 100th playoff games in the Coliseum, one of which features him hoisting the Cup. But he says he's delighted.

"That's great for the people there, too. It really looked like that building was shaking."

Lowe enjoyed Messier's call to the locker room, and being an ex-teammate of Gretzky, Messier, Esa Tikkanen, etc. in both New York and Edmonton, you know what series he's following.

"You could tell on the phone how excited Mark was by that comeback and our win in that game," said Lowe.

"A big part of it was probably being an ex-Oiler. But another part of it was his love for the game, too. Everybody was excited by what happened in that game.

"It's the same with all the guys, though," says Lowe. "You talk to any of those guys and they all remember the Edmonton years, besides their accomplishments and the Stanley Cups we won, as the best years. The Edmonton years were the years we all enjoyed the game for the pure fun of it. I think that all kind of kicks in again watching this young team."

Sather was almost giddy after Gretzky proved yet again that he's not ready for retirement just yet.

"Mario Lemieux is the big deal and Wayne sees the opportunity to steal his stage," laughed the Oilers boss. "How often has that happened! He's the best."

Sather says the way Messier reacted after the Oilers' big win was typical.

"He was as excited for us as the guys who were playing.

"Those guys are all great guys. And those guys haven't forgotten one thing that happened in Edmonton.

"When I was coaching them at Team Canada's training camp in Whistler, they'd sit around and remember things I said verbatim. Things I just can't remember for the life of me."

You can take the boys out of Edmonton, but you can't take Edmonton out of the boys.

May 8, 1997

Passion packs punch in the Coliseum seats

JOHN SHORT

Sports Commentary

EDMONTON - Painted faces.

Parties on the bridge outside Peterpuck Palace. Billboards all over town carrying messages such as : "Oilers Are The Greatest!"

Spontaneous cheers from the seats.

What is staid Edmonton coming to?

Before he settled in Wednesday night as ringmaster of the festival that greets paying customers, Edmonton Oilers marketing director Stew McDonald uttered an educated impression of the reason why this community, in these playoffs, seems more involved than at any time in our NHL history.

He also came up with the perfect word -- "passionate" -- to describe the love-in that greeted NHL commissioner G.B. Bettman as he swept in through the northside doors for what may have been the second-last game of a totally-unexpected run toward the future.

"We saw it building, the passion, in the middle of the season.

There were fans in the seats with painted faces and tattoos for what might have been considered a routine midweek game against, say, the New Jersey Devils in February.

"Around our office, we had a growing sense that Edmonton was showing its real personality and we thought it would be good to get in on it, keep it going, if we could.

"Before the start of the first round of playoffs, there were a couple of big staff meetings, with everybody involved from marketing and sales, public relations and ticketing departments," McDonald continued.

"It seemed like a good idea to follow exactly what the fans were doing.

"I've been in Edmonton for 10 years and this level of passion is the best I've ever seen."

He's probably right.

For what it's worth, I include the wild and joyous times in 1984 and 1985 when the Oilers were winning their first two Stanley Cups.

They were great adventures, but there is considerable evidence that the bulk of our citizens had no idea how hard it was to win the hockey championship of North America, or how hard it would be to even dream of winning it again after the owner's economic deformity made it expedient to disband that original Gretky-Messier-Fuhr-Kurri generation.

Now we know, and we're having fun again although it was no great pleasure to watch referee Don Koharski insist, as he so often does, that the game was scheduled for his personal glorification and the obnoxiously-priced tickets are sold exclusively to friends and family who want to see him strut.

The biggest problem with Koho's philosophy: other participants, including nominal superstars such as Doug Weight, Sandis Ozolinsh, Patrick Roy, Peter Forsberg, Ryan Smyth and Curtis Joseph have to settle for roles in a high-priced chorus.

This time, at least, he's strutting in the playoffs.

It's a sight the Edmonton public has not seen since 1992.

The odds may be against the Oilers upsetting Colorado and remaining alive much longer on the road to the Stanley Cup.

Seems to me the public will be able to live with any disappointment that emerges because they have been treated with respect by the Oilers' staff and admiration by the players.

Shortly after Edmonton was admitted to the league, former defenceman Al Hamilton described Edmonton's collection of silent, forbidding observers as "the jury."

A few years later, as the Oilers were eliminating the Detroit Red Wings en route to the another title, Craig MacTavish listened to a few younger players expressing discontent that fans at Joe Louis Arena in the decrepit downtown area of Murder City were much more supportive than the folks at home in the Great White North.

"One thing about our fans," MacTavish said, "they show up to watch us play."

In the last year or so, he could not have made the same claim. Crowds fell off, partly because the team was weak but mostly because there was no backlog of community goodwill large enough to overcome the poor play and irresponsible ownership.

Fortunately, those days are gone. The Oilers are back in the hearts of Edmonton's sport-loving public. The painted faces and tattooed limbs make the point.

- Edmonton Journal

May 9, 1997

LOUD AND PROUD!

FAN NOISE FUELS THE FRANCHISE

By TERRY JONES

Edmonton Sun

It's not often the fan in the stand is the story in sport. But you are. All 17,099 of you. You're almost as good a story as the squad.

While Edmonton is going crazy for the story these kids are writing this Stanley Cup season, you were the talk of the dressing room going into Game 4 tonight.

Has there ever been a crowd so loud?

Harry Neale of Hockey Night In Canada has watched a lot of hockey games in a lot of buildings. And that's him asking that question, not me, not the mayor, not the chamber of commerce.

"I've always said there's never been a crowd as loud as Chicago Stadium. I've always said it was worth the price of admission to go to Chicago Stadium to watch the warmup, listen to the national anthem and leave," said Neale.

"When they played the last game in Chicago Stadium I took my then 10-year-old boy because I figured a young hockey fan, just once, had to go see that.

"But I don't know if I've heard a crowd any louder anywhere than that crowd in the Coliseum for Game 3."

IT'S NEVER BEEN BETTER

Has there ever been an Edmonton crowd so loud?

"Nope," said coach Ron Low. "Never.

"I was here for the last three Cups. I never heard it like that. And they could have quit on us two or three times and they didn't. They were great. They were fantastic."

Neale said he thought it might happen when Colorado scored early.

Low said he stood behind the bench thinking Chicago Stadium during the national anthem.

"It's like people always said. The little hairs on the back of your neck stand up."

So what has happened here? Before the playoffs started, we told the players that it was night and day, the difference between the crowds here in the regular season which are like 17,099 press box seats. But this is off the dial.

"It might be that they appreciate hard work," says Low. "And a lot of people who were here the whole season watched these guys grow up.

"There were nights when they booed them," he said of the tough love from the cheap seats.

"On a lot of those nights they should have been booed," he said. "Some nights they were too hard on them. But maybe that's not bad either."

There's a study to be done on town and team in which Edmonton and the Oilers may be Exhibit A. I swear that the economy is affected by the success or failures of this franchise.

We've written a lot during these playoffs of the steps the Oilers have taken during the post-season and what they might mean for next year and the year after that. But we really haven't examined what has happened in the stands.

"I've talked to a lot of people who bought tickets to keep the team in town," says Low. "And you talk to those people now and they wouldn't give them up for all the tea in China. And that's fantastic."

This is a team which a season ago drew a crowd of 8,429 for a Dec. 18 game against the Ottawa Senators.

This is a franchise which had lost almost all of its corporate support because of the relationship between business leaders and owner Peter Pocklington.

This is a franchise which needed Cal Nichols and his Friends Of The Oilers to reclaim the team for the town, to sell the 13,000 season tickets, the board signs and the suites to satisfy the NHL demands for the small-market Canadian subsidy.

"It makes you feel good," says Nichols, "so very, very good."

Can you imagine this town without this team today?

This is a formerly arrogant organization - much like today's Colorado Avalanche outfit, actually - which had lost an entire generation of fans.

This is a franchise which used to haughtily boast that this was a hockey town and sneer at suggestions that they had to get with it and give the fans "game presentation." Now they're pressing to lead the league in game presentation.

Nobody has called the place The Library lately. And when was the last time you heard the phrase Edmonton Mausoleum?

"I don't know how to compare it," says GM Glen Sather of the scene.

"All I know is right now there is no building better. Everything about the place is electric now.

"And the city ... you can just feel how the whole city was ready for this to happen."

LOWE GETS THE LAST WORD

The last word on the subject we reserve for injured defenceman Kevin Lowe, the old warhorse who played in the first Oilers regular-season game and has been a member of the team for every playoff game the team has ever played.

"What made me happiest was to see Gary Bettman walk away with a taste of Western Canada hockey," said Lowe. "That has to plant a seed in his head.

"And it's a nice time to be doing a public share offering," he winked.

Pocklington a small fish among hockey owners

MARK SPECTOR

Journal Hockey Writer

EDMONTON - So you wonder why Peter Pocklington can no longer afford to operate as the sole owner of an NHL club. He's got lots of money, right?

Exclusive of the bank loans, Pocklington is still a small minnow in a large tank of fat cats when it comes to the other 25 NHL owners.

You've got communications magnates like John McCaw in Vancouver or ITT, which owns the New York Rangers.

You've got Disney in Anaheim, and the man they call Dollar Bill Wirtz in Chicago.

Wirtz rakes up to $1 million per game out of the airplane hangar that is United Center.

"It's pretty scary. There's just no bottom to their pockets," said Cal Nichols, the Gasland owner who helped Pocklington as one of the major players in the Friends of the Oilers.

"That's what you're competing against, and I think in the end, that's what beat Peter.

"Here he is, a single private owner, and nowhere to go to get other resources to play the game any longer."

Florida owner Wayne Huizenga is a one-man ownership team but his resources are endless.

Huizenga makes anyone's list of the top 25 richest men in America, as does George Gund in San Jose.

No, this is no beer league despite Anheuser Busch's owning the St. Louis Blues and Molson's running the Montreal Canadiens.

The type of ownership consortium folks are talking about for the Oilers is exactly what they have in Calgary.

Even that group, including Tim Horton's owner Ron Joyce and big-time investment banker Murray Edwards, may soon be too small to stay in the NHL.

"That's no windfall -- how long are they going to be able to hang in there?" Nichols asked.

"I know there are some pretty well-off guys in there but they didn't get that way by being silly with their money. There may be a point in time where they throw their hands up as well."

As the search for local ownership of the Edmonton Oilers kicks off, here's a look at the type of cash it takes to sit down at the NHL's table.

Anaheim Mighty Ducks -- Owner, Disney Sports Enterprises, Inc., chairman and CEO Michael Eisner. Disney, whose riches speak for themselves, also owns the Anaheim Angels baseball team.

Boston Bruins -- Owner, Jeremy M. Jacobs, chairman and CEO of Delaware North Companies, Inc., a giant in food service, retail, sports facility ownership and management, airport services, etc. He owns Sports Services, which handles the concessions at the Edmonton Coliseum. His companies manage all visitor services at Yosemite National Park, Kennedy Space Center, seven major league baseball parks, countless airports and international sporting events like the Olympics.

Buffalo Sabres -- The Knox family still is the majority owner in Buffalo. Its money goes all the way back to the F.W. Woolworth chain of department stores. Minority owner John Rigas, a communications magnate, has come on board as well.

Calgary Flames -- Owned by a nine-man consortium, with five businessmen owning 15.12 per cent each, and four others owning 6.1 per cent apiece. Anchored by investment banker Murray Edwards, who could be worth as much as $250 million, the group includes Tim Horton's owner Ron Joyce, mechanical engineers and brothers Daryl and Byron Seaman.

Chicago Blackhawks -- Owner, Bill Wirtz. Big family money here. Wirtz's father Arthur bought the Blackhawks in 1954, having already purchased Chicago Stadium in 1936. Wirtz and Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf built the new United Center, a $100-million-plus investment, without help from the taxpayers.

Colorado Avalanche -- Owner, Ascent Entertainment Group. It's a publicly owned (NASDAQ) entertainment and media company that holds interests in on demand multi-media entertainment, professional sports franchises, major motion pictures and television production. Ascent also owns the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association.

Dallas Stars -- Owner, Thomas Hicks. He is the CEO of a Dallas private investment firm which, since its formation in 1989, has consummated more than $6 billion in leveraged acquisitions.

Detroit Red Wings -- Owner, Mike Ilitch. The largest of the Ilitch family holdings is Little Caesar's Pizza, a North America wide chain.

Florida Panthers -- Owner, Wayne M. Huizenga. He owns the Blockbuster video store chain, Pro Player Stadium (formerly Joe Robbie), the Miami Dolphins, and a controlling interest in the Florida Marlins.

"He's not a man, he's a corporation," joked Pocklington.

Hartford Whalers -- Owner, Peter Karmanos. Founder of Compuware, one of the leading computer software companies in the world.

Los Angeles Kings -- Owners, Philip F. Anschutz and Edward P. Roski, Jr. Anschutz, owner of The Anschutz Corp. of Denver, made the majority of his money in the railroad business. Roski is a real estate man, owning and presiding over one of the largest privately held real estate companies in the United States.

Montreal Canadiens -- Owned by Molson Breweries. Plenty of cash on tap here, with the Molson Centre and Molstar Communications all falling under the umbrella of this major Canadian brewery.

New Jersey Devils -- Owners, John J. McMullen and John C. Whitehead. McMullen moved the Colorado Rockies to New Jersey in 1982. Owned baseball's Houston Astros and operated the Astrodome until selling in 1992. Also a former limited partner in the New York Yankees. Made his money building ships and operating a shipping line. Whitehead was a U.S. Deputy Secretary of State during the Reagan Administration. He was once a senior partner in Goldman, Sachs and Co., a big-time investment banking and brokerage firm.

New York Islanders -- Owner, John Spano. This 32-year-old Texas millionaire just tied up his acquisition of the Isles in January. He dropped $165 million -- that's $75 for the team itself and $90 million for the cable rights.

New York Rangers -- Owners, ITT Corp., Cablevision Systems Corp., Sheraton Corp. Two major league telecommunications outfits and a not-so-small hotel and resort chain. How else can you afford a $38-million payroll?

