PAT HICKEY, The Gazette
Published: Thursday, February 01, 2007
What kind of owner is George Gillett Jr.?
That was the question I fielded from a number of English colleagues yesterday as they pondered Gillett's imminent takeover of the Premier League's Liverpool Football Club.
I was able to reassure them that if Gillett's ownership of the Canadiens is any indication, Liverpool is in good hands.
I can recall there was similar concern when Gillett purchased the Canadiens in 2001. How could we allow this institution to fall into foreign hands? How could a crass U.S. businessman understand the tradition that was at the heart of the franchise?
Six years later, the Canadiens are in good hands, and it's difficult to find a Montrealer who wouldn't give Gillett high marks for his stewardship.
He has been supportive without being meddlesome. He has hired good hockey people and let them run the team. He has raised the payroll to the salary- cap limit. He has not only respected the team's history, but has thrown his support behind the activities leading up to the celebration of the team's centennial in 2009. Liverpool is another franchise with a great history, but I am sure Gillett will approach his latest acquisition with the same respect he has shown in Montreal.
The one concern I have is that the Liverpool purchase is an expensive one. The total bill for the club, the commitment to a new stadium and the assumption of the team's debt will be in the $1-billion range. He'll also need some cash on hand to deal with the inflation of salaries and transfer fees in international soccer.
While I'm not privy to Gillett's bank statements, I can say with some certainty that he will need help with the financing. I just hope he doesn't overextend himself and find himself in a position where he stops being the ideal owner he has been in Montreal.
Thibault set for Montreal? Former Canadiens goaltender Jocelyn Thibault has been used sparingly as the Penguins backup, but he could be in the nets Sunday afternoon when the Pens make a return visit to the Bell Centre.
Thibault has appeared in only 13 games this season and has an undistinguished 2-5-2 record with a 3.29 goals-against average. But he's coming off a strong effort in a 7-2 win over Phoenix Saturday and coach Michel Therrien has said he's going to need good goaltending from No. 1 Marc-Andre Fleury and Thibault as the team moves into a heavy part of the schedule.
The Pens are one of only two teams that have played fewer than 50 games and they have five back-to-back situations during their stretch run. The first of those is this weekend, when they play a Saturday matinee against Washington before flying to Montreal.
Thibault was injured most of last season and had a 1-9-3 record.
Rinkles defend title: Congratulations to the Rink Rake Rinkles, who defended their women's title at the second annual Source for Sports Canadian Pond Hockey Championships at the Deerhurst Resort in Ontario.
The team - which consists of Jodie Foster, former McGill stars Dana Rittmaster and Kathleen O'Reilly, and Concordia standouts Michelle Fauteux and Andrea Lynch - was undefeated in four games and beat the Toronto Wade Belaks 17-12 in the final. The Toronto team included former McGill Martlets Robin Spratt and Peggy Donohue.
The victory gave the O'Reilly family bragging rights. Her husband, Jason Berger, and brother, Patrick O'Reilly, played for Canadian EH? in the men's division and finished with a 1-4 record.
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazett...2-f1d2afd21938
Published: Thursday, February 01, 2007
What kind of owner is George Gillett Jr.?
That was the question I fielded from a number of English colleagues yesterday as they pondered Gillett's imminent takeover of the Premier League's Liverpool Football Club.
I was able to reassure them that if Gillett's ownership of the Canadiens is any indication, Liverpool is in good hands.
I can recall there was similar concern when Gillett purchased the Canadiens in 2001. How could we allow this institution to fall into foreign hands? How could a crass U.S. businessman understand the tradition that was at the heart of the franchise?
Six years later, the Canadiens are in good hands, and it's difficult to find a Montrealer who wouldn't give Gillett high marks for his stewardship.
He has been supportive without being meddlesome. He has hired good hockey people and let them run the team. He has raised the payroll to the salary- cap limit. He has not only respected the team's history, but has thrown his support behind the activities leading up to the celebration of the team's centennial in 2009. Liverpool is another franchise with a great history, but I am sure Gillett will approach his latest acquisition with the same respect he has shown in Montreal.
The one concern I have is that the Liverpool purchase is an expensive one. The total bill for the club, the commitment to a new stadium and the assumption of the team's debt will be in the $1-billion range. He'll also need some cash on hand to deal with the inflation of salaries and transfer fees in international soccer.
While I'm not privy to Gillett's bank statements, I can say with some certainty that he will need help with the financing. I just hope he doesn't overextend himself and find himself in a position where he stops being the ideal owner he has been in Montreal.
Thibault set for Montreal? Former Canadiens goaltender Jocelyn Thibault has been used sparingly as the Penguins backup, but he could be in the nets Sunday afternoon when the Pens make a return visit to the Bell Centre.
Thibault has appeared in only 13 games this season and has an undistinguished 2-5-2 record with a 3.29 goals-against average. But he's coming off a strong effort in a 7-2 win over Phoenix Saturday and coach Michel Therrien has said he's going to need good goaltending from No. 1 Marc-Andre Fleury and Thibault as the team moves into a heavy part of the schedule.
The Pens are one of only two teams that have played fewer than 50 games and they have five back-to-back situations during their stretch run. The first of those is this weekend, when they play a Saturday matinee against Washington before flying to Montreal.
Thibault was injured most of last season and had a 1-9-3 record.
Rinkles defend title: Congratulations to the Rink Rake Rinkles, who defended their women's title at the second annual Source for Sports Canadian Pond Hockey Championships at the Deerhurst Resort in Ontario.
The team - which consists of Jodie Foster, former McGill stars Dana Rittmaster and Kathleen O'Reilly, and Concordia standouts Michelle Fauteux and Andrea Lynch - was undefeated in four games and beat the Toronto Wade Belaks 17-12 in the final. The Toronto team included former McGill Martlets Robin Spratt and Peggy Donohue.
The victory gave the O'Reilly family bragging rights. Her husband, Jason Berger, and brother, Patrick O'Reilly, played for Canadian EH? in the men's division and finished with a 1-4 record.
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazett...2-f1d2afd21938
And he lives in Toronto.
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