Hamilton Bulldog Gabriel Dumont battles Manitoba Moose defender Travis Ramsey during Game 7 of the AHL northern division final on May 9, 2011, in Hamilton.Cathie Coward/The Canadian Press
There is life after politics for Danny Williams - and it is hockey.
The former Conservative premier of Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the principals behind the move to bring professional hockey back to St. John's in the form of a an American Hockey League team.
The team would be the Manitoba Moose - and the deal is contingent on the Atlanta Thrashers moving their team to Winnipeg. The announcement, according to a report in The Telegram, is to be made Friday but could be held up depending on when the announcement is made about the Thrashers moving to Manitoba.
The Globe and Mail reported last week there was deal to move the Thrashers to Winnipeg, which has been hoping for an NHL franchise since the Jets left 15 years ago. An announcement was expected Tuesday, but it appears that has been delayed.
Nevertheless, Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz said on Canada AM Tuesday morning that he believes the deal is "imminent" and he is "quite confident the deal will be finalized."
Similarly, Mr. Williams says St. John's is "very close" to landing the Manitoba Moose, according to The Telegram. He has said he intends to purchase the team from its current owners, Mark Chipman's True North Sports and Entertainment, in "a year or two." Mr. Chipman will be holding on to the team until then, the newspaper says.
The former premier is no stranger to the world of hockey. He was vice-chairman of the St. John's Maple Leafs' board of directors. That team, of course, was the farm team for the Toronto Maple Leafs; it left Newfoundland six years ago.
A successful businessman and lawyer, Mr. Williams served as premier between 2003 and 2010. The often outspoken and controversial figure has been relatively quiet since leaving politics. But he's coming to Ottawa next month - just as Stephen Harper is bringing his majority government back to the House of Commons.
Mr. Williams, whose feud with the Conservatives was epic and resulted in the Tories being shut out of Newfoundland and Labrador in the 2008 election, will be honoured along with former British Columbia premier Gordon Campbell at the inaugural Modern Makers of Canada awards, given by the Institute on Governance.