Ottawa Senators -- Owner, Rod Bryden. A real estate man, Bryden was also the CEO of a computer systems company.

Philadelphia Flyers -- Owner, Ed Snider. Owns Spectacor, a major arena management company, as well as two cable channels, and operation of the CoreStates Center and the CoreStates Spectrum.

Phoenix Coyotes -- Owners, Richard T. Burke and Steven M. Gluckstern. Burke made millions in the U.S. health care business, while Gluckstern is a major player in the insurance and reinsurance industries.

Pittsburgh Penguins -- Majority owner, Howard Baldwin. An original WHA owner with the New England Whalers. Owns Baldwin Entertainment group, the reason why the Jean-Claude Van Damme film Sudden Death was shot in Pittsburgh. He's dabbled in a lot of sports franchises, and this self-made millionaire has recently brought new investors into the Penguins fold.

St. Louis Blues -- One of the rare group-ownership teams along with Calgary, the team lists 19 companies among its investors, overseen by a seven-person board of directors. The headpin company is Anheuser Busch, which brews Budweiser, and partners range from banking interests to Purina dog food.

San Jose Sharks -- Owners, George and Gordon Gund. Perhaps the richest of NHL owners, the Gunds are a Cleveland family who did well in the banking business and have moved on to films and other investments. George was originally a partner in the California Golden Seals.

Tampa Bay Lightning -- Owner, Takashi Okubo. Deep Japanese pockets here, making the Lightning the only major sports franchise controlled by interests outside of North America.

Toronto Maple Leafs -- Owner, Steve A. Stavro. His business roots are in Knob Hill Farms food stores, a mega-chain which began with an open air fruit stand in Toronto's east end in the '50s. He's big into the horses as well -- big enough to be named North American Breeder of the Year in 1993, a first for a Canadian.

Vancouver Canucks -- Owner, John E. McCaw. McCaw came in as a partner with the Griffiths family which had owned the Canucks forever. Now McCaw's the man, heading up Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Canucks and Vancouver Grizzlies of the NBA. He made his million in cellular phones and communications.

Washington Capitals -- Owner, Abe Polin. Polin also owns the NBA's Washington Bullets.

He took over his father's plumbing and construction business and went with it. Now he's looking at moving his two clubs into the new MCI Center next year to maximize his investment.

Oilers - Local Sugar Daddy - June 28, 1997

Are you worried that it's been almost a month since Peter Pocklington announced the Oilers are up for sale and no local white knight has galloped forward to save the day?

The lack of a public declaration that Businessman X is ready to step forward as a local saviour doesn't particularly surprise Harry Ornest, and it's not because he thinks there's no one to take over the team.

It's because the 73-year-old Edmonton-born former owner of the St. Louis Blues thinks a potential buyer would not likely publicly announce an interest in the team prior to the bidding process taking place.

People who consider themselves potential buyers will want to take a good look at the books before making any decisions, he says.

"I'd go in and ask 'em to show me the last five years worth of cancelled cheques," says Ornest, who bought the failing Blues from Ralston Purina in pre-inflationary 1983 for $12 million US and sold it as a profitable team in 1988 for $19 million.

"And I'd want to see the contract they got with the Coliseum and go over it with a fine-tooth comb."

The first stop for a potential buyer would be Midland Walwyn, the brokerage firm handling the sale. It has put together a prospectus on the team, outlining its assets. But the document is being handled out to potential buyers only on a highly confidential basis.

Midland Walwyn spokesman Peter Kahnert wouldn't reveal whether any interest has been expressed in the team so far, local or otherwise.

"Even if there was, I wouldn't be able to tell you. Confidentiality is very important in a transaction like this."

Kahnert cautioned against expecting something to happen soon. The firm doesn't expect to make any major public announcements until the fall when a deal may be finalized.

"It's not as if there's anything pending. It's still very early in the sale process."

But that's not stopping people from talking about it.

While Pocklington and others maintain the Oilers have little hope of profit in such a small market and with players' salaries likely to leap next year, a growing number of people, including Ornest, believe new owners could make money under the right circumstances.

"There are no small markets," says one local lawyer, "only small owners."

"You can make money with this franchise," Oiler's president and general manager Glen Sather has said. He is generally regarded as the best manager in the league and more than worth his $1-million annual stipend. "We're past the struggle point. We've got maybe the youngest organization in the league. To me there's nothing but upside to this deal. I really do believe that."

"The Edmonton Oilers have an excellent hockey team," agrees an envious J.R. "Bud" McCaig, Trimac chairman and part owner of the Calgary Flames, a team that has been losing money steadily for three years despite Calgary's much touted affluence and corporate headquarters. "The Oilers have gone through their rebuilding process."

Sather would like to see the Oilers bought by syndicate of local businessmen similar to that which owns the Flames, a syndicate that would not buy the team just as a "cash cow."

Harry Ornest and others, however, point out that the new owners need not do so badly from the enterprise. Ornest likes the idea of someone coming in, buying the team outright, then putting 49 per cent of it up for a public share offering.

A consultant who used to work for the provincial government as an investment adviser cites the example of the Florida Panthers, who have raised close to $400 million Cdn by selling 49 per cent of the organization's equity in public shares.

Allowing for a smaller market than Miami, and for the fact that Panthers owner Wayne Huizenga threw about $100 million worth of real estate into the package to kick-start share sales, the consultant thinks Edmonton could "conservatively" raise at least the $70 million US price of the team by selling shares.

"It's a bargain," he says. "People would line up to buy the shares and the new owner would in effect have a team for free. If he had to he could sell it down the road to the Americans for a big appreciation. It's the ultimate leveraged buy-out."

On two occasions, once in 1986 and then earlier this year, Pocklington attempted to raise cash in this manner but on both occasions made no progress.

"It won't go through if you got lawsuits coming out of your ears," says Ornest, who suspects both bids ran into difficulties because of the lingering legal squabbles between Pocklington and the provincial government over money loaned to Gainers.

Pocklington's Vancouver-based financial adviser Richard Groome, however, says the bid failed because the Oilers could never be a going concern in Edmonton.

Ornest and others disagree and suspect that with someone other than Pocklington owning the team (Wayne Gretzky is the impossible dream owner), Edmontonians would rally to buy shares to save their team.

"You'd have it so that the guy who buys a season ticket also buys a piece of the hockey club," says Ornest, getting excited at the idea. "If I was younger I'd come up there and put that package together myself!"

So who might do it?

The lack of obvious names has many fans worried. Ron Joyce, 68, owner of the Tim Horton's Donuts chain, part-owner of the Calgary Flames and reportedly one of the 10 richest people in Canada, added to the concern when he said he could think of no one in the country who might be interested.

Joyce, who made a failed bid several years ago to bring an NHL team to Hamilton, said he briefly considered divesting himself of his Flames shares in order to buy the Oilers, "but I'm not getting myself into that at my age."

There's no shortage of names being volunteered - national corporations like Molson's Breweries, Labatt's, and media owner Conrad Black - but many are simply not in the running.

Molson's already owns the Montreal Canadiens and under National Hockey League rules cannot own another team. Labatt's is now owned by a Belgian brewer that's not interested in sports ownership and is currently trying to divest itself of the Toronto Blue Jays.

And although Black's company, Hollinger Inc., controlling owner of the Southam newspaper chain, is reportedly part of a group investigating a National Football League bid for Toronto, a source close to Black said, "Although he's certainly got the ego for it, Conrad's never shown any interest in owning a sports team. He's got enough risky ventures to worry about anyway."

Locally, the names of Brick furniture owner Bill Comrie, computer software magnate Bruce Saville and Crystal Glass owner Ed Bean continue to be bandied about.

Comrie has yet to personally say he isn't interested, but several people close to him doubt he is, having lately divested himself of the unprofitable B.C. Lions and a San Diego junior hockey team.

Saville says he isn't at all interested. The team, he says, has "priced itself out of the market."

Bean, who at one point said he would "think about it," later declared: "My pockets aren't deep enough. They've got have some big guy come in and take half of it, then maybe they could get some other guys to come in." Asked if he might be one of those guys, Bean said, "I don't want to be the first to commit."

He further suggested Edmonton Northlands might come forward as the "big guy" taking half the team.

But Northlands chairman Alan Skoreyko said the non-profit group hadn't the cash, and he doubts the NHL, which prefers private ownership, would allow Northlands the option.

And Mayor Bill Smith, who once actively pursued bringing the Olympic Games to Edmonton, has stated several times the city certainly would not be interested in dipping into its $495-million investment fund to prevent team from leaving town.

But this week he did hint at a contingency plan with Economic Development Edmonton to secure the team in case a local buyer can't be found. It would involve a public share offering.

Just the thing to keep the issue percolating if no one else answers their phone.

Oilers - The Doomsday Scenario - June 28, 1997

From the moment Peter Pocklington stood in front of the cameras in the stiflingly hot upper room of the Edmonton Coliseum and announced he was putting the Oilers up for sale and going fishing, there have been those who didn't quite believe it could be true.

Pocklington, for instance, has never made any secret of his man-sized ego, and of his various pursuits, ownership of an NHL team seems the one most capable of providing the necessary nourishment.

Through the Oilers, he has acquired senior membership in a club that has grown to include the new captains of corporate America - mega-millionaires like Blockbuster video founder and Florida Panthers' owner Wayne Huizenga or media mogul and newly created Atlanta franchise holder Ted Turner.

Is it really conceivable that at the relatively youthful age of 55, Peter Hugh Pocklington is, as he claims, about to leave the company of kings and fade into obscurity?

Or could this all be another Peter Pocklington play? There are those who think it could be. There are those who think it couldn't be otherwise.

In 1993 and 1994, Pocklington was issuing dire warnings about the team leaving Edmonton.

At that time, he was negotiating for a deal on the Coliseum. He got the deal and Pocklington Financial Corp. was granted full use of and revenue from the building year round in return for putting $16-million towards the renovations and paying $2.8 million a year in rent.

Many felt then that Pocklington got the better of the city and Northlands, that his deal-making skills had once again prevailed.

"I've spent the last seven years making tough decisions to put the team on a sound economic footing," Pocklington said at his early June press conference. "When all else failed, I sometimes played hardball."

Is the current bid to sell the Oilers, together with all the accompanying talk of Americans at the gate, another instance of Pocklington playing hardball?

"Peter's pulled more rabbits out of hats than any individual in Alberta," says Doug Ford, a public relations consultant who worked for Pocklington companies for many years. "I wouldn't bet against him now."

Veteran litigation lawyer Norman Simons, who has sifted through a good many contracts and chased a good many assets in his career, has never dealt with Pocklington but holds him in deep regard.

"I think he's done marvellous things and taken a lot of crap," says Simons. He suspects Pocklington is in the process of executing "a head game of magnificent proportions."

"He's called the bluff of the Treasury Branch," speculates Simons, who has been following the case from afar. "This is 99 per cent psychology." Simon's hypothesis goes as follows:

Pocklington had no intention of selling the Oilers, but the ongoing legal costs incurred by the Alberta government's pursuit of its various law suits against him regarding loans made to the Gainers meat packing plant in the 1980s were starting to take their toll.

As his debts grew, Simons speculates, Pocklington sought concessions from the Alberta Treasury Branch, to whom he now owes what he indicates is a figure of around $80 million Cdn.

But late last year, then provincial Treasurer Jim Dinning appointed a blue-chip board of directors for the Treasury Branch, chaired by Marshal Williams, former chairman of TransAlta Utilities and chairman of the Alberta Financial Review Commission, a 1993 body that helped engineer the provincial government's debt reduction strategies.

The board's much-publicized mandate was to put the ATB on a sounder financial footing, toughening policies created by the previous administration. It appointed Paul Haggis as its $200,000-a-year superintendent and CEO to do this.

Haggis, 44, is known as a by-the-book banker who is best remembered as the man Metropolitan Life Assurance sent into Edmonton to downsize and streamline Metropolitan Trust in 1990.

Simons speculates that Haggis went into the Treasury Branch, looked at the accounts and put pressure on Pocklington to reduce his debt. Pocklington responded to this by announcing the Oilers were up for sale.

Simons views this move as more than a bluff tactic, for it puts Pocklington in the kind of win-win situation in which he revels.

Haggis and his board are now put into the position of making the next move. If they continue to press for prompt payment, Pocklington is forced to go into receivership.

In that case, under the terms of the Coliseum agreement, the ATB can then sell the team to the highest bidder if no local offer comes forward in 60 days.

If the Oilers were sold to, say, Houston, Pocklington's debts would be paid, and, after he paid capital gains tax, he might even be left with a profit of a few million dollars.

And the ATB, and its owner the provincial government, would be left with the political fallout that would come with the loss of one of Alberta's two NHL teams.

Or, Haggis could back down and restructure Pocklington's debt. Pocklington could continue with a reduced debt load as the full owner of the team, or as a part owner with another individual coming in and buying a share.

Simons speculates that full or part ownership of an NHL team on its way to another Stanley Cup is what Pocklington most desires.

Simons also thinks the Treasury Branch would be reluctant to foreclose on the Oilers because, if worse comes to worse and no local buyers are found, it could be cast in the role of the agency who lost the Oilers for Edmonton. "It's a staring game between Pocklington and Haggis," says Simons. "And who do you think's going to blink?

But an investment consultant who worked for many years with the Alberta government and doesn't share Simons' admiration for Pocklington isn't so sure it would have to work out that way.

He agrees with the rest of Simons' hypothesis, but thinks the ATB and its owners in government are anxious to be rid of the troublesome entrepreneur and will not give in. He also doubts the ATB would want to be seen as caving into Pocklington at a time when it's trying to get its own house in order after a $124 million loss in the last fiscal year.

Another lawyer, a bankruptcy and receivership expert, thinks the ATB and Pocklington might be in the process of brokering a new deal whereby part of the team is sold to pay down the debt and some of the debt is forgiven.

