Are the Florida Panthers for sale?
The Globe and Mail reports a group is interested in merging with the parent company that owns the South Florida hockey team.
A company that spurned overtures from the Phoenix Coyotes is negotiating to invest in another financially shaky NHL team: the Florida Panthers.
Sports Properties Acquisition Corp., controlled by New York financier Andrew Murstein and high-profile former U.S. politicians Mario Cuomo and Jack Kemp, is talking to the team’s chairman and general partner Alan Cohen about merging with the Panthers’ parent company (Sunrise Sports & Entertainment), according to sources quoted by the Sports Business Daily.
NHL sources told The Globe and Mail that Murstein, who once tried to buy the Anaheim Ducks, has been making inquiries about the Panthers for several weeks. The Sports Properties vice-chairman was trying to ascertain if the team, which has not made the NHL playoffs for nine years and narrowly missed them this year, was on the rise.
Your guess is as good as mine as to how true this news is. The article’s author got several ‘no comment’ replies.
A new owner for the Panthers might cause the franchise to finally become serious about winning in the NHL. Something the current owner Alan Cohen has rarely displayed. He allowed Panther management to trade Roberto Luongo, and Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester is likely not to be back as a Florida Panther.(He’s a unrestricted free agent)s These players are arguably the best at their position in the NHL but team ownership wouldn’t ante up to meet their salary demands. Florida’s lack of playoff appearances over the last nine years can’t totally be attributed to a lack of talent.
- Montreal Canadiens hire Jacques Martin to be next head coach
- Mike Keenan out as Florida Panthers’ GM; Jacques Martin assumes role
- The toothless Florida Panthers- Shutout three games in a row
- Florida Panthers- Out of gas
- Florida Panthers to play two games in Europe
- The Magic Man- Florida beats Atlanta 1-0
- A Great Finnish- Florida Panthers beat Chicago Blackhawks 4-3
- Hat Trick- Florida Panthers NHL Team fails to live up to free Yarmulke Promise
- Will the real Florida Panthers please stand up
- Florida Panthers waive Wade Belak
- Eight is Enough- Edmonton beats Chicago 8-4
- Lydia Ko wins New South Wales Open
- The Comeback I- Pittsburgh Penguins beat NY Islanders 5-0
- Seattle Mariners Outfielder Greg Halman stabbed to death at age 24
- Hee Young Park wins CME Titleholders Championship
- Oklahoma State Women’s Basketball Coach Kurt Budke dead at 50
- Costly mistake- Blackhawks waive Rostislav Olesz
- Manager Tony La Russa announces retirement
- Puck Drop- Florida Panthers start the 2011-12 NHL season
- 13-time PGA Tour winner Dave Hill dead at 74
Comments are Closed