The NHL is near a ”crisis” stage concerning the Minnesota North Stars`
application to relocate to San Francisco and must act quickly, league president John Ziegler said Monday.
”Over the 13 years I`ve been here, we`ve had a number of crises and there comes a time when you have to come to a decision,” Ziegler said after the league`s Board of Governors met in Chicago to review the North Stars`
situation and continue discussions concerning expansion.
Asked if the North Stars` application had reached a crisis stage, Ziegler said: ”We`re getting near. A decision must be made. April 9 is the date upon which the request to transfer is to be considered by the board.
”The longer it takes to come to a resolution, the more problems we create for ourselves.”
The Board of Governors was supposed to vote on the transfer request at this meeting but last week decided to postpone the vote ”because of the prospect of some potential purchasers,” Ziegler said.
One possible buyer stepped forward Monday, as a group interested in purchasing the team and keeping it in Minnesota released a list of its investors.
The 30-member group, North Star Hockey Partners, was organized by Minneapolis businessman and author Harvey Mackay. It includes Minnesota`s two wealthiest men, Curt Carlson and Twins owner Carl Pohlad.
”This list speaks for itself,” Mackay said in a statement. ”A brief review of the list will affirm that this is a group with the financial means with which to purchase the North Stars and the ability to make the franchise a successful one.”
The list of names was submitted Monday morning to the George and Gordon Gund, the North Stars owner, and to Ziegler, who wouldn`t comment on it. Ziegler did say that single owners or small partnership groups were preferential to Mackay`s larger group.
The league also discussed expansion during the 10-hour meeting and Ziegler said there was a ”convergence” between that issue and the North Stars` situation.
”It`s my opinion that the board will not finalize expansion until the North Stars` situation is resolved,” he said. ”Saying that, I do not believe this will hold up expansion, though it might delay” the process.