This would be the wisest path for all involved, says the lawyer, because it avoids the complications, expense and delays of receivership, problems he doubts either creditor or debtor would want to endure.

Officials with the ATB, of course, won't comment on the matter, citing confidentiality of customer accounts.

Pocklington, between golf games, is asked whether he is angling to keep all or part of the team. On the record, he denies it to the hilt. Off the record? Well, off the record is off the record, and we must abide by that.

Oilers - The Doomsday Scenario - June 28, 1997

Ever since Wayne Gretzky was traded by Edmonton to Los Angeles in 1988 and proceeded to become the Hollywood ambassador for the sport, Americans have taken to the game like Ducks to Disney.

What was once a Canadian sport has become weighted towards the south to the tune of 20 teams to six, with four more American teams coming soon.

Regional cable TV networks, merchandising blitzes, large-scale migration of northerners to the sunbelt and backing by corporate owners with the proverbial deep pockets have taken up where Gretzky left off.

Southern hockey ownership, which started off slowly and hesitatingly, has found its pace. Anaheim, San Jose, Phoenix and Florida all played to close-to-capacity crowds this past season, contributing to record league-wide attendance (17 million fans) for the second year in a row.

The point has now been reached where Atlanta, a city that lost the Flames to Calgary in 1980 because of poor revenue is - seventeen years, a burgeoning population and the sponsorship of Time Warner-owned Turner Broadcasting later - among the latest crop of four American expansion teams.

The Atlanta Thrashers take to the ice in their 19,000-seat arena in 1999, and Turner Sports president Harvey Schiller is predicting they will do in hockey what Turner's Atlanta Braves did in baseball.

"We want a hockey franchise that everybody in America will love," he says. Columbus, Ohio, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Nashville will also be lacing up their skates during the next four years.

Meanwhile two groups snubbed by the NHL for expansion, the Gaylord family (newspapers, Opryland) in Oklahoma City and Chuck Watson and Bob McNair (oil and gas) in Houston, are hungrily eyeing the only existing team currently up for sale, the Edmonton Oilers.

Could it happen? Could the team that did more for Edmonton's sense of itself than all the cultural festivals lumped together become somebody else's Stanley Cup contender in 1998-99?

The agreement struck between the Oilers and Northlands and the city over the management of the Coliseum stipulates that the team not be sold to outside buyers.

But if no local buyers can be found to pay the stipulated price of $70 million US, then the local sale provision becomes moot. Hello, Oklahoma Bombers.

Since Peter Pocklington announced on June 5 that the team was for sale, this doomsday scenario has become alarmingly relevant. And it is a scenario that Pocklington himself - who insists he wants to keep the team here - has done little to discourage.

He says the team lost $7 million in the past season. There are reports out of the Pocklington camp that offers of up to $110 million US had been received from American cities, notably Houston, where two groups of mega-millionaires are wrestling over the chance to bring NHL hockey to that city.

Pocklington also said that Ron Norrick, the hockey-mad mayor of Oklahoma city, had phoned him two years earlier enquiring about buying the team, saying, "I'll fight to the ends of the earth to get it here."

Pat Quinn, coach and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks, has joined in the refrain.

"I would say that the Canadian investor would look at the team and say he wasn't interested," said Quinn, "But it might look like a bargain to a U.S. buyer."

Asked to consider the future of both the Edmonton and Calgary franchises, Quinn said he hoped they would stay, "but I have a bad feeling in my stomach."

Richard Groome, the Vancouver stockbroker who worked with Pocklington in his attempt to put 49 per cent of the Oilers up for a public share offering earlier this year, said it was the gloomy financial prospects entailed in keeping the team local that prevented the offering from proceeding.

"Everybody tried, but it wasn't meant to be," said Groome. "It's very difficult for a team to make money in that town."

And while the NHL's New York-based commissioner Gary Bettman continued to make the appropriate comments about the league being determined to keep the team in Edmonton, there is some skepticism.

Chuck Watson, who with Bob McNair lost the expansion bid for an NHL team in Houston because they don't have a new arena in place, said something that had an ominous tone for those who hope a way can be found to keep the Oilers in Edmonton.

"Mr. Bettman told me Bob and I should continue our efforts to bring the NHL to Houston," said Watson, "and we intend to do that. We have an indication from the NHL that the league ... will be supportive in our attempts to pursue other options."

Edmonton, it seems, is the only other option out there right now.

If it comes to the point where there are no local buyers, then the NHL board of governors can be expected to look kindly on Houston as the team's new home. The Texas oil town has a market area of slightly more than four million, and is the biggest American city without a team.

Harry Ornest, 73, the Edmonton-born former owner of the St. Louis Blues, says he has no doubt that the 24 American owners of the 30 NHL teams would prefer the Oilers play in Houston than Edmonton.

He points out it would mean fewer distant road trips for southern teams, would create a healthy Dallas-Houston rivalry, would stimulate even more interest in hockey in the lucrative sunbelt, would eliminate the $2.5-million that the large market teams collectively pay as a subsidy to small-market Edmonton, and generally put more money in the pockets of the other owners.

"If I was still an NHL owner," says Ornest, who lives in Beverly Hills and is a part owner of Hollywood Park racetrack, "it wouldn't bother me a bit if they left Edmonton. I'd be thinking as an American, not a Canadian."

Rain-soaked fans deserve ovation

JOHN SHORT

Sports Commentary

You know those City of Champions signs? The ones that mark highway entrances to Good Old Ourtown? The ones that caused so much controversy when they were put in place several years ago?

We should make them bigger. A lot bigger. Big enough to have room for about 10,000 names.

I'm thinking of the committed customers -- almost half of the original crowd of 26,010 -- who sat through the downpour Thursday night at Commonwealth Stadium after the British Columbia Lions opened a 31-3 lead over the Edmonton Eskimos in the first 30 minutes.

Those stubborn, soggy citizens saw a stimulating second half of football, which may have been reward enough for them, but it seems to me everyone of them deserves something special for the remarkable display of loyalty to a team and a tradition.

Amazing fans

Frank Morris, who graduated from a remarkable CFL career as a player to become probably the best talent scout of all-time, needed only a few words to sum up the scene. "Look at those people," he said, peering through the rain from the warmth and security of the press box. "If this doesn't prove Edmonton is a great sports town, I don't know what does."

National recognition of this community's commitment to sports first surfaced in the 1980s, when the Eskimos dominated the CFL and the Oilers opened their Stanley Cup run. Playing all their home games before full (or nearly full) houses, both teams did more than collect championships. They also carried large numbers of all-time superstars which led them to serious consideration as the best teams of all-time.

It was much easier to be both a consistent customer and dedicated fan in those glorious days.

Tickets were priced more reasonably, allowing families to attend. Team rosters, here at least, were relatively stable. As a result, the public had several years in which to pick its favourite players and cheer every move.

We now know it was remarkably beneficial that Eskimo fans rarely were required to pore over attendance figures in other centres and concern themselves with television demographics, marketing techniques and, ultimately, the survival of the league.

Eventually, the league's hardships extended to Edmonton, forcing general manager Hugh Campbell to come clean about major financial setbacks. His intelligent approach paid dividends. The situation is far from perfect but the Eskimos, as usual, are the best and most stable franchise in the CFL.

Things changed fast

In the so-called Good Old Days, it was not necessary for Oiler fans -- there was a large overlap between the groups, of course, and still is -- to worry about the rapid salary escalation and rising ticket prices. Those elements dropped the team out of serious playoff contention and for many years kept the owner on the lookout for new ways to drop word that he might move the valuable franchise to a larger, wealthier community.

Only last year did the hockey turnaround really take shape. General manager Glen Sather somehow kept a handle on costs while designing a quick, exciting team that won a playoff series after a five-year drought.

As prospective local buyers line up to look at a prospectus designed to complete the sale of the Oilers, Sather proves his confidence (and his competence) by moving steadily forward. Without any notable fuss, he added depth, size and toughness last week when free-agent Bill Huard came over from the Dallas Stars.

It has become common knowledge that Sather and Campbell are good friends who have shared some management techniques. They also share the conviction that Edmonton is the best place in Canada to run a sports franchise. If not, they would have accepted offers to take their expertise elsewhere.

Thankfully, for all of us, they didn't.

- Edmonton Journal

MARCH 13, 1998 Slats on the end of an era

Jim Matheson

Journal Hockey Writer

Q: What about turning over the club to the local ownership group after this was Peter Pocklington's baby going back to the late days of the World Hockey Association?

A: This is sad for me because we've been friends and he's been great to work for for 22 years. I think he's been maligned to say the least in Edmonton. In my mind, that's not right for a guy who kept hockey in Edmonton for a lot of years under trying circumstances. He's asked for nothing less than the new ownership is getting. He just wanted a chance to survive.

Q: What bugs you most?

A: That people don't know all the little things Peter's done, all the donating of money. Keeping it quiet, in a lot of cases. The scholarships to all the University of Alberta hockey players. The $5 million he gave to the Jamie Platz YMCA. He bought a breast imaging machine for the Cross Cancer Clinic when they couldn't afford it. Setting up the Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic. All the Junior Achievement dinners he's put on for kids. They've raised millions. The program's for inner-city kids.

Q: How hard do you think this is on Pocklington, not owning the club after so many years? Harder than he's letting on?

A: For sure. Peter's mentally as tough as anybody I've ever met but it's been a tough, tough time. A lesser person would have collapsed under this.

Q: What do you think Peter will be doing if the sale's official today?

A: If I know Peter he'll look at the positive side. He'll try to find something that's constructive and exciting to do. He won't sit back and be depressed with this. He'll get on with his life. It'll be like a guy going through withdrawal for a while, like getting divorced because he was married to this team for 20-some years. But he's a tremendously positive thinker.

Q: I'm sure it was difficult for Peter not to go to the last couple of home games knowing they were his last as owner?

A: You bet it was. That's why he stayed away. I think he did it on purpose.

Q: Do the people still hold it against him because of the Gretzky sale?

A: If so, they're foolish. If they still do, they didn't understand what was going on in hockey at that time. The way salaries were going. It was a way to keep the team in Edmonton. Even when we had our budget meetings, we'd give him the realistic business point of view of how much we had to raise ticket prices and Peter was always the guy who said, 'No, no, we can't do it that much. We have to lower the price for the upper blues.' Even though he knew when we were doing the budgets, he'd be losing money doing it.

Q: And the local investors if they get the team?

A: We've already recommended we up the prices for next year. There's no way you can get around operating an NHL franchise these days with the U.S. markets we're battling against and the U.S. difference in the dollar... it's a fact of life, we have to raise prices. We raised them 17 per cent last year but that was the first hike in five years.

Q: Assuming the local group succeeds in buying the Oilers, does that help stem the tide? If Edmonton goes, wouldn't Calgary? And Ottawa? Has this saved hockey in Canada, for now anyway?

A: Absolutely. This is the best thing that's happened to hockey in a long time. They've stepped forward and saved small market teams in Canada. Now if Ottawa can come up with some tax breaks, and I'm not holding my breath....

Q: You're also never stemming the difference in the U.S. and Canadian dollar. It's a killer, right?

A: Absolutely. We have to increase our revenues somehow. We plan on operating our own television package next year. We'll produce, direct and sell the ads. Now we have to sell advertising to the large corporations. All those banks that don't advertise, Bank of Montreal, CIBC, Treasury Branch. Canadian Western Bank. These guys will have to spend media dollars on our TV to create more revenue. We have to sell the name of the building and operate it.

Q: Do you think Peter will stick around Edmonton next winter or move full-time to Palm Springs?

A: He'll stay around here.

Q: Pocklington got a kick out of hanging around the dressing room. Now what?

A: He loved the players and his association with them. He had good friendships with them and he respected their space. He also hasn't meddled with the internal operation of the team as far as which players come and which ones go and the decisions on how to operate the team. He's been very professional.

Q: Do you think Peter would still like to be part of the conglomerate in some small way as a minority owner?

A: Yeah.

Q: Do you think they've frozen him out?

A: No, but in the scheme of things I think it's better to have a clean slate. The deal they've structured is such that they want to walk in with a whole new ownership and that's what they've done. Nothing wrong with that. I don't think they're slighting Peter.

Q: Are you tempted to buy in?

A: No. Why? Because I don't have that kind of cash.

Q: Everybody keeps wondering why some people like Gretzky and Messier didn't try to help out financially with the local group for old times' sake? That's against the rules isn't it, even if it sounds wonderful.

A: You can't have part of the ownership of a hockey team and still play in the NHL. The Oilers or any team. There's ethical rules that prevent one guy from owning, say, parts of 15 teams. That's not even players, that's rich guys.

Q: And you've never owned a piece of the Oilers? That's been the rumour for years.

A: No I haven't.

Q: How difficult will it be to work with a group of people, rather than just one guy? Presumably the owners would nominate a liaison with you, but do you have any idea how it would work?

A: No idea at all.

Q: Does the prospect of 12 or 13 or 14 owners concern you at all?

A: Depends on how involved they want to be with my job.

Q: Do you have to set ground rules with them?

A: I'd think that's what will happen. But they also have the right to know what's going on. They've spent a lot of money and put a lot of effort into it and I have to respect their thoughts and what they want.

Q: How much byplay have you had with, say, Cal Nichols, who seems to be the spokesman for the owners

A: I've spoken to Cal two or three times over the last six or seven months. Jim Hole two or three times. The others hardly at all.

Q: Did the owners want an assurance that you'd be there when this deal got done?

A: No, but I assumed that. I'd say it's a safe assumption on everybody's part depending on what the rules are. I have a certain management style and I'm not going to change it."

Q: What if you gave them a tentative budget and they suddenly said that's too much? Do you want it down on paper how much you've got to spend?

A: I can operate on any budget. I don't anticipate any big problems dealing with these guys.

Q: But you've got to be tired of operating on a shoestring?

A: Absolutely.

Q: You'd like some breathing space?

