Sources tell Sports Talk with Teddy Panos the mystery buyer interested in purchasing the Lock Monsters from Elkim McCallum is New Jersey Devils Owner Jeff Vanderbeek.
If Vanderbeek can receive assurances of a strong commitment from the city of Lowell and a strong push to sell season tickets, he would be willing to keep the team in the Mill City and make it a Devils affiliate. Reports out of Carolina have the Hurricanes pulling their affiliation out of Lowell when their contract with the Monsters expires after the season.
Vanderbeek was approved as majority owner of the Devils in September of 2004. He spearheaded the effort to build a brand new, $310-million arena in downtown Newark, New Jersey. The building will seat 18,000 and be ready in September of 2007, replacing the Devils current home, Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford.
If Vanderbeek’s requirements are met and he purchases Lowell’s American Hockey League entry, the transaction would bring much needed stability and leadership to the troubled team. It’s no coincidence the Manchester Monarchs, owned and operated since inception by the Los Angeles Kings, are one of the AHL’s most successful franchises.
In National Hockey League circles, New Jersey is a well respected and well run organization. Team President, Lou Lamoriello, is regarded as one of the NHL’s brightest minds, and has even been rumored to be a target of the Boston Bruins in the past. Having the Devils as a parent club would provide the Lock Monsters with plenty of front office experience in running a hockey operation and a stability sorely lacking in the past. With their solid farm system, the Devils could stock the roster with a core of prospects Mill City hockey fans can identify with and follow for many years.
The question now remains; Will Lowell’s city leaders make the commitment necessary to make this transaction a reality? If so, will area fans step up and support the Lock Monsters, avoiding a potential black eye for the city should the team up and leave?
What’s your take?
Comments (1)
Ted,
This is absolutely a no-brainer decision for Lowell City officials. You stated some of the key facts that almost guarantee this as win for our fair city: a successful front office running the business, a hockey brain trust to maintain an entertaining (winning) product on the ice and you could probably throw in a better regional fan base into the positive mix.
I would also like to point out that our local business owners need to invest the time and voice their interests to those city officials because it's not just the hockey fans in the area who are losing out if this does not happen. I'll drop a few names.....The Brewery, Cobblestones, The AC ...etc..all need to be heard from.
I for one would like the team to stay. I'd actually be ecstatic if it was NJ. Most fans in the area appreciate the talent and grit that they have consistently commited to having over the years. And who can forget the "eat another donut" carnival back when Boston and Jersey had a decent rivalry?....I can see nothing but good coming from this Exclusive Scoop you have graced us with.....How do you do it?
Posted by JesusSavesThorntonScores | February 9, 2006 6:06 PM
Posted on February 9, 2006 18:06