scamperdog
07-26-2007, 05:21 PM
Takin’ Care of Business www.kamloopnews.ca
by Mark Hunter
Jarome Iginla couldn’t turn down the offer two years in a row, and he’s hoping the Kamloops Blazers Sports Society feels the same way.
Iginla, who plays for the NHL’s Calgary Flames, is the newest member of River City Hockey Inc., the group attempting to purchase the Blazers. Also on board with RCH are Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi and fellow NHLers Shane Doan, Mark Recchi and Darryl Sydor. All four players are Blazers graduates.
Last year, Iginla turned down the chance to join RCH when it made its first offer, worth $6 million, for the WHL franchise. That offer was rejected.
When RCH decided to make a second offer and came-a-calling on Iginla this year, he couldn’t decline.
“I am getting older, I just turned 30 (on July 1),” said Iginla at a media gathering Wednesday at the Sandman Inn. “Hockey goes so fast and I love the game, I love being a part of it. One day, I would like to be a part of an ownership group in the WHL. . . . This a great opportunity.”
RCH has made an offer to purchase to the Society for $6.1 million. The Society currently consists of around 200 shareholders.
Last year, the Blazers board of directors turned down RCH’s offer without passing it on to the membership. Gaglardi and Co. have requested that members get a chance to look at this year’s offer and find out why RCH wants to purchase the team — and that’s why all but Recchi were in Kamloops on Wednesday.
An extraordinary general meeting of members has been called for Aug. 7 to deal with the society’s constitution, which the board believes must be altered before it can entertain purchase offers.
For Iginla, he wants to give back to the team that gave so much to him. The St. Albert native played with the Blazers from 1993-1996, winning Memorial Cups in 1994 and 1995 before moving up to the Flames.
“I’m very thankful that I got to come to an organization like this,” Iginla, who won a gold medal at the 2002 Olympics, said.
“I still keep in touch with my billets — I was very fortunate to have great billets, the Chan family and the Farnyiuks.”
The rest of the players echo Iginla’s statements. All four of the NHLers used the Blazers as a stepping-stone, and all four have achieved considerable success at the professional and international levels.
Doan, who currently plays for the Phoenix Coyotes and captained Team Canada to a gold medal at the World Championship in May, played for the Blazers from 1992 to 1995.
He looks back on his time in Kamloops fondly.
“The thing I remember is how close (the team) was,” said Doan, 30, whose wife, Andrea, is from Kamloops. “I’ve played with guys in the NHL for a long time — I’m going into my 12th year. Yet, the friendships I have with the guys here are still my closest ones.”
Sydor played for the Blazers from 1988-1992, winning a Memorial Cup in his final season. He has since played for the Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning, winning Stanley Cups in 1999 (Dallas) and 2004 (Tampa).
“We really care about this organization and care about the city,” said the 35-year-old, who recently signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“I think my time here really structured me for my career in hockey.”
Recchi played for the Blazers from 1986-1988 and owns a home in town.
The 39-year-old has played 18 seasons in the NHL with the Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes.
He won Stanley Cups in 1991 (Pittsburgh) and 2006 (Carolina), and scored his 500th career goal in January.
This quartet could basically be posterchildren for the success of the club, and Gaglardi knows that.
“These are the most-established and successful of any Blazers that have put on a uniform here,” he said.
“These guys have won championships at every level — Memorial Cups, World Championship medals, Olympic medals, Stanley Cups — and they’re a solid and wonderful group of guys.
“They care deeply about the Blazers.”
by Mark Hunter
Jarome Iginla couldn’t turn down the offer two years in a row, and he’s hoping the Kamloops Blazers Sports Society feels the same way.
Iginla, who plays for the NHL’s Calgary Flames, is the newest member of River City Hockey Inc., the group attempting to purchase the Blazers. Also on board with RCH are Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi and fellow NHLers Shane Doan, Mark Recchi and Darryl Sydor. All four players are Blazers graduates.
Last year, Iginla turned down the chance to join RCH when it made its first offer, worth $6 million, for the WHL franchise. That offer was rejected.
When RCH decided to make a second offer and came-a-calling on Iginla this year, he couldn’t decline.
“I am getting older, I just turned 30 (on July 1),” said Iginla at a media gathering Wednesday at the Sandman Inn. “Hockey goes so fast and I love the game, I love being a part of it. One day, I would like to be a part of an ownership group in the WHL. . . . This a great opportunity.”
RCH has made an offer to purchase to the Society for $6.1 million. The Society currently consists of around 200 shareholders.
Last year, the Blazers board of directors turned down RCH’s offer without passing it on to the membership. Gaglardi and Co. have requested that members get a chance to look at this year’s offer and find out why RCH wants to purchase the team — and that’s why all but Recchi were in Kamloops on Wednesday.
An extraordinary general meeting of members has been called for Aug. 7 to deal with the society’s constitution, which the board believes must be altered before it can entertain purchase offers.
For Iginla, he wants to give back to the team that gave so much to him. The St. Albert native played with the Blazers from 1993-1996, winning Memorial Cups in 1994 and 1995 before moving up to the Flames.
“I’m very thankful that I got to come to an organization like this,” Iginla, who won a gold medal at the 2002 Olympics, said.
“I still keep in touch with my billets — I was very fortunate to have great billets, the Chan family and the Farnyiuks.”
The rest of the players echo Iginla’s statements. All four of the NHLers used the Blazers as a stepping-stone, and all four have achieved considerable success at the professional and international levels.
Doan, who currently plays for the Phoenix Coyotes and captained Team Canada to a gold medal at the World Championship in May, played for the Blazers from 1992 to 1995.
He looks back on his time in Kamloops fondly.
“The thing I remember is how close (the team) was,” said Doan, 30, whose wife, Andrea, is from Kamloops. “I’ve played with guys in the NHL for a long time — I’m going into my 12th year. Yet, the friendships I have with the guys here are still my closest ones.”
Sydor played for the Blazers from 1988-1992, winning a Memorial Cup in his final season. He has since played for the Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning, winning Stanley Cups in 1999 (Dallas) and 2004 (Tampa).
“We really care about this organization and care about the city,” said the 35-year-old, who recently signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“I think my time here really structured me for my career in hockey.”
Recchi played for the Blazers from 1986-1988 and owns a home in town.
The 39-year-old has played 18 seasons in the NHL with the Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes.
He won Stanley Cups in 1991 (Pittsburgh) and 2006 (Carolina), and scored his 500th career goal in January.
This quartet could basically be posterchildren for the success of the club, and Gaglardi knows that.
“These are the most-established and successful of any Blazers that have put on a uniform here,” he said.
“These guys have won championships at every level — Memorial Cups, World Championship medals, Olympic medals, Stanley Cups — and they’re a solid and wonderful group of guys.
“They care deeply about the Blazers.”