A: Well, we need to charter more. We need to be versatile enough to make changes if the opportunity is there. Lots of times we had chances to make a trade and couldn't. It wouldn't have been a waste of time to talk to Peter but I was given a budget and that's what you operate under. I can't go back and say, 'Look, I need another $7 million or $10 million to do a deal.' I assume these guys will operate the same way."

Q: Are the financial restraints with these guys going to be any worse than they were the last 10 years?

A: No. But as far as I'm concerned it's got to be better. We've been fighting for survival. But we've still developed a great farm system. We've drafted a lot of good kids who've turned the corner and parlayed them into people who can play ... we've got some strong ingredients here.

Q: But the feeling is these owners scraped hard to just get the purchase price. Will they have anything left to run the team the way you want?

A: I'm worried about that. Sure I am.

Q: What if a team makes an outlandish offer for Doug Weight, along the same lines as the one Carolina made to Sergei Fedorov, where there's all that up-front money. Do you match the offer even if the owners are going to blanch?

A: We match. That's the only way you can defend against the other people. You have to be prepared to match, no matter how much the other guy offers your guy.

Q: Are you leery that everybody knows how tough it was to get this group together to keep the team in Edmonton and that other teams will know that the Oilers definitely don't have a pile of money to work with and they can take advantage? Or is that too cynical a thought?

A: No, that's not too cynical. We have to decide pretty quickly how these owners want to go. How do we know that these owners won't just say, 'Look, sign these people on our team. Go after a couple of free-agents. Keep Curtis (Joseph).' I don't know, yet, which way they want to go. If that's what they want ... great."

Q: I guess you have to find out from these owners whether they want to win or just be competitive. There's certainly a difference.

A: I don't think you have to spend $50 million US to put a good team together. It's more than money. There's chemistry and talent. But you have to get a good return on your money. Say you've got a guy who you feel will get 40 or 50 goals ... it's so expensive to sign these guys. If they don't keep producing, you get stuck with them and can't do anything about it.

Q: What about the theory that you stuck with Peter all these years because he was a friend and now you can be a free agent if you want and you can go to the highest bidder. You don't have to stay, do you?

A: I consider myself one of the assets of the organization. I'm not going into this with the idea that I'll leave. I wanted the team sold, the team to stay in Edmonton and the team to be successful.

Q: How many offers have you had to leave over the years?

A: Quite a few.

Q: Every day a new owner was jumping on board, but it's a pretty unwieldy group isn't it? Wouldn't the NHL rather one guy own a team?

A: Of course, but nowadays you've got huge corporations that own these clubs. That's the wave of the future. It'll be large television conglomerates. It's a vehicle for people who own cable companies. It's a time filler, owning a hockey team and putting it on for three hours. It's a lot cheaper than buying 80 movies to show.

Q: Can you ever convince the new owners there'll be revenue sharing some day like in the NFL?

A: Is it going to be 80 degrees in Edmonton in January? I doubt it. It's like saying are the salaries ever going to go down. You look at Pavel Bure. If he gets 50 goals this year his salary next year has to be the average of the top three salaries in the league. It's like a domino game. One tips over and they all go down.

Q: How do you talk to the other owners and not get them to see the big picture?

A: I've tried. They all give me good lip-service at the league meetings, about just giving their kids automatic 10-per-cent raises as per the collective bargaining agreement and yet when group-two free agents become stars, their agents say 'Well that guy on that team makes $5 million, so your guy does too because he's as important.' When we were trying to sign Doug Weight and Jason Arnott a few years ago you guys (media) were leading the troops, 'You gotta sign them, you gotta sign.' The owners give in. That pressure doesn't bother me, but really the owners are driving up their own costs to watch these players play. Somebody has to pay the bills and you just lost one owner because of it.

March 13, 1998

Local investors bid to buy Oilers

Bob Weber

The Canadian Press

Edmonton - A group of local investors took a first step toward keeping their beloved hockey team in town when they submitted a bid to buy the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, just hours before their midnight deadline ran out.

The announcement capped weeks of huddling by lawyers, accountants and a collection of local millionaires ranging from real estate developers to gas station owners.

The group had until Friday to table an offer to buy the team for $70 million US, or about $102 million Cdn. Houston businessman Les Alexander has offered $82.5 million US but plans to move the team to the United States. The local group has more hurdles to clear.

"We have crossed one finish line, only to start another race," John Butler, lawyer for the group, told a packed news conference.

Under National Hockey League rules, any new buyer can borrow no more than half the purchase price. That means the local group had to raise at least $51 million Cdn on its own.

The bid now has to be approved by Alberta Treasury Branches, the government-owned bank that holds the Oilers as security on loans to current owner Peter Pocklington.

Before Treasury Branches accepts the offer, it must be approved by Edmonton Northlands, the civic agency that operates the Edmonton Coliseum, and Economic Development Edmonton, which has spearheaded the local effort. Except for the purchase price, the local bid had to match Alexander's. That means the bidders had to provide a $5-million US non-refundable deposit and have a cash deal that will close by May 5.

NHL spokesman Arthur Pincus has said the league will examine the offer, investigate the bidders and then make a recommendation to its board of governors. It's not known how long that would take, or whether it could be done by May 5.

The biggest question raised by the deal is whether the local group is indeed saving the Oilers or just buying some time.

Owners also have to prove to NHL brass that they have enough working capital to cover rising player salaries and other costs that have killed NHL franchises in Winnipeg and Quebec City.

Another potential stumbling block is a lack of an arena-rental agreement between the locals and Northlands. But both Mayor Bill Smith and Northlands general manager Al Skoreyko predicted the rent issue can be resolved.

---

On the power pray

The nuns who adorned a statue of Jesus with a hockey stick to help save the Oilers are deflecting shots of sacrilege. But despite receiving a barrage of complaints at their cloistered west-end monastery Thursday, the hockey mad Sisters of the Precious Blood are unrepentant about praying for the Oilers' salvation. And they won't take the stick down until the season ends.

Councillors feel left out of the game

Today's deadline for purchasing the Oilers has arrived with city councillors feeling like they've been left out of the parade. Several city councillors say they've been frustrated in the past 30 days by having to react to various proposals for city financial support for the local buyers' bid when no one from the buyers' group has officially asked them for anything.

March 14, 1998

Local investors bid for Oilers

Jac MacDonald

Journal Staff Writer

Edmonton - It was a lucky Friday the 13th for Edmonton hockey fans as the local investors' group delivered its offer to purchase the Oilers hockey club along with a $5-million US deposit.

"This is going to be a great day for Edmonton. As of this afternoon the Edmonton investor group delivered an offer and the required deposit to purchase the Edmonton Oilers," spokesperson Cal Nichols told a packed news conference.

"Our belief from the start was that Edmonton was going to be a much better place with the Oilers than without them."

The group of 17 individuals and companies unanimously decided late Thursday night to proceed with its offer to buy the team.

Most of the investors were at Friday's news conference, including Bruce Saville, chair of Saville Systems, who carried hockey skates over his shoulder.

In announcing the bid, Nichols said the best option for the long-term preservation of a small- market NHL franchise like the Oilers is to have a broad base of private ownership.

That means the group will work towards a public offering of shares in the hockey club in two or three years, with the proceeds going to pay down debt, he said.

The group's lawyer, John Butler, said the group will begin work immediately to obtain NHL approval and to complete documentation.

"We have crossed one finish line only to start another race," Butler said.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman could not be reached for comment Friday, but in a news release he called the announcement "a very positive development" for the city and the league.

"We are pleased that a local group has come forward. ... While there is still work to be done, we have pledged our full co-operation," he said.

March 14, 1998

The real work has just begun

Ashley Geddes

Journal Staff Writer

Edmonton - Several obstacles remain before the purchase of the Oilers by the local buyers' group can be considered signed, sealed and delivered.

While group representatives were upbeat Friday about being able to overcome remaining hurdles, they made it clear there are issues still to be finalized, both in closing the deal and then in operating the team after that.

"We have crossed one finish line only to start another race," local buyers' group lawyer John Butler said Friday after the group announced it had submitted its bid to buy the team. "We think the challenge that lies ahead probably is as great as the challenge that we have overcome."

The main challenge now is for the group to raise another $10 million Cdn so it can borrow $50 million from a bank to complete the deal.

Butler and investors' group spokesperson Cal Nichols said there was "an indication" of interest Friday from two new investors who want to join the group.

Nichols said he sees no difficulty now raising the remaining amount and more by the May 3 deadline for completing the deal.

Now that Houston Rockets' owner Les Alexander's bid has been matched under the so-called location agreement, Butler said the two key steps ahead are getting the National Hockey League to approve the sale and to finalize documentation.

Work will begin on both those tasks next week.

Please see WORK/A20, Back page of this section

VLTs turning casual gamblers into addicts -- study

Karen Unland

Journal Staff Writer

Edmonton

More than two-thirds of the VLT-addicts surveyed by a provincial government agency say they didn't have a gambling problem until they tried video lottery terminals.

The study, released Friday by the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, surveyed 84 problem VLT gamblers in 1996.

Most said they had gambled before, but more than two-thirds said VLTs led them to seek treatment.

"From the treatment side, what we see is the addictiveness of the VLTs," said Conservative MLA Jocelyn Burgener who chairs AADAC.

The sample is very small and only includes people who sought treatment from AADAC for VLT-addiction. But it leads to questions about whether accessibility to VLTs should be reduced or whether the machines should be slowed down to reduce their addictive qualities, said Burgener.

An upcoming provincial gambling summit, to be held April 23-25 in Medicine Hat, will address those issues and provide "solid information about what Albertans think about their gambling and some direction from them on how they think government should respond," she said. The summit will be chaired by former Alberta ombudsman Harley Johnson.

Burgener cautioned against blaming VLTs for all gambling problems.

"VLTs are the flashpoint, but we've had a history of gambling in this province for years and years."

Among the study's findings:

* The addicts played an average of six hours per session, 18 days per month.

* Well over half said they had a gambling debt; a quarter of them owed more than $15,000. About two-thirds said they gambled more than $500 a month on VLTs.

* Most financed their gambling through household money. About two-thirds used credit cards. One-third said they passed bad cheques to get gambling money.

* On average, the addicts had played VLTs for 30 months. They were aware they had a problem an average of 16 months before seeking treatment.

* The group included men and women of all ages from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds and regions. More than half were men. Their average age was 38. Nearly half of them had less than a high school education. Those who worked full- time were most likely in sales or service jobs.

* Almost three-quarters of the addicts said near wins or small wins kept them interested in, or excited about playing. Just over half said big wins encouraged them to keep playing.

Two important dates ahead are April 27 for league approval and May 3, the deadline for closing the sale.

Butler said he's optimistic of winning NHL approval, "but at the end of the day, it's their (the league's) decision."

The only real question appears to be whether the NHL has difficulty dealing with such a large group of investors -- something Butler said the league hasn't faced before.

Mayor Bill Smith added "the only thing that could go offside" as far as he can see is the NHL somehow rejecting the bid.

But Smith said he's had three meetings and numerous telephone calls with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and he's confident Bettman wants the team to stay in Edmonton.

Smith agreed there is still a lot to be done before Edmonton has a smoothly operating NHL team.

"It's not the end, it's really only the beginning."

And that may require the city and province to get involved.

"I've said many times before that there is a role for the municipalities, both in Edmonton and Calgary," Smith said.

"There is a role for the province to play.

"What that is and what that might be I don't know. But there is a role because of the importance of the Edmonton Oilers to the province of Alberta and to this whole country."

Smith has said he'd like to see the creation of a sports lottery to assist NHL teams in Edmonton and Calgary.

Premier Ralph Klein, who has said provincial money shouldn't be spent on professional sports teams, has suggested lottery funds could be directed to Northlands Coliseum.

Smith wouldn't speculate on what lies ahead for the investors' request to waive the $2.8-million annual rent for the Coliseum.

But he said: "I don't anticipate that being a stumbling block."

Butler and investor Bruce Saville told Friday's news conference they're expecting city involvement of some kind in the team.

"Our mayor and city council have expressed a willingness to help and I look forward to working with them," said Saville.

Coun. Robert Noce, one of several councillors who have complained they have been kept in the dark, welcomed closer co-operation with the group.

But he added: "My position hasn't changed. We cannot use tax dollars to support million- dollar athletes."

March 14, 1998

Movers and shakers takin' care of business

Paul Marck and Rod Ziegler

Journal Staff Writers

Edmonton - The news that local investors have offered to buy the Oilers and keep the team in town prompted cheers, high-fives and champagne toasts among city businesses on Friday.

As a 3 p.m. news conference to announce details got under way, work came to a standstill at those firms where livelihoods rely on Edmonton's National Hockey League team.

Nearly 1,200 jobs depend on the Oilers, which have an economic impact on the city of $63 million a year. In workplaces everywhere, eyes and ears were glued to TVs and radios as the announcement was carried live.

At RMC Sports Manufacturing, which supplies crests, numbers and nameplates for Oilers team jerseys and thousands more sold at retailers, spirits lifted considerably.

Things were glum among the 23 workers earlier this week, amid doubts the deal would fly and possibilities that Texas millionaire Les Alexander's offer to pack up the team and move it to Houston might prevail.

But it all changed when they gathered around a radio to hear details of the local bid.

"My staff are very happy," said company owner Bob Couture. "There were quite a few cheers."

Couture said he's greatly relieved. He heads off to a trade show in Calgary today, confident that he can make business plans without fear of losing the core of his operation. He also has praise for the local investors. "They really need a big pat on the back."

The Edmonton business community came through when it counted to get the Oilers deal done, its spokespersons say.

"Think about what just happened here," said Edmonton Chamber of Commerce general manager Martin Salloum. "These guys have put together a $110-million deal. I'd received calls saying 'Where is the business community?' Well, here it is."

Salloum described the deal to save the Oilers for Edmonton as very complex.

"Look at the line-up of people who came through when it counted.

"Individuals, companies, fans ... even the nuns for heaven's sake. The ultimate winners are the people who will keep their jobs in the restaurants, the bakeries, the hotels and establishments that rely on all the tangible and intangible benefits the Oilers hockey has brought and will bring to our town."

