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**MoRcHeEbA** · 01-01-2004, 05:58 PM

Could Penguins fly?

Councillor woos team to flee Pitt for 'Peg

By ROSS ROMANIUK, CITY HALL REPORTER

The city's deputy mayor has asked superstar player and Pittsburgh Penguins owner Mario Lemieux to consider moving his team to Manitoba. In a letter to Lemieux, Coun. Dan Vandal points out that the NHL is facing "difficult decisions" with an imminent labour shutdown, and says Winnipeg is poised to welcome the last-place club if it can't make things work in Pennsylvania.

The league is expected to suffer a long shutdown due to a strike or lockout when the players' contract expires next September, as teams facing spiralling multi-million-dollar salaries deal with flagging attendance.

"If and when a whole bunch of different things happen" to bring in team revenue sharing or a salary cap, Vandal says, Winnipeg would be able to again ice a big-league franchise.

NOT OFFICIAL

"We have to be cognizant of the changing issues in the NHL, and position ourselves to capitalize on those changes," Vandal told The Sun in explaining his inquiry to Lemieux, which is dated Dec. 9. "The quality of the fan here is second-to-none -- so consider us."

Vandal's letter, which is not an official city inquiry, has received no response from Lemieux or the Penguins. A Penguins spokesman did not return calls for comment yesterday.

The deputy mayor's move comes on the heels of widespread media speculation -- including respected NHL commentator John Davidson -- that the two-time Stanley Cup-winning club should consider moving to Winnipeg, which lost the Jets to Phoenix in 1996.

The NHL's expected labour dispute is anticipated to be long and ugly, with many predicting its financial structure will see a major shakeup. The league's players' association has offered team owners a 5% pay cut, which was refused. Owners are seeking a per-team salary cap of $31-million US, which the players have balked at.

Former Jets ownership partner Randy Moffat says Winnipeg would be able to support an NHL franchise only if the league's financial structure changes "considerably," and he's not holding his breath.

"I personally doubt it, but who knows?" Moffat said. "It would all have to come out of the players' hides -- and I don't think they're about to accept that."

Vandal admitted much must happen to make Winnipeg a possible NHL centre.

IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT

He also pointed out that True North investors would have to work with him to put a team into the new $133-million MTS Centre. Mark Chipman, president of the AHL's Manitoba Moose, said too many uncertainties make it impossible to predict the city's prospects at landing another big-league team.

But he's not ruling out working with Vandal to make it happen.

"We got into this business as a consequence of our trying to keep an NHL team here," Chipman said. "If there were a point in time where the economics of the NHL work for Winnipeg, of course we'd be supportive of it.

Frank Brown, the NHL's vice-president of media relations, didn't want to speculate on Winnipeg's major-league hockey hopes.

"We have no current plans for expansion, we have no current plans for relocation," Brown said.

"And one of the stated objectives of the collective bargaining agreement is to keep all 30 of our clubs exactly where they are."

01-01-2004, 05:58 PM	#14
MoRcHeEbA Dirty Sanchez Below Posts: 16,149	Could Penguins fly? Councillor woos team to flee Pitt for 'Peg By ROSS ROMANIUK, CITY HALL REPORTER The city's deputy mayor has asked superstar player and Pittsburgh Penguins owner Mario Lemieux to consider moving his team to Manitoba. In a letter to Lemieux, Coun. Dan Vandal points out that the NHL is facing "difficult decisions" with an imminent labour shutdown, and says Winnipeg is poised to welcome the last-place club if it can't make things work in Pennsylvania. The league is expected to suffer a long shutdown due to a strike or lockout when the players' contract expires next September, as teams facing spiralling multi-million-dollar salaries deal with flagging attendance. "If and when a whole bunch of different things happen" to bring in team revenue sharing or a salary cap, Vandal says, Winnipeg would be able to again ice a big-league franchise. NOT OFFICIAL "We have to be cognizant of the changing issues in the NHL, and position ourselves to capitalize on those changes," Vandal told The Sun in explaining his inquiry to Lemieux, which is dated Dec. 9. "The quality of the fan here is second-to-none -- so consider us." Vandal's letter, which is not an official city inquiry, has received no response from Lemieux or the Penguins. A Penguins spokesman did not return calls for comment yesterday. The deputy mayor's move comes on the heels of widespread media speculation -- including respected NHL commentator John Davidson -- that the two-time Stanley Cup-winning club should consider moving to Winnipeg, which lost the Jets to Phoenix in 1996. The NHL's expected labour dispute is anticipated to be long and ugly, with many predicting its financial structure will see a major shakeup. The league's players' association has offered team owners a 5% pay cut, which was refused. Owners are seeking a per-team salary cap of $31-million US, which the players have balked at. Former Jets ownership partner Randy Moffat says Winnipeg would be able to support an NHL franchise only if the league's financial structure changes "considerably," and he's not holding his breath. "I personally doubt it, but who knows?" Moffat said. "It would all have to come out of the players' hides -- and I don't think they're about to accept that." Vandal admitted much must happen to make Winnipeg a possible NHL centre. IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT He also pointed out that True North investors would have to work with him to put a team into the new $133-million MTS Centre. Mark Chipman, president of the AHL's Manitoba Moose, said too many uncertainties make it impossible to predict the city's prospects at landing another big-league team. But he's not ruling out working with Vandal to make it happen. "We got into this business as a consequence of our trying to keep an NHL team here," Chipman said. "If there were a point in time where the economics of the NHL work for Winnipeg, of course we'd be supportive of it. Frank Brown, the NHL's vice-president of media relations, didn't want to speculate on Winnipeg's major-league hockey hopes. "We have no current plans for expansion, we have no current plans for relocation," Brown said. "And one of the stated objectives of the collective bargaining agreement is to keep all 30 of our clubs exactly where they are."