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Scout
10-14-2008, 07:34 AM
Hodge, Kromm and assistants wait for word on Hawks sale
Portland GM, coaches could be out
By Jason Vondersmith

The Portland Tribune, Oct 13, 2008, Updated 17.2 hours ago

Rich Kromm is coach of the Portland Winter Hawks, for the moment. A sale to Calgary businessman Bill Gallacher could change that.

L.E. BASKOW / THE PORTLAND TRIBUNE
The Portland Winter Hawks leave for a seven-game, 11-day road trip on Tuesday. As far as coach Rich Kromm knows, he and his assistants Brian Pellerin and Kyle Gustafson are getting on the team bus.

Will they be riding back on the bus? Kromm doesn't know.

The Western Hockey League governors will vote on the sale of the team to Calgary businessman Bill Gallacher on Wednesday, after the league's general managers and governors meet in Calgary, Alberta. All along, it's been expected that the deal would be approved, and the WHL plans to have a Wednesday afternoon news conference, according to spokesman Cory Flett.

It's also expected that Gallacher, who could not be reached for comment, will clean house — bringing in new management and coaches, among other changes.

According to earlier reports, Mike Johnston, a former NHL assistant coach, would be the new general manager and head coach; Travis Green, a former WHL and NHL player, would be assistant GM/coach; and Ken Stickney, a chief executive with Mandalay Sports Entertainment, would be team president.

That means GM Ken Hodge, Kromm and his assistants would be out. On Monday, they were just in limbo.

"We don't know what's going to take place," says Kromm, whose team has started 1-6 after having the WHL's worst record last season. "We have a pretty good idea of what's going to happen. Until it happens, we've got to move forward and focus on the road trip."

"I know nothing," Hodge says. "Certainly no one on the hockey staff has been given any indication of what's going to happen moving forward."

Hodge has talked regularly with Johnston since early September.

"He hasn't indicated to me what his capacity or role will be," says Hodge, adding that he has only heard rumors.

"I haven't thrown that question at him, and he hasn't mentioned anything."

Kromm expects moves to be made during the road trip.

"It would make sense for them to do that, if that's their plan," he says. "You would think they'd want to be involved in the team as soon as possible."

The Winter Hawks play at Spokane on Wednesday and then travel to play games against the six WHL East Division teams, finishing in Swift Current on Oct. 25. The Hawks' play an eighth consecutive road game Oct. 31 at Tri-City.

Kromm has two kids in school in Portland, after bringing his wife and children to the area for the season. Last year, the family stayed in Penticton, British Columbia, while Kromm coached here. Another son of Kromm's plays hockey in Penticton, where Kromm previously coached with the Okanagan Hockey School.

"We still own a house up there. (Moving back) is one of the things we're looking at doing," he says.

Upon Mike Williamson's dismissal in summer 2007, the Winter Hawk owners hired Kromm, and the former Hawk and NHL player and WHL coach with Calgary took the job believing he would be here for the duration of his three-year contract.

But before long, the WHL got involved with the struggling Portland ownership situation. The league performed an audit and review of the franchise owned by New York businessman Jim Goldsmith, Jack Donovan and John Bryant.

"Since the spring, I had an idea that it would be sold, once the league got involved, because they were pushing for it," Kromm says. "We had a meeting at the end of the season, and (coaches) were reassured we were moving forward as a group. Then, things changed; it's possibly out of Jimmy's control."

The new ownership, of course, could retain Hodge and/or Kromm and his assistants in some capacity — or not.

There is no limit on the number of coaches WHL teams can retain, but "they probably don't want too many people involved," Kromm says.

Kromm doesn't know what he would do if he loses his job here. He says the Okanagan Hockey School has a full staff.

"I have to sit back and take a look and see what's out there," he says.

For Hodge, who has led the Hawks to Memorial Cup wins as a coach and a general manager, it's a bittersweet time. He'll attend the league's GM meetings, while Donovan will be at the governors' meeting.

"If I'm not going to be around, we'd certainly like to turn (the team) around," he says. "But we're a little bit handcuffed at the present time, in a number of areas."

Scout

Scout
10-15-2008, 05:19 PM
with Gregg Drinnan

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Just off a conference call that included WHL commissioner Ron Robison . . . Some points that were made about the sale of the Winter Hawks:

A price wasn't announced, nor will it be announced.