At the Fireside Restaurant across from the Coliseum, owner Con Stvropoulof popped champagne corks for his 25 staff at prospects the Oilers will remain an Edmonton team.

"We're very happy. I knew this would happen. I had faith in the city of Edmonton and everybody here. We can't afford to let the thing go, not for me, not for anybody else in the city," said Stvropoulof.

The Oilers are so much more than entertainment for 17,000 or 18,000 people on a game night, said Edmonton Hotel Association spokesperson Mitch Panciuk.

"Sure they bring in dollars to my industry. But the fact they're here and the community is prepared to work so hard to keep them here tells everybody that Edmonton is a good place to do business."

If people are willing to invest in their own community, others will be too, Panciuk said.

"This was a real important psychological hurdle."

Over at Scandinavian Building Services, which has 80 of 800 staff contracted to the Coliseum for cleaning services, owner Terry Hay hadn't yet heard that the local group had tabled its bid with Alberta Treasury Branches.

"That's absolutely wonderful news. You hear it through the grapevine and it sounds fairly positive, but there's always that question mark," said Hay. "It was difficult keeping up morale. I kept saying 'We'll be OK,' but you never know. Now, I'm going to have an awful lot of happy people."

Hay said he was so enthused over the Oilers new lease on life that he was heading over to the Coliseum Friday night. He intended to buy Cokes for staff who were cleaning up after the Shrine Circus.

He too has praise for the local investors for staking their faith and fortune on the community as civic-minded citizens.

"We as Edmontonians have to really and fully appreciate them. They sure came forward as community members, rather than just investors in this situation."

Elio Brandelli of Delta Sports Cards had earlier suggested the hobby-card industry could fold up without the Oilers. Not so Friday.

"It's a good day. I'm really happy about it." Throughout the last few months, interest in Oiler cards and memorabilia was keen as the team's fate hung in the balance.

Now things appear to be tipped in Edmonton's favour in terms of keeping the team over Alexander's Texas bid.

"I think the NHL will be on our side," said Brandelli. "I don't think they want to lose another Canadian team."

The challenge now, said self-described "severe Oiler fan" Brad Wright, is to try to match the success that people have brought to the community-owned Edmonton Eskimos.

"If we can, we'll be the first community-owned, small-market hockey team to survive through this silliness," said Wright, Alberta director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

"This deal isn't done but some of the credit for getting it to this point should go to the many, many dozens of small businesses that, through initiatives of their own, contributed to the momentum," Wright said.

But he cautioned that "it'll take an equal effort to get us to the May 3 closing. Obviously, this isn't finished. We have the lease, the rent yet to do."

Edmontonians should have no qualms about forgiving the $2.8 million a year in Coliseum rent, Wright added.

"I don't see this as a subsidy or a grant. These are community-owned facilities that the public has bought and paid for anyway."

If you compare the loss of rent to the value the Oilers inject into the Edmonton economy each year, it's a good trade, good value for money, Wright said.

Even though that benefit may be hard to quantify, the value of a community-driven organization is well recognized, said Doug McLaughlin, president of the Alberta Chamber of Commerce.

"Look what community spirit has done. It gave us the 1988 Olympics in Calgary, successful Grey Cups in small cities like Regina, Winnipeg and Edmonton."

Spirit isn't enough to go up against the bone-crunching economics of NHL hockey, McLaughlin warned.

Detroit Red Wings player Sergei Fedorov has been offered $38 million over four years, he says. By comparison, the whole Oilers budget for salaries is $18.5 million a year.

There may come a time when the Oilers can't compete with Fedorov-type settlements.

"In the meantime," McLaughlin said, "you do the best you can."

March 14, 1998

Long-time warrior of blue-line happy move has been checked

Jim Matheson

Journal Staff Writer

Miami - Kevin Lowe has worn an Edmonton Oilers logo on his chest, and his heart on his sleeve, for the better part of his almost 20-year career in the National Hockey League.

No player was happier on Friday to hear that a group of Edmonton investors had put a $5-million-US deposit on the team.

"In a lot of ways Edmonton is the Green Bay of the National Hockey Football League," said Lowe. "It has the same respect and tradition."

The team's first ever draft pick and bastion of the blue-line during the glory years, says he has a greater attachment than most of the players to the Edmonton community.

Lowe feels the fact a group of business people have put their money on the line for the team can only be good news. He once played for a junior club -- the Quebec Remparts -- that was owned by a consortium.

"I'm sure if Slats is involved he'll be calling the shots," said Lowe.

"These investors have obviously had serious discussions with the league and some with Glen (GM Sather) and they know what the budget is going to be.

"They know the players and Glen won't stand for mediocrity," said Lowe. "You don't have to have the highest payroll in the league to be successful."

Doug Weight was pleased about news of the local bid but somewhat disconcerted that the meeting of one deadline just begins a new round.

"I thought Friday was D-Day. I thought this was the final deadline where they had to come up with the $70 million. That it was over. To find out it's not is kind of depressing," said the Oiler centre.

"But it's good news for Edmonton. They're still in the battle and it looks promising. Obviously, with the city's tradition, they won't go down without a fight."

Oiler coach Ron Low has never fathomed how a team drawing more than 16,000 a game could be thinking of moving.

"We're only five per cent under capacity," said the coach. "That's one of the best totals in the league.

Low paid tribute to Cal Nichols as the force behind the Save-the-Oilers bid. "Cal Nichols deserves a ton of credit," said Low.

"He's been working his tail off steady for the last three months. I hope they make a run of this."

March 14, 1998

Scene and Noted

Curtis Stock

Journal Sports Writer

Edmonton - So you thought that -- finally -- everything would be settled.

That Friday the 13th was D-Day. The end of the protracted Edmonton Oiler saga. Hah.

Instead we're finding out what we knew all along. We are still trapped in that annoying little ditty S&N keeps hearing while his son watches Sheri Lewis and Lambchop: "This is the song that doesn't end. It just goes on and on my friend. Somebody started singing it not knowing what it was ... "

Editor's note: Please excuse S&N for the preceding inane rambling. Tracking this Oiler saga has scrambled his brain.

SCENE

The next deadline is April 27 -- for final documentation.

Then, May 3 -- when the local investors have to scrounge up all the cash and the deal has to be closed.

And then we have to see if the grand poo bahs at NHL headquarters will give their blessing to a consortium of -- what is it now, 377? -- owners.

And then we have to wait for the Coliseum matter to get untangled. And whatever lawsuits and litigation falls out of the skies from concession and advertising contracts that may or may not be still in place.

And we have to wait to see how Northlands will get paid. And if the city councillors will have emerged from their deep funk about not being completely clued in -- draw up your own oxymoron here.

And ... Help! Bring out the white, sleeveless suits and the guys with the butterfly nets.

But one thing is crystal clear. The community spirit of Edmonton won through. We've more than given it our best shot. And if that best shot still misses the net, we'll know we at least tried to stay in the big leagues.

When you're heaping out the applause the list starts with John Butler, even if he can be the most evasive man on the planet; Cal Nichols, the heart and soul of the group; Jim Hole, whose community spirit has been unsurpassed through the years; and former EDE president Rick Lelacheur, who can now finally relax.

Relentless determination has taken the local investor's group this far. A simple refusal to give in.

A poignant example occurred a couple weeks ago when a few of them were gathering for one of their usual early morning breakfast sessions.

"There were all these roadblocks, all these new twists which kept coming up," recalled Denny Andrews. "And nobody was feeling very confident.

"I was just getting out of my car when John Butler walked by. There was no 'Good morning,' no 'Hi, how are you?' or anything like that. Butler simply came up and said 'We're going to get this damn thing done. I can feel it. There's no way it's not going to happen.'

"And he never said another word until we got inside the restaurant."

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the hockey planet:

* Nice stretch drive by the Florida Panthers -- winless since the Olympics.

* Oh sure, changing coaches is going to make all the difference in New York with the Islanders and Rangers. About as much as re-arranging the deck chairs of the Titanic.

* Recalling when Rick Bowness took over from Mike Milbury a year ago, one anonymous Islander said, "We were doing jumping jacks in the locker room." Now that Milbury is back, the jumping jacks -- and the laughter -- have noticeably ceased.

* You know you're bad when: The Rangers had eight power-play chances compared with three for Montreal in a game this past week. The Rangers lost 4-1. On the same night, the New York Islanders had seven chances to score on the power play while the Washington Capitals had just two. The Islanders lost 2-1.

And, the topper.

Boston went on the power play 13 times against Calgary Thursday night while the Flames had just four man advantages.

Calgary won 5-2.

NOTED

Now that Roger Neilson is back coaching, it's time to bring this tale out of mothballs.

In 1979, Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard fired Neilson but forgot about firming up a replacement. Ballard had a guy in mind but the guy said 'thanks, but no thanks.'

Now Ballard was in trouble. So, he un-fired Neilson. Sort of.

Ballard wanted Neilson to go behind the bench before the opening faceoff wearing a paper bag over his head. Neilson was then supposed to pull off the bag revealing the new mystery coach.

Neilson passed. But since Ballard still didn't have a coach, he had to give in. Neilson took over like nothing had ever happened.

For the record, the Leafs then quickly went through Floyd Smith, Dick Duff, the return of Punch Imlach, Joe Crozier, Mike Nykoluk, Dan Maloney -- all in the next five years before John Brophy led a succession of other hired to be fired candidates.

* Is it just S&N or is jockey Mike McMullen getting the biggest runaround ever seen?

* Personal note to everyone dumping all over those nuns who put a hockey stick on a statue of Jesus: Lighten up. S&N isn't about to go on some religious pontifaction here but couldn't the idea simply have been to give Jesus a little more humanity?

* The Islanders are 73-124-31 during Milbury's tenure. As coach of the Islanders, Milbury is 35-74-19.

* The NCAA's March Madness is still the best TV sports package you can find. And how about Arizona to win it all?

* Says Otis Thorpe, after being traded from the NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies to the Sacramento Kings: "Up there, it's not 'Another day, another

dollar.' It's 'Another day, another

46 cents.' "

* Here's an idea: a last place Romanian soccer club is trying to solve its cash problem by selling players for food or equipment. Ion Radu, who plays for Jiul Petrosani, was dealt for two tons of meat. Teammate, Liviu Baicea, was traded for equipment.

So just how many burgers and fries could we get for Andrei Kovalenko?

* Lee Stevens, who played for the Edmonton Trappers from 1989-91, also played two years in Japan before getting reborn last year in Texas.

So what was the best thing about playing in Japan? The heated toilet seats, said the six-foot-four Stevens.

* Spring training season injury of the week: Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher Jose Silva -- who also toiled for the Calgary Cannons -- missed three days of workouts after straining a muscle in his neck while reaching to shut off his alarm clock.

* Former Trapper Scott Spiezio -- now the second baseman for the Oakland A's -- and three friends have formed a heavy-metal rock band called 'Spastic Dysphonia.'

"We have all the equipment, we have all the songs," said Spiezio. "Right now we have everything but the talent."

* Mark it down. Former Trapper Ben Grieve; AL Rookie of the Year. Word is if he hits .315 with 25 homers it'll be an off year.

* Postscript: Last week's column on finding Lester Mittendorf wasn't ficticious. There really is a guy named Lester Mittendorf -- the only Lester Mittendorf -- residing in, of all places, Metropolis. But no, it wasn't the Lester Mittendorf that Michael Largue had dreamed up.

* Did fired Dallas Cowboy coach Barry Switzer really say "If we hadn't gone 6-10, I'd have been back"?

* Thirty-three years ago Johnny Longden -- the pride of Taber, Alta. -- won the San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita aboard George Royal. It was the last race of Longden's 40-year career.

* Interesting thought from Red Fisher in the Montreal Gazette:

"I toss this into the money mix only because a lot of people would love to see it happen.

"Detroit superstar Fedorov is back, and by now has delivered his $14-million signing bonus to one of the many banks handling his money. Now, fast forward to the end of the regular season: $2 million more for pocket change. The Red Wings win their first two playoff rounds, they're in the Western Conference final, so there's another $12 million for Sergei. Total: $28 million for a few months work.

The Red Wings lose the series in six games to the Dallas Stars and the next day, Sergei calls a press conference. He has an important announcement to make: he's retiring from hockey. Thanks for the memories.

"Oops! What do the Red Wings do now? Is there a clause in the offer sheet they matched that they're entitled to a rebate on the original signing bonus of $14 million?

"Somehow, I don't think so."

* Promoter Don King gets robbed of his $100,000 gold watch -- figures supplied by the firm of Largue, Largue and Largue -- and then gets sued by Mike Tyson. Who says there's no justice?

THE FINAL WORD

Comedian Dennis Miller on how to enliven Olympic bobsled racing: "One word -- intersections."

Call Curtis Stock at 429-5344 or e-mail him at cstock@thejournal.southam.ca

- Edmonton Journal

March 14, 1998

The Peter Principle

Curtis Stock

Journal Staff Writer

Even though a local group has made a bid for the Oilers, it's still not a done deal. Here are some potential obstacles that lie ahead: More equity investment needed. Legal risks from current and potential lawsuits, including a possible lawsuit from current owner Peter Pocklington, and a class-action lawsuit against the NHL launched by former players. Alberta Treasury Branches approvals. National Hockey League approvals. No clear solution in sight for replacing the $2.8-million-a-year ticket surcharge for Edmonton Northlands, so the local group can lease the Edmonton Coliseum for $1 a year. W H A T ' S   N E X T ? The City of Edmonton, Economic Development Edmonton, and Northlands Park will review it to ensure it meets the terms of the location agreement which keeps the club in Edmonton until at least 2004. The offer will be delivered to Alberta Treasury Branches, along with a $5-million US non-refundable deposit and proof the local group has the funds to complete the deal. Early next week, Treasury Branches will announce whether it has accepted the offer. If it is accepted, the local buyers will set up a transition team to draft definitive agreements and plan hockey operations. The offer will go to the National Hockey League where it will be scrutinized by NHL accountants and lawyers to make sure it is suitable. They will make a recommendation to the league executive, which will make a recommendation to the board of governors. The NHL board of governors will vote whether to accept the deal.

