from Canadian Press
The Globe and Mail says a senior National Hockey League official met with a group of business people who want to bring a second team to the Toronto area.
The Globe quotes sources as saying the unidentified group met for 2 1/2 hours with NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly in downtown Toronto last week. They also met with Paul Kelly, the executive director of the NHL Players’ Association. Both declined to comment.
The paper says the group proposes to build an arena in Vaughan, on land north of Pearson International Airport that’s owned by businessman Victor De Zen.
One source said the group’s market research showed a second team would not significantly impact the revenues of either the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Buffalo Sabres, provided that it is located in the northern part of the Metro Toronto area.
The owner of the Maple Leafs, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, has said it would not consider allowing another team into its territory without concrete data to demonstrate the Leafs position in the marketplace would not be compromised.
There has been much speculation that the Phoenix Coyotes are ripe for a move. The franchise is tied to an arena lease in Glendale, Ariz., until 2033, but the team lost an estimated US $35-million this year.