Bill Gallacher is in this alone, at least for now. Robison said that Gallacher is the "sole investor" although he is exploring a "local component" at this time. If that doesn't come through, Robison said the league has no doubts about Gallacher being able to shoulder the load by himself.

It is hoped that the deal will close around the end of October. I wouldn't expect a whole lot of change between now and then, and certainly not on the team's eastern road swing.

The vote to transfer ownership was unanimous.

More later . . .

By the way . . . the vote to award Brandon the 2010 Memorial Cup was unanimous. In fact, Brandon made its presentation first, after which Everett and Kelowna chose not to make presentations and, in fact, immediately offered support to Brandon.

Scout

Section Eight
10-17-2008, 10:22 AM
with Gregg Drinnan

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Just off a conference call that included WHL commissioner Ron Robison . . . Some points that were made about the sale of the Winter Hawks:

A price wasn't announced, nor will it be announced.

Bill Gallacher is in this alone, at least for now. Robison said that Gallacher is the "sole investor" although he is exploring a "local component" at this time. If that doesn't come through, Robison said the league has no doubts about Gallacher being able to shoulder the load by himself.

It is hoped that the deal will close around the end of October. I wouldn't expect a whole lot of change between now and then, and certainly not on the team's eastern road swing.

The vote to transfer ownership was unanimous.

More later . . .

By the way . . . the vote to award Brandon the 2010 Memorial Cup was unanimous. In fact, Brandon made its presentation first, after which Everett and Kelowna chose not to make presentations and, in fact, immediately offered support to Brandon.

Scout

Everett and Kelowna demonstrated a lot of class in doing so. Duly noted by Wheat King fans!!!

Scout
10-27-2008, 05:32 PM
By Jason Vondersmith

The Portland Tribune, Oct 27, 2008

CARL DE SOUZA / GETTY IMAGES

Mike Johnston talks to the Los Angeles Kings during a September 2007 practice. He is expected to be named general manager and coach of the Portland Winter Hawks at a Wednesday news conference.
The sale of the Portland Winter Hawks is expected to be completed this week, with a news conference being set up for Wednesday.

"It's just paperwork right now," says Jack Donovan, the outgoing team president and co-owner along with Jim Goldsmith and John Bryant. Donovan says the news conference is planned for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in downtown Portland.

Bill Gallacher, a Calgary oil and gas businessman, will take over the team. It's expected that Mike Johnston, a former NHL assistant coach, will be named general manager and coach, with former Western Hockey League player Travis Green serving as his assistant.

Ken Stickney would take over as president. He has been chief executive for Mandalay Sports Entertainment in Las Vegas, which operates several several minor-league baseball teams.

"No news at this time that I'm prepared to release," current GM Ken Hodge says. He's still inhabiting his office at Memorial Coliseum.

The new management has been "in and out" of the office recently, Donovan says.

"Our thoughts are that it's all good," Donovan says. "It's a good group of people coming in. They have tremendous plans for the team, things we could've never done. It's a very positive thing for Winter Hawks.

"They're real, real hockey people, and they'll do things that we've never even thought of. They want to make this the biggest and best organization in the Western Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League."

On Gallacher, Donovan adds: "I've met him – a wonderful guy. A good, hard businessman who knows what he wants and how he wants it done."

The ex-ownership's 2 1/2-year reign has been filled with problems and roadblocks, and the WHL encouraged sale of the team after conducting an audit and review in the spring. The Winter Hawks have been the WHL's worst team, record-wise, the past two seasons. Portland is 2-12 this season.

"It's sort of sad," Donovan says, of selling the team. "It's more of a job incomplete (for us). We would have liked to be able to bring a championship here. It was going to take a little more time; it took awhile to get the core group of players that we have. From that end, we wish we could have had more success on the ice, absolutely."



Scout

Scout
10-27-2008, 05:34 PM
with Gregg Drinnan

Monday, October 27, 2008

More on Portland

The changes have begun. . . . A source has informed me that Innes Mackie, the Winter Hawks' long-time trainer, was told Monday that his services no longer are required, effective immediately. . . . Mackie was one of the original Three Amigos -- the others being Ken Hodge and Brian Shaw -- who were most responsible for moving the original Edmonton Oil Kings franchise to Portland over the summer of 1976.

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