Edmonton - One name never entered Friday's news conference announcing the local investors' submission to buy the Edmonton Oilers -- Peter Pocklington.

One issue was never answered, never even discussed on Friday -- control of the Coliseum. Outside of the actual bid itself, it is still the one big question and one that is clearly open to interpretation.

In Pocklington's mind there is no question.

"The local investors did not get CMI," Pocklington said of Coliseum Management Incorporated, the leaseholder of the Coliseum. "It did not go with the deal.

"They'll have to deal at further length with that. I presume with me, the one who owns it."

The Oilers have been pledged as security on a reported $120-million- plus in loans by the Alberta Treasury Branches to Pocklington.

In his first statement in months, Pocklington said the debt will "be paid off with the club selling."

However, the local bid is for $101 million, leaving at least another $19 million unaccounted for.

Asked if Alberta Treasury Branches offered to wipe out his entire debt if he gave up CMI, Pocklington said, "Well, quite frankly, I don't know how to answer that.

"I still have control of the building. I have the building not just through 2004 but really for the next 30 years because the license agreement was for 10, 10 and 10 years.

"We have to sit down and arbitrate at the end of each 10-year period as to what we are going to pay in rent, but that's what was done," Pocklington said after a round of golf in Palm Springs, Calif., with "my pal Gerry Ford."

Now the question -- one that clearly has the local investors worried -- is what will Pocklington do about it? Will he hold things up? Theoretically for 30 years?

"No. I want it resolved and I think they do too. I'm not going to be a show-stopper in anything. But it's got to be fair. To everybody."

And what's fair? Pocklington says Coliseum Management Incorporated, the leaseholder on the Coliseum, is worth $20 million.

"It's cash positive and well-run.

"What I can't believe is that the local investors didn't talk to me before they risked a lot of money."

"I don't want to rain on their parade. Truly, I'm behind them all and I hope they do what's best for them and the city.

"I'm happy the city keeps the team. And the local group got what they wanted.

"Edmonton is a great city. But you can only be altruistic for so long. Unfortunately business gets in the way of things.

"I hope for their sake they're careful. It's a lot of money.

"I hope they have fun with it. And I hope they can make it go."

Pocklington, however, doesn't think it will work citing soaring salaries, the lack of a lucrative TV contract, the lack of local media revenues compared with places like New York -- "We get $2 million locally for TV; the Rangers get $30 million US; Toronto gets $16 million" -- and the Canadian dollar.

"The only thing holding up salaries is air. Hot air and ticket prices.

"Frankly, that's what upsets me. That a guy can no longer take his son to a hockey game, if he's a normal guy.

"Why would Detroit sign Sergei Fedorov for that kind of dough? It's ludicrous. And why would Peter Karmanos put in his bid in the first place?

"I don't blame the players. If I were a player I'd do the same thing. I'm blaming the owners.

"That's where the blame stops. They're the ones who pay the cheques. They don't have to. There's no gun to our heads.

"I'll be criticized for saying whatever I'm saying, but it's a shame what's happened to our game.

"The Montreal Canadiens made $17 million. Wonderful.

"But when you see Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa losing their shirt and when people who should go to games can't go to games it's too bad."

Pocklington did admit that he made substantial profits owning the Oilers in the early days. "Absolutely. It wasn't a gargantuan profit.

"We made four or five million a year. It was worth the risk.

"Now it's well beyond what I ever expected would happen."

Asked if he took too much money out of the Oilers when times were good, Pocklington said, "Not really. No. Not at all.

"What was I supposed to do? Leave every dime I made in the Oilers? That's not why you're in business.

"I owned them. It was my money," added Pocklington, who originally bought the WHA franchise from Nelson Skalbania for a Renoir painting, his wife's 12-karat diamond ring and a bank loan he took over from Doc Allard for $1.4 million.

"I took the risk. That's the bottom line. That's what free enterprise is all about."

Pocklington, who purchased the Oilers outright for $6.5 million, won five Stanley Cups and brought Triple-A baseball to Edmonton, says he doesn't know how he will be remembered.

"God only knows. I'm sure many won't want to remember.

"I don't quite understand the politics.

"I don't know who I offended. Or when I offended them.

"Any fight I had was always on the table and was always to keep the team in town.

"I've obviously offended somebody passionately.

"I'm sure history will show my heart was in the right place.

"Maybe it's easier to beat up on one guy than 15. I'm not sad. It's been a wonderful 22 years.

"Somebody said I should have left the dance five years ago. I would have saved a lot of money.

"But you can only fight so long. There are other things I'd rather do."

Those things, Pocklington said, are continuing to buy and sell companies.

"I'd rather create wealth than blow it," said Pocklington.

Pocklington said he plans to continue owning the Trappers Triple-A baseball team. "I doubt I'll sell them, though everything has a price, I guess."

As for the Drillers indoor soccer team, Pocklington said, "I'll wait and see on what happens with the Coliseum. If I kept the Coliseum, I'd keep the Drillers. If not we'll have to see."

Also the owner of Canbra Foods and eight Club Fit locations, Pocklington said he was in the middle of buying two more companies, including a "large olive oil company.

"Stay in Edmonton? I think so. For a while anyway. I don't know about forever.

"I had a wonderful time for those years and really enjoyed it."

Oilers still living on the edge

Some things never change. As Dick Chubey of the Edmonton Sun points out in his Saturday column, the 11th-hour bid to buy the Oilers by a local group is only the latest of many hair-raising adventures in the life of the Oilers ... on and off the ice.

Just like Wayne Gretzky said of his dynasty days in Alberta: "Some people may argue that we weren't the greatest team ever ... but no one could say we weren't the most exciting."

So just as Houston businessman Les Alexander was prepared to claim options to buy the Oilers at midnight Friday, a 17-man group came up with $5 million non-refundable deposit that bought them more time to raise the $60 million needed to keep the Oilers in Canada. On the eve of destruction, Chubey caught up with Gretzky via telephone in Boston and got the Great One of express his everlasting appreciation for the halcyon days.

(How's this for a fantasy: Maybe some day, the Great One could purchase the team and build it in his image? Fun to think about, no?)

Anyway, here's what Gretzky had to say of Edmonton:

"(The team) deserves to stay there, the organization's been good, the team's been good over the years. It's been a classy organization, right up there with the Canadiens of the late 1950s and '70s, and '80s' Islanders.

"Plus, the people have always supported it. It's good they're staying."

Ahh, the people! How dearly will the good people of Edmonton pay for these heroic efforts to keep the team?

Some reports have tickets going up 20-33%. That could mean current $75 lower bowl seats up to $90 at 20% increase or $99.75 at a 33% percent increase.

"It's an issue that currently we can't deal with because we don't own the hockey team," replied group spokesman Cal Nichols.

Gretzky, of course, thinks the league needs to be actively involved in keeping Canadian teams healthy ... and in Canada.

"As much as the league likes to expand in the U.S., I really believe (commissioner) Gary Bettman wants to keep teams in Canada," said Gretzky. "I talked to him a couple of times in Japan about it. "Edmonton has too much tradition. It's what the Leafs or Canadiens have been to the East ...

"It would be a tragedy to lose hockey in Edmonton. There's too much unfinished business. Obviously the league has to find ways to keep Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa afloat. That's important and hopefully it'll happen."

March 15, 1998 WE'LL PAY GLADLY, SAY OILERS FANS

Edmontonians buoyed by the biggest save in Oilers history, Friday's 11th-hour purchase offer to keep the team in town, aren't fazed by the likelihood of steeper ticket prices.

Not one person interviewed yesterday at Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre, 82 Avenue and 83 Street, balked at the prospect of fans being asked to do their bit to keep NHL hockey from fleeing the City of Champions.

As it now stands, the Oilers' average ticket price of $25.20 is the lowest in the NHL. Pittsburgh's average of $56.28 a seat - in Yankee bucks, don't forget - is the priciest.

Kim Gruenheidt, 23, a public relations worker at the Youth Emergency Shelter, comes from solid Oilers stock. Her late grandfather, Ted Hamula, was such a die-hard fan that he was buried with a puck autographed by sniper Doug Weight.

"Aw, yeah, I'd pay more. For them to stay here? Most definitely. What are we without them?"

Retired refrigeration repairman Paul Humen, 82, would accept higher ticket prices, but feels Cal Nichols and company must take a go-slow approach to doing it.

"I wouldn't like to see them go up $10 or $12. But $2, $3, maybe $5 is OK. Just don't hit the guys too hard at once."

Apprentice welder Roch Beaulieu, 25, isn't about to take a cutting torch to his Oilers if prices climb.

"I don't think that'd be a problem. They're the lowest now, so you can add a dollar or two. I don't know if that'll attract any more people (to games), but if current fans stay, then (the buyers) are OK."

Federal civil servant Jenny Williamson, 28, believes a modest price hike would be fine.

"It depends one how much more they want. But if you really want to go (to a game), it won't matter."

She also doesn't balk at arena or tax concessions from city hall.

"But you'd have to set some guidelines."

March 15, 1998 CARTOONIST SPAWNS $$$ CREATOR OF HIT COMIC BOOK SPAWN ADDS $1 MILLION TO LOCAL BID TO BUY THE OILERS

By BERNARD PILON -- Staff Writer

Comic-book cash from the Calgary-born artist behind Spawn - a CIA assassin who refuses to stay dead - is helping would-be Oilers owners stay alive.

Cal Nichols, front man for the now-18-member investors group behind Friday's dramatic 11th-hour purchase offer for Edmonton's NHL heroes, said Todd McFarlane has added $1 million to the cash kitty.

"He may do more. We'll see," Nichols said yesterday.

"I actually got the news when I was walking up to the table at (Friday's historic) press conference. He gave us a bit more good news."

McFarlane - whose Spawn comic books, action figures, TV series and recent $50-million film have earned him a cult following - had been looking to put up to $10 million of his $75-million net worth into Canada's national game for weeks.

Terry Fitzgerald, president of Todd McFarlane Productions, said Friday his 29-year-old boss was looking to invest in NHL franchises in either Phoenix, Carolina or Edmonton.

"There are pros and cons to all three. The biggest pro to Edmonton is you help save a little Canadiana," he said.

Neither Fitzgerald nor McFarlane - who has an aunt in Edmonton - could be reached for comment.

Nichols is positive the $1-million addition - which leaves locals $9 million shy of the minimum $60 million in cash bankers want to trigger a $40-million loan - won't be the last.

"We've still got lots more people out there. Lots," he said.

For the first time in weeks, Nichols had the luxury of spending the day not rushing from meeting to meeting or drafting paperwork for Alberta Treasury Branches, which effectively seized the Oil last fall after ex-owner Peter Pocklington rung up at least $100 million in debts.

ATB's first serious suitor for the hockey squad, Les Alexander, had promised to skate the Oilers down to Texas if locals couldn't thwart his bid with a $100-million deal before midnight Friday the 13th.

Provided ATB accepts the local offer early next week, investors still need NHL approval by April 27 and all $100 million in to the bank's coffers by no later than May 5.

Robert McNair, an arch-rival of Alexander with similar NHL aspirations for Houston, was glad Nichols and company had managed to quash his offer.

"I think it's in the best interest of hockey that it worked out the way it did. I really do," said McNair, whose business partner Chuck Watson had offered locals a $50-million lifeline if bank financing had fallen apart.

Meanwhile, Pocklington told CBC's Hockey Night in Canada he's keen to iron out any potential conflict with locals over the acquisition of Coliseum Management Inc., his former company which runs the Oilers' arena.

"I don't think it will get ugly. It's not my preference. My preference is to keep hockey in Edmonton. We've got the greatest fans in the world," Pocklington said.

"But it's going to take a lot of fortitude - and maybe a few cheques will have to be written - for them to carry the day."

March 15, 1998

CHEERS! OILER SAVIORS HAVE BECOME THE TOAST OF THE TOWN

By TERRY JONES -- Edmonton Sun

The idea was to go to his favorite watering hole, meet a couple of his buddies he hadn't had time to hang around for the last 30 days, relax, loosen his personality a little bit and wake up the next morning with the bad helmet.

Cal Nichols wasn't ready for the way it was going to work. And neither were any of the other local ownership group members.

When Nichols walked into Ray's Restaurant Friday night, he wasn't expecting the entire place to be decorated with 'Congratulations Cal' signs on the walls, his picture on every table and a huge cake decorated in his honor.

The reaction to the local ownership group's deadline day offer to buy the Edmonton Oilers amazed the men who stepped forward to do the deal.

"I just went to have a drink with a few friends I'd abandoned for the last little while," said Nichols, the man who put all the pieces together and is everybody's MVP within the group itself.

ICE CREAM

"I didn't expect to walk in there and see a big huge poster with my picture on it and signs plastered on all the walls. Too bad about the cake, though. It was made of ice cream. Everybody was buying me drinks and we kind of forgot about it. It melted."

Nichols doubts if there was a single member of the ownership group who woke up in the morning and didn't finally realize the full impact of what they are doing.

"The media coverage was overwhelming. Where else in the world would you have all the local TV stations and radio stations going live like they did?

'`That and the newspaper coverage was amazing. Anybody visiting Edmonton would get the idea what this team means to this town just by the scene. And the number of media people here from outside of town ... it really told us what this means to not just Edmonton but to all of Canada.

"But I think with most of us, it's been the average Edmontonians we've met that have moved us the most. It's really been remarkable. It really makes you feel good, I'll tell you that.

"Within the group I think everybody is really, really pleased that they became involved.

"If they ever had any doubts about why they were doing this, I think they were all gone after 24 hours. And that makes me the most pleased.

"You only realize it afterwards, the total effect of what we're doing, what this means emotionally to this city."

I suspect the incredible reaction seen and felt by just about everybody in Edmonton will hit hardest and have its most important effect in the offices of the Alberta Treasury Branches tomorrow morning. But let's not go there.

