News

Seven weeks have elapsed since it was revealed that Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie had signed a letter of intent to purchase the Nashville Predators.

But even though Balsillie's $238-million (all currency U.S.) bid has stalled because of the National Hockey League's refusal to not only approve the sale, but also endorse the relocation of the franchise to Hamilton, the two other groups interested in buying the Predators have made little headway since owner Craig Leipold announced he would begin negotiating with other parties last month.

California financier William (Boots) Del Biaggio, also a minority owner of the San Jose Sharks, has remained silent about whether his bid is progressing. He offered less than $190-million and wants to move the team to Kansas City, where he has a contract with the Sprint Center's operator, Anschutz Entertainment Group, to own a NHL team in the new, $276-million downtown building.

Meanwhile, the leader of a Nashville group that officially launched its bid last week said yesterday the Predators need to average 16,000 tickets a game to break even. They averaged 13,815 in 2006-07, 28th in the 30-club league. If the average attendance is less than 14,000 again next season, the franchise can escape its long-term arena lease and move.

"For Nashville to keep the team and make it a viable team, the number we need to be looking at is 16,000, not 14,000," David Freeman told The Tennessean. "You don't want to be at the absolute league minimum on salary cap because I don't think anybody wants a team that is here but is habitually in last place. Certainly, our investor group, that's not what we want, either.

"So to have a team that's also above the league minimum salary cap, we're right back to that 16,000 number."

The salary floor in the NHL next season will be $34.3-million. Right now, the Predators have a payroll of slightly more than $30-million.

The Predators have sold 7,000 season tickets for next season.

Lundqvist re-signs

A day after the New York Rangers re-signed veteran Brendan Shanahan, they settled their differences with standout goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and inked him to a one-year, $4.25-million contract. Lundqvist, 25, was a nominee for the Vézina Trophy this past season and backstopped Sweden to the gold medal at the Turin Olympics last year. With Lundqvist on board, Rangers general manager Glen Sather has less than $3-million under the $50.3-million salary cap to sign forwards Sean Avery and Marcel Hossa.

Yashin seeing red

Mark Gandler, the New York-based agent for Alexei Yashin, said yesterday that if the "below market offers" continue for Yashin, the former New York Islanders forward will head back to Russia to play next season.

Gandler theorized that the clubs that have shown interest in Yashin believe they can get him cheap because he received a $17.63-million buyout for the remaining four years of his 10-year contract with the Islanders.

"I think that what's making an impression on teams is the fact that he received this huge buyout," Gandler told Vancouver radio station CKNW. "I don't know what else is weighing on them.

"I'm looking at players who are older and less productive and they are getting significant salaries. He just does not want to be the whipping boy. That's just not going to happen."

A top player in Russia can earn as much as $3-million tax-free.