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Devils Up For Sale...


HellOnICE

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March 15, 2003 -- EXCLUSIVE

Puck Holdings, Ltd., the YankeeNets affiliate that owns the Devils, wants to pass the puck, The Post has learned.

According to a source with strong connections to the NHL, Puck Holdings and Devils Chairman Raymond Chambers are in "serious ongoing discussions with a business person with local interests" about selling the Devils just under three years after having purchased the club from John McMullen for a staggering $195 million.

The source did not reveal the interested party's identity, but said the individual was a new player in the professional sports market and, as far as the source knows, is interested in buying the team for the purpose of keeping it in New Jersey. The Devils' lease with the New Jersey Sports Authority runs through the 2006-2007 season.

Additionally, the source said Chambers has privately admitted that buying the team was "a terrible mistake," and as such is willing to sell it for perhaps as little as $100 milion.

YankeeNets is exploring the Devils sale as it negotiates a deal to get the Yankees carried on Cablevision on terms that will bring in a lot less money than the sports network originally hoped for.

Puck Holdings Ltd. owes McMullen a final $35M payment next year to complete its obligation to the Devils' original owner.

Team CEO, president and general manager Lou Lamoriello offered no response when contacted last night by The Post.

"I appreciate the opportunity," Lamoriello said, "but I'm not going to comment."

McMullen was able to reap such a windfall in turning over the franchise

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It is believable.. but if they sell the Nets and the Nets decide to move to Long Island, the Devils could be forced to move.

There's really nowhere to move the Devils. All of the good markets are filled, and IMO anywhere they move would give them a slight boost.. but not enough to make it seriously worthwhile to move.

Everyone should be careful what they wish for, though.. this current ownership has let Lou spend whatever he wants, or so it appears, and I imagine if new ownership came in, Brodeur would be gone, and Stevens would not be re-signed after next year. The Devils should be around 15th in the league in spending, not 7th.

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The source did not reveal the interested party's identity, but said the individual was a new player in the professional sports market and, as far as the source knows, is interested in buying the team for the purpose of keeping it in New Jersey

that's all I need to hear..............could it be Donald Trump? or did he already own a franchise?

They could be moved temporarily so that CAA can be upgraded a bit if Newark falls apart.
yea but where? hartford? long island? MSG? :blink: hey, the philly spectrum is still standing
"I appreciate the opportunity," Lamoriello said, "but I'm not going to comment."

thanks for the info Lou <_<

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The Pond in Anaheim usually has about 13,000 fans and it seems loud, but then again it not a cavernous tin can like CAA.

I like the Pond, nice cozy arena.

As far as renovating CAA, a useful renovation would probably cost just as much as a new arena. They should just build one adjacent to the CAA, kinda like they did with the FU Center, except they can demolish the CAA when the new one is done.

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I doubt very much youd see Brodeur gone... For the same reason theyd want to keep hockey in NJ, theyd prolly want Brodeur to stay a Dev... Resigning stevens... they might just tell him to enjoy retirement by the time the deal is finalized.

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If this is true, it doesn't surprise me. We have had discussion about this on this board as way back as 2 years ago.

Even if they got the arena in Newark some of us believed they would sell the Devils but to an out of towner for an out of town move.

As for Lou, his years are numbered with the Devils anyway.

Devils can't draw.............................Period

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