This is a feel-good story today. And if it feels good, write it.

"It's amazing how many people have stopped me on the street," said Bruce Saville."A lot of people came up to me in Gino's Italian restaurant and were very emotional and heartfelt. They said things like, 'Thank God you guys did this.'

"Same thing when I went downtown (yesterday) to Henry Singers. And even on elevators. Man, I've got to get back to my low-profile status.

"But I have to tell you what a good feeling it's given me and I'm sure everybody else in the group.You can just tell how much it means to everybody. I've always understood what it meant. I've spent a lot of time in Winnipeg and I understand the funk that city is still in and will be in for a long, long time. But it's pretty good to be an Edmontonian right now and everybody I've met has made me feel very good about being part of this group and doing what we're doing."

Group lawyer John Butler said he received very little of the above because he went underground. "I just crashed. There'd been so much stress. I slept in. I went for a massage. That was my day.

"But I spent a lot of time thinking about what has happened. And I said it Friday and I'll say it again: I'm just delighted that Cal Nichols and Jim Hole are working together because they'll be an unbeatable team as this heads into the future."

Nichols, Hole and Saville have been the front men for the group, but all the members felt it in the last two days.

"There was quite an outpouring of congratulations," said Barry Weaver.

"A lot of our meetings were tense. This was a big decision. But people have certainly given us the sense we made the right decision. And we knew it, too. That last meeting Thursday didn't take that long. And it was unanimous to go for it.

"But the way this city has been this weekend, well, I don't think we even thought about it. We were just trying to get it done. We never thought about the reaction."

WARM AND FUZZY

Larry Makelki didn't come in from Lloydminster to Edmonton for the press conference. But he got that warm, fuzzy feeling from the town where five of his friends got together to raise the million that allowed the group to hit the $50-million mark.

"Lots of pats on the back," he said. "Everybody is pretty enthused about it. It's been really good. The people are pretty happy. It makes you feel pretty good about what we're doing."

Some day along the way, when there's a bump on the road, I hope they all remember this feeling.

April 6, 1998

PRESSURE HEAT'S ON OIL COMPANIES TO SUPPORT THE TEAM

By TERRY JONES -- Edmonton Sun Maybe Cal Nichols is the Edmonton Oilers' all-time leader in saves (2). But for the purpose of this piece, the guy is a loser.

This is about his failure - his failure with his "pet' project. Today at a press conference Nichols' and the fresh-look people who have taken the place of Peter Pocklington will announce some significant success stories. But Nichols is kicking cans right now. Oil cans.

See the pretty picture above.

That was his "pet" project - his own private personal project aside from the big picture project which was 'Stay Oilers Stay'.

Nichols has been carrying the above picture around with him for months, trying to sell the oilmen, most of whom have their offices in Calgary, with the idea of Petroleum Place.

A DREAM HE HAD

Nichols comes from the oil patch. He owned Gasland. These are his people. And he's close to throwing up his arms and putting a note in the suggestion box to name this hockey team something other than "Oilers."

"This was a dream I had. And to this point, it's failed," he says.

"It's the most disappointing part of everything I've been involved with here," said Nichols yesterday before heading out into the wild blue yonder "to punch some holes in the sky" with his little plane.

"How could they not participate in this? It makes so much sense," he says.

"This team is the Oilers. Edmonton is the refining and distribution hub of Canada. There is not one of these outfits that doesn't employ more than 1,000 people.

"And what do they do for the Oilers? Next to nothing.

"Shell has four season tickets.

"Imperial Oil has six or eight.

"I used to smile when I was competing in business with them. I had a suite and four more season tickets downstairs for Gasland and that was more support than the rest of these suckers combined.

" There's no commitment at all from these people."

Nichols' idea was that they could all show their support by putting up $333,333 a year for a pair of panels on the Coliseum and the renaming of the building to Petroleum Place.

Ralph Klein loved the idea. The premier wrote letters to all eight firms "urging" them to participate.

"Only Husky, by far the biggest supporter already with a board-sign buy, hasn't given Nichols a 100 per cent "no."

Air Canada Place, the new arena to be built in Toronto, is costing the airline $2.5 million a year.

Raising revenue from the naming of the building, getting every cent of revnue out of every area possible, is the only hope. Nobody is going to pay $2.5 million a year to have the Coliseum named after them. But divided up eight ways ...

"Sharing the cost fits everything else we're doing such as sharing the ownership. By splitting it up, it's not much of a hit. It's everybody pitching in together to make this work for the good of North-Central Alberta. And it made the most sense to do it with the oil industry."

Everything else has gone well. They have about $55 million of equity and still think they can hit their target of $60 million.

"The biggest remaining growth opportunity area is the building," says Nichols.

"Goodness knows there will be nothing left to squeeze out of tickets," he said of the 19 per cent increase in ticket prices most people seem to be willing to pay for the pleasure of not having Peter Pocklington as owner (and to do their part to insure Glen Sather stays and can sign Curtis Joseph, Doug Weight and Ryan Smyth to go forward as a competitive club.)

"Nobody likes the increase, but nobody is telling me that they are not going to renew," says Nichols.

There is also a so-far-successful move to have all suite holders "volunteer" to accept a similar increase as the fans. And that's amazing.

DOUBLED NEXT YEAR

There's about $2 million in revenue inside the Coliseum which will be doubled next year, thanks to the work Nichols and friends have done.

"A lot of people we went to for support couldn't do equity but were able to do advertising," said Nichols.

"We're going to have a budget of $37.6 million Canadian next year (about $27 million US).

"That's about $5 million more than the Calgary Flames budget. But to make this work we have to look under every rock."

Nichols isn't giving up on the basic premise of Petroleum Place, but now he's going to head out and try to convince C.N., Air Canada, Acklands . . .

"The way I feel about those oil @#*$%s after this, I wish everybody would buy electric cars," he said.

May 3, 1998

UNFORGETTABLE! OILERS GIVE FANS A GAME FOR THE AGES

By TERRY JONES -- Edmonton Sun

The crowd drove itself to the Coliseum crazy. Curtis Joseph played out of his gourd in goal. And the refuse-to-lose cardiac kids who are the Edmonton Oilers find themselves back in Stanley Cup seventh heaven with a chance to write more first-round hockey history. And was that any fun or what?

It was an amazing atmosphere in the old arena, with a flavor which ought to be bottled to savor like a fine wine. And you wouldn't have to distill it. They'd had a few. An hour before game time, it sounded like the Grey Cup was back in town from within the walls of the Coliseum.

And Edmonton fans don't get any louder or act any prouder than they did when Boris Mironov took the shot that gave the Oilers the Game 6 win and made it so - no matter what happens in Denver in Game 7 tomorrow - they won't have to say they're sorry. And a hockey team doesn't get any happier with its following than this team was last night.

LOUD CROWD

"That's as loud a crowd as I've ever heard," said Cujo. "It was great to win that for the fans. What a great hockey town!

"It's been a great series. And it's going to be a great Game 7," said the goalie who found his first-round form from last year some time in the second period of Game 5 and has been brilliant since. And how many hours ago was the great debate about who should start in goal in Game 5?

"I'm just happy we won this. I said if we can get it to Game 7, anything can happen," said the man who most made it happen in double overtime last year in Dallas, where the Stars await the possibility of a rematch if the Oilers can be the 14th team in Stanley Cup history to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a series.

"That was just a great effort," said coach Ron Low of the game in which his team dictated its game from the beginning and played pedal-to-the-metal, damn-the-torpedoes hockey from start to finish.

"Cujo was unbelievable," said the old goalie. "And the crowd was just phenomenal. That's the best crowd I've ever seen or heard. Period. I didn't think it could get any better than it was last year. But it did."

It was wonderful stuff from start to finish.

Instead of booing the Star Spangled Banner, the crowd simply drowned it out with a "Let's Go Oilers!" chant. At least it wasn't an international incident.

And the Oilers, who had lost their first two games at home and only had two wins to show for their previous seven in the second coming of this club in the Stanley Cup playoffs, pushed the crowd to a new level with their play in the first period.

It was delicious - as good a playoff period of hockey as you expect to experience in one of Stanley's second seasons.

Where did this Oilers' club come from?

This team, which had managed to lose an amazing 216 face-offs in the first five games, won the opening face-off as Low decided to go with Rem Murray, Valeri Zelepukin and Mike Grier against Colorado's big Peter Forsberg line. And they kept winning face-offs.

Murray was 7-1 against Forsberg in the face-off circle in the first period. Weight, who had lost 37 of his 55 face-offs at McNichols Arena alone in this series, was 4-1 in the first period.

In the end, Murray won 17 of 27 face-offs and Weight and Todd Marchant won more than they lost as well and the Oilers, for the first time in the series, beat the Avalanche in the circle, winning 57 per cent of the drops.

But it was the 31 saves by No. 31 that meant the most.

"Obviously, hats off to Cujo," said Weight.

"But hats off to everybody in front of him, too. There were no 2-on-1s, no 3-on-2s. If you make them go 200 feet to get to the net every time, they're not going to beat Cujo.

"And when you've got the crowd playing with us like that and when you've got us finally using them, wow, does that work great.

"That crowd was the loudest thing I've ever heard and hopefully we can be back here in seven days for Game 3 of the next series.

"Getting a lead is a great feeling in this barn. That, combined with the crowd and Cujo, was a great mix. The people of Edmonton should be proud and we're thrilled we could get them a great victory."

Joseph was on his game from the beginning. And when Drake Berehowsky, of all players, scored at the other end as the play went the other way, the Oilers had a lead.

It was the first time in the series that the Oilers had scored first. Only twice in the entire series had this team found themselves in front - for the final 5:09 in winning Game 1 and in the final 6:49 in winning Game 5. The Avalanche, on the other hand, had led for a total of 180 minutes and 37 seconds over the first five games.

This team, which complained that they weren't getting breaks, got a big one when referee Steven Walkom decided to go upstairs for a video review when Colorado tied it 1-1 and discovered the toe of Valeri Kamensky in the crease. Walkom didn't go upstairs on Berehowsky's goal when Ryan Smyth was in the crease because he saw the Oiler had been pushed there.

REMEMBER WHEN?

And remember the way it was early in the series, when Zelepukin had a breakaway and his stick snapped? Same thing happened to Joe Sakic when he was in alone with half a net to shoot at in the second period.

And then there was the Play Of The Series, when Joseph had to race Sandis Ozolinsh 50 feet for the puck as he was coming out of the penalty box and Roman Hamrlik came back to throw himself in front of the puck to prevent a pass to Stephane Yelle, alone in front of an empty net.

It was sensational stuff.

And when the maturing-every-minute Mironov took his shot to put the Oilers' up 2-0 midway in the third period it was storybook stuff.

"That's an unbelievable feeling," said Mironov.

"Maybe we can make another unbelievable feeling in Game 7."

Even if they can't, Edmonton and the Oilers gave each other a game that they'll never forget.

May 4, 1998

COLISEUM ROCKED WITH THE SOUND OF THUNDER

By DAN BARNES -- Edmonton Sun

DENVER - Drake Berehowsky had the pleasure of playing in the last regular-season game in the NHL's undisputed house of noise; the old Chicago Stadium.

So, he is qualified to bestow the following honor on Coliseum patrons who rocked the joint before, during and after Game 6.

"Chicago wasn't anything compared to that. It makes you really appreciate the fans coming out. They were crazy.

"Didn't you think that was cool, them chanting "Go, Oilers, Go" during the anthem? They drowned it out. They tried to do that in Chicago but you could still hear it."

Berehowsky's defensive partner Bobby Dollas was amazed by the volume too.

"It's been a while since I've had chills. At the beginning of the Canadian anthem, you could hear all those people singing. It's quite a thrill."

Coach Ron Low appreciated the support and was glad his players survived the emotional experience before the game started.

"For the first time our guys didn't get so wound up that it took them off their game."

On June 2nd, 1998 Gerry Mildner writes: Sherrill Hersham of Northlands Park (403) 471-7295 has explained the history of Edmonton's Northlands Coliseum. The history is very similar to that of the Calgary Corral or the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, plus a hint of owner extortion. Ultimately, I categorize the Coliseum as PUBLIC for all years.

Northlands Park is a not-for-profit corporation. The corporation leases several hundred acres of land from the city on a $1 per year basis. All buildings were built, owned, and operated by Northlands Park. There are other buildings besides the Coliseum on the site. Northlands operates a rodeo championship, an auto race, skating exhibitions, etc. The lease will not expire until 2034.

The Coliseum was built in 1974, with the Oilers as one of the main tenants. Northlands received revenue from sponsorships, food, beverages sales, etc. as well as from the lease of the facility by the Oilers.

In August, 1994, operation of the Coliseum was handed over to Peter Pocklington, owner of the Oilers. Pocklington could then "pocket" revenue from hockey and concert events. In lieu of rent, the Oilers collected a ticket tax on all events which amounted to $2 million/year which the city gave to Northlands, which with their reduced management and operations costs, covered expenses of Northlands Park.

Over the past year, there has been much discussion about the Oilers leaving Edmonton to, among other places, Houston. Instead, Pocklington sold the team to a group of local investors, who only wanted to operate a hockey team, not an arena. Beginning in July or August, 1998, the Oilers will return operation back to Northlands and pay $2m plus in rent. Northlands will now regain revenue from concerts and other activities, but will also be responsible for staffing, such as ushers and ticket takers. The added revenue plus some help from the city is expected to balance their $5m + budget. Any surplus is used to upgrade Northlands Park's facilities.

That's a lot of detail, but for our purposes, the ultimate ownership of facility is always been Northlands (structure) and the city (land). And Northlands relationship to the city is a public corporation, much like the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority or the Calgary Stampede. Hence, PUBLIC.

