Hide Article Text (OCR)
NHL and IIHF set to tangleThe romance between the NHL and the IIHF is about to end.Dr. Gunther Sabetzki, president of the International Ice Hockey Federation, is getting ready to snap the umbilical cord.Good ol* Gunther, who had blind faith in NHL president John Ziegler, feels betrayed. He thinks he was killed in the back while he was extending the hand of friendship.A lover would say he was jilted. And that hurts. Gunther is convinced the NHL has made an end run behind the back of the IIHF. And he believes that it’s unethical.At the IIHF congress which was held at the new Diplomat Hotel in the capital of the Czech and Slovak Republic, the septugenarian president of the international shinny body got up and, choking from emotion, said;“I had a meeting with John Ziegler yesterday about the future of hockey on both sides of the Atlantic. It seemed a very amicable meeting. However, he never mentioned he had plans of his own.“I found out about his plans yesterday by watchingCzechoslovak television; Isaw Ziegler giving a press conference in London. I don’t understand Czech or Slovak,but I did understand thewords Stockholm, London and Dusseldorf.“I began to ask questions and found out Ziegler had announced not only the two exhibition games between the Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens, but also another 24 league games in Europe that would count in the NHL standings. As soonGeorgeGrossColumnist Toronto Sunas I get back to Dusseldorf, I’ll do my best to scuttle Ziegler’s plans.”What Ziegler and his associates did was approach the rinks in European cities that draw hockey fans and make adeal with them without theblessing of the IIHF and the respective associations of the involved countries.This arrangement of 24 international games is to be counted in the NHL scheduleand it was part of the strikesettlement between the NHL and the NHL Players Association. It is also possible that was the reason why Bob Goodenow, the new NHLPA executive director, showed up in Prague during the World Hockey Championship, albeit for a short time.Gord Renwick of Cambridge, vice-president of the IIHF, told me he hadnf seen Dr. Sabetzki so angry for some time. “He was really upset,” said Renwick.And Finnish executive Kalervo Kumola, a member of the IIHF marketing commis-sion, added:“Neither Ziegler nor (Alan) Eagleson have been in touchwith the Finnish HockeyAssociation regarding permission. They may have a difficult time organizing games, because our league starts on Sept. 12 and all the rinks are being used. Perhaps they could play the games in Paris, Milan or Barcelona.”The threatening rift bet-appeals to some IIHF executives. After asking for anonymity, a couple told me they have been concerned about the buddy-buddy relationship between Dr. Sabetzki and the NHL for some time.They figured Sabetzki was too close to the NHL and, perhaps, was not representingthe best interest of the IIHF.“When I get back, I’ll ask the owners of the Dusseldorf Arena if they want our games all year, or a couple of the NHL games,” challenged the IIHF boss. “Our teams aredeveloping young players, while the NHL is stealingthem.“To make sure all our rinks are aware of it, I’ll warn Munich and Stuttgart of the consequences. I don’t mind an exchange with the NHL, but I don’t want the NHL to kill our game. I just won’t allow that to happen.”It’s shaping up like a major confrontation between the two hockey moguls.’RESIDENTIAL*•NEW OFFERING - coifortable 2 BR home on NoiRailway, well built, full baj ment, Ige. garden. Pricedgween Sabetzki and the NHLsell.•Something New Blrtle - A lovely 2 BR bun on St. Clair St. Practice new, 768 sq. ft. with view the Birdtail River.•BIRTLE - a very co fortable bungalow w/2 BR i main floor, 1 in basemei Very nicely landscape close to schools. PricRight.I A
Newspaper Details
Shoal Lake Crossroads
Shoal Lake, Manitoba, CA
Tue, May 26, 1992
Page 11
Full Page
Clipped by
Jason P.
USA 13 Dec 2018
Other Publications Near Shoal Lake, Manitoba
Shoal Lake Star
Shoal Lake Crossroads
