North Bay in the OHL rumour mill again

A Globe and Mail report states that the Brampton Battalion are denying rumours that the OHL franchise is planning to re-locate the franchise to North Bay for the start of the 2009-2010 season.

"We must be the flavour of the month," Brampton Battalion president Mike Griffin told the Globe and Mail about the latest OHL rumour.

"The bottom line is we have five years left on our current agreement. We signed a 15-year lease at the start and we're about to begin our 11th year."

North Bay Mayor Vic Fedeli didn't have much to say about the OHL rumour.

“Although this will add fuel to the fire we never comment positively or negatively about rumours,” Fedeli stated on Tuesday afternoon.

"I think you (Brampton President Mike Griffin) heard it from horses mouth and you best pay attention to that," he added.

North Bay was considered one of the front runners just over a year ago when Moe Mantha Jr. attempted to purchase the Mississauga IceDogs which were eventually sold to a Southern Ontario businessman who relocated the team to St. Catherines for the start of the 2007-2008 OHL season.

North Bay lost the Centennials in the spring of 2002 when they were sold to Saginaw businessman Dick Garber who moved the club to Saginaw for the start of the 2002-2003 season.