----------- Gerry Mildner Dept of Urban Studies & Planning Portland State Univ. 632 SW Hall, Room 340 P.O. Box 751 Portland, Oregon 97207 (503) 725-5175 office (503) 725-8770 fax

September 24, 1998

Crane company gives Coliseum a new name

Dan Barnes

Edmonton Journal Staff Writer

Edmonton - It's difficult enough to name all 31 members of the Oilers ownership group. But through years of franchise frailty it was absolutely impossible to name the building that houses their NHL team.

Until Wednesday, that is, when it was revealed that the Oilers have sold the naming rights to St. Albert-based Skyreach Equipment Ltd.. The building which had been named Northlands Coliseum, then Edmonton Coliseum, is now Rexall Place.

It will have that moniker for at least the next five years. A source said the deal is worth about $1 million Cdn per season to the Oilers and Skyreach has an option for an additional five years.

It's a big deal, not just financially but in terms of fan confidence, says general manager and president Glen Sather. "We couldn't get anyone to buy in before. There was always the idea that the team wasn't going to be here. You've got great continuity now. There's no more of this, are they going to be here? That's history."

The team seems to be on the right financial path. All the luxury suites are sold for the coming season. The team figures it can double last year's revenues from television and radio rights by taking them in-house this season. And ad signage appears to be selling at a great clip. "We had a very good sales season. My job is to get money for Glen to spend. The more I get, the better off he is," said Oilers' executive vice-president Doug Piper, who helped construct the Skyreach deal.

"This deal helps him a lot. And it's very timely. This is well ahead of schedule. We thought it may not get done until after the first of the year." But Skyreach president Barry Weaver is also a member of the Oilers ownership group and had a vested interest in the move. Nobody else in the 31-member consortium was prepared to pony up the dough, but he added to his initial $1 million contribution and the deal was done in 10 days, said Piper.

The Oilers unveiled a picture of the building with the Rexall Place logo splashed all over it at Wednesday's media conference but don't get too attached to the sign. "It won't look exactly like that," said Piper. The Oilers are getting signage design quotes from a few companies in order to give the building a new look, to go with its new name.

One thing is certain at this point though, underneath the prominent Rexall Place sign will be smaller back-lit signs for the team's four major sponsors. Two days ago ScotiaBank joined that group, which includes Molson's, Chrysler and Telus. "We're getting all our ducks in a row," said Jim Hole, chairman of the ownership group. "We can sit back and enjoy hockey soon."

He'll enjoy it a lot more if the Oilers management team delivers on their lofty commitment to break even financially as early as this season. Piper said things are on track, Sather hedged only slightly, knowing he has to sign three big-name free agents. "We're working on it. Yeah, I think it's realistic at some point in time. It depends on where the (value of Canadian) currency is."

Right now it's at a dangerously low level for a team with many U.S. currency player contracts and travel costs. But Sather has to sign only Doug Weight, Ryan Smyth and Janne Niinimaa to complete this year's team and the payroll at this moment, according to figures from the NHLPA and player agents, sits at about $17.9 million US. That incorporates 29 salaries belonging to players with legitimate chances to make the hockey club and it will certainly change in the next couple of weeks. Last year's payroll was about $18.5 million US.

The changeover from former owner Peter Pocklington to the Edmonton Investors Group was supposed to put more money in Sather's player budget. Sources said he asked for about $30 million US and was handed $24 million. Hole was asked if his group had delivered enough player money to the GM. "He's got too much," laughed Hole. Sather smiled at that news. "That'll be the day."

Hole said yesterday has gone a long way toward putting the Oilers on a solid foundation, even if the company that bought the naming rights spends much of its time in the air, renting, selling and servicing aerial work platforms. "We've had great support from our fans and a good increase in ticket prices and they supported us," said Hole. "This goes a long way to help us too. Now, as long as Glen doesn't spend too much money, we'll be OK."

Thursday, September 24, 1998

His name in the game

Rexall Place rises over Edmonton Coliseum

By MARIO ANNICCHIARICO and TONY BLAIS,

EDMONTON SUN

The Edmonton Coliseum has a brand-new name and the Oilers organization is hoping it will be an uplifting experience for both the fans and the team.

The Rexall Place is the building's new moniker, thanks to yesterday's announcement that a five-year agreement has been reached with St. Albert-based Skyreach Equipment Ltd., which specializes in aerial work platforms.

Skyreach president and principal shareholder Barry Weaver, who is also a member of the Oilers-owning Edmonton Investors Group, agreed to purchase the rights to the building's name for a reported minimum $1 million a year.

The company also has the option on five more years.

"To the Edmonton Oilers and the Edmonton Investors Group it means a very important piece of the puzzle to keeping the Oilers in Edmonton has been completed," said club executive vice-president of business operations, Doug Piper.

The ice surface will soon be painted with the Skyreach logo and new signs will appear in about six weeks, he said.

Like the Oilers franchise which has been in the NHL for two decades, Skyreach, which has 14 locations across Canada, is in its 20th year of operation.

"I believe this is a great opportunity for Skyreach to increase their exposure regionally, nationally and internationally," said Weaver, 53, in a release.

Weaver's wife, Lorraine, said last night from their St. Albert home that the family was ecstatic about the deal.

"He's, I think, pretty excited about it," she said. "We're all pretty excited about it."

However, she wouldn't reveal how much her husband has agreed to pay for the naming rights.

"No, I can't say that," she said, laughing.

Lorraine said her husband was out of town on business and was trying to get back last night in time to see some of the hockey action at the renamed Coliseum.

A 1996 Sun article pegs Skyreach's annual sales at more than $30 million a year and appraises a 2,000-piece inventory of hoists, scissor-lifts and other items at $100 million.

The name of the Oilers home ice has been up for grabs since the team's local ownership group began trying to raise money to buy the team.

"It's something we've been searching for for years in Edmonton and for these fellows to come forward and do this is a great boost to us," said Oilers GM Glen Sather.

"It's much better than having a national eastern firm with head offices in Montreal or Toronto," said Sather. "These guys are from Alberta and Albertans. I like it."

The building was called Northlands Coliseum until former Oilers owner Peter Pocklington took over the rights and concessions in 1994 and renamed it Edmonton Coliseum.

Calgary's former Olympic Saddledome became the Canadian Airlines Saddledome in July 1996, earning the locally owned Flames an extra $10 million over 20 years.

Thursday 20 April 2000

It's the young fans who are making Rexall Place jump

Unlike the old glory days, students from university, colleges pump up enthusiasm

Tom Barrett

The Edmonton Journal

The coup is complete.

Passionate, partying young hockey fans have taken over Rexall Place.

Their painted faces, blue and white wigs and crazy costumes have energized and transformed the building and the Oilers.

Local students from the University of Alberta, Grant MacEwan and NAIT have discovered that Oiler games, particularly playoff games, are some of the best fun in town.

Their presence is noticeable during the season but in the playoffs, they totally rock and rule.

It's their party and they'll roar if they want to. Their raucous but infectious spirit has created the best playoff atmosphere in the NHL.

It is difficult to believe that out-of-town writers once derided the old Coliseum as the Mausoleum or The Library.

It was so quiet in the old days. All that fabulous hockey Gretzky, Messier and their mates displayed for years created a generation of hockey snobs. Very passive hockey snobs.

The building certainly rocked in 1984 when the Oilers won their first Cup. Who can forget the fans loudly taunting Islanders goalie Billy Smith and waving wigs at him as he was repeatedly driven from the net?

But in the years that followed it became virtually impossible to get fans out of their seats.

Now nobody can get them to sit down. I Want to Rock and Roll All Night has virtually replaced O Canada as the national anthem during the playoffs. Most older fans love the new atmosphere. Some say it makes them feel young again to be at the centre of all that positive energy.

Natalie Minckler, the Oilers director of marketing, says the young fans are great.

"Their enthusiasm is incredible," she says. "The team feeds off it. They love it, they draw energy from it."

She noted how Oilers winger Bill Guerin said before Sunday's game that the players were counting on the fans to get behind them.

Thanks to the young fans, Billy was not disappointed. The crowd roared, the Oilers scored and team profits soared. Only the battered Stars went home unhappy that night.

Minckler acknowledges the young fans sometimes are a little over the top. Scattered booing of the American national anthem or harassing players on the Dallas bench is unfortunate.

On the whole they are courteous to people around them if deafeningly loud and decidedly irreverent.

Stars goalie Eddie Belfour really gets their juices flowing. The various Belfour signs fans brought Tuesday ranged from rowdy to outright obscene.

The new generation of fans speak respectfully of the Gretzky era but they have their own heroes.

There's Doug Weight, Tommy Salo, Guerin, and of course, big Georges Laraque, this generation's version of Dave Semenko.

All the young fans want now is one more chance to scream. One final opportunity to let loose and thank the players for giving us some great playoff hockey.

Keep your fingers crossed on Friday.

Monday, March 19, 2001

New look for old barnOilers plan to renovate Rexall Place to the tune of $10M-plus

By ROBIN BROWNLEE, EDMONTON SUN

Rexall Place is in for its second major renovation in less than 10 years, a proposed facelift for the aging home of the Edmonton Oilers that will cost in excess of $10 million when all of the bells, whistles and amenities are in place.

Eleven new luxury suites.

A state-of-the-art score clock.

Replacement of 7,700 seats.

Upgraded television lighting.

Until agreement on who pays for what can be struck between Edmonton Northlands and the Oilers, the proposed upgrades are little more than a wish list, but talks aimed at dressing up the old rink are already under way.

"It's a part of doing business," Oilers president Patrick LaForge said yesterday. "We're looking at these things and discussing what we can do to get it done."

Rexall Place is owned by the City of Edmonton and managed by Northlands. The Oilers are the primary tenant. The building underwent major renovations seven years ago, when Peter Pocklington owned the team.

COMMITTEE IN PLACE

The Oilers ownership group of today, fronted by chairman Cal Nichols, has struck a committee to oversee the latest upgrades and renovations - some desired, others required.

"Everything probably has a different time frame," Nichols said yesterday. "The score clock is an absolute priority in time for next season. It's old technology."

Preliminary blueprints have already been drawn up with an eye to having the 11 luxury suites in place on Level 5 of the rink in time for the start of next season.

Proposed improvements include:

- Eleven luxury suites, planned for the dressing room side of the upper bowl, which would be located under existing Skysuites.

- Installation of a new score clock and video replay screens at centre ice, at a cost of about $3 million.

- Upgrading of television lighting around the upper catwalk, at a cost of $600,000-$800,000.

- Replacement of as many as 7,700 blue seats in the upper bowl and repair of others, at a cost of $1 million.

- Repair of the roof, which is in need of general upgrading.

"You could probably spend $10 million to $15 million," Nichols said. "If the money was available, you'd probably do as much of it as quickly as you could.

"You're trying to stay as modern and up-to-date as you can with the new buildings coming on stream."

Upgrading of the score clock and the video screens, as well as the television lighting and roof repair, are required: the centre-ice score clock and components are at the end of their projected lifespan, the existing lighting is substandard and the roof leaks.

"These are customer service issues," Nichols said. "You have to stay up with the times. We're just barely getting by the (NHL) standard with the lights. The blue seats, they've been there from the time the building was built.

"You also have an artificial ice plant that is the same vintage as the building and it's only a matter of time before it needs some attention. There's the roof ... it's like a house, when things wear out you have to replace them."

Renovations seven years ago were funded by federal infrastructure money and by Pocklington.

AGREEMENT SOUGHT

What remains to be decided to bring the latest upgrades from the drawing board to reality is agreement among the parties as to who pays what share.

"We're all talking about it together," LaForge said. "It's not just the Oilers. There's rodeo, car shows and whatever else goes in the building. Obviously, we're the largest tenant, but there's a lot of consideration for everything else that goes on.

"We're talking about what's good for business in the city overall. Edmonton is going to need a first-class facility. I think everybody concurs with that."

The Oilers are already pursuing several potential streams of revenue, most notably a joint proposition with the Calgary Flames to have Ralph Klein's government revisit the possibility of aiding both teams by establishing an Oilers-Flames lottery.

The Oilers are also exploring what revenues are available through the Internet and pay-per-view television.

Oilers, retailer see 'healthy' relationship Friday, November 21, 2003

By ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI, EDMONTON SUN

The Edmonton Oilers are digging into the medicine chest for a little pick-me-up.

The team got a pharm-assist yesterday in the form of a 10-year sponsorship deal with Canada's largest pharmacy retailer, Katz Group Inc., an arrangement that changes Rexall Place into Rexall Place.

"Being from Edmonton, born and raised here, it gives me a great deal of pride to partner with the Oilers," said Daryl Katz, chairman of the Edmonton-based Katz Group, which owns the Canadian rights to the Rexall brand. "The Oilers stand for everything great about hockey, health and active living."

Terms of the deal were not disclosed - the previous contract with Skyreach was for $1.2 million a year - but club president Patrick LaForge says it'll make Rexall even more of a household name than it is already.

"We that know all of our partners - Coke, Ford, Telus, Scotia Bank - enjoy significant market share differences in northern Alberta than they do anywhere else," said LaForge. "And most of that is related to their hockey stuff. Molson, for sure, can brag about a significant market advantage here because of us."

Rexall, which just bought naming rights to the National Tennis Centre in Toronto - now the Rexall Centre - has 1,500 pharmacies in Canada and plan to use the deal as a springboard to launch their new line of products.

"This is much more than a naming rights deal," said Katz.

"In addition to putting the Rexall name on the building, this is a comprehensive, long-term marketing partnership that runs the gamut from community relations to retail tie-ins to national advertising."

While head coach Craig MacTavish would rather not see the arena become known as a place where visiting teams can find a cure for what's ailing them, Oilers brass does want the building synonymous with good health.

"I'm very pleased with the whole thing," said LaForge.

"They're a fantastic brand. We have over one million people come through our doors and research tells us they're more health conscious and more health attentive than ever before.

"Our goal is to make this a place that is known for health and skill and the needs of the fans."

Edmonton Oilers (WHA)/Edmonton Oilers (NHL) Edmonton Gardens 1972-1974 Northlands Coliseum 1974-1979 Rexall Place 1979-Present New Arena Future