University Hockey backers want to co-exist

Al McDonald (right) addresses the media during a press conference at Nipissing University Friday morning. Photo by Chris Dawson.

The University hockey group led by private investors Al McDonald and Dennis Lathem addressed the media for the first time since the Lakers hockey club officially was handed the lease deal for Memorial Gardens in the fall of 2009 when the University will ice its first ever hockey team.

That leaves the Skyhawks on the outside looking in - without a rink and ready to fold next fall.

"We did everything we could to try and drop our budget and make it work," said Blanchard earlier this week after city ocuncil made the choice on Monday night in council chambers.

But that was not the message sent out by Lakers hockey officials at their press conference.

Their message was optimism that a deal can still get done between the two sides.

"Our main point is that we are open to co-existence, we want to see that going forward and we will continue to negotiate with the Skyhawks and try and make that happen that was always our interest," said Lakers private investor Al McDonald.

Both sides have claimed that rink board advertising is a big stumbling block in negotiations up to this point.

McDonald doesn't like the approach the Skyhawks are taking with the negotiations - especially through the media - and he feels it's unfair that the Skyhawks are making the city and the University group look like the bad guys.

"His (Blanchard's) comments were hurtful and they were not very helpful. We've done everything in our power to make it (co-existence) happen we spent an entire month on single ownership as the city requested," said McDonald.

McDonald also thinks they have offered a reasonable price tag to purchase the junior team and he would like to see that offer made public.

"We were the ones that tendered an offer to them," McDonald insisted.

"They thought about it and came back to us and said the team wasn't for sale so they never countered, so if we were far apart in price I have no idea what he's talking about I can't release the price but I will give Guy and Al the permission to announce to the community and I encourage him to announce to the community what we offered him and we have nothing to hide so if the Skyhawks want to tell the community how much we made the offer we are happy to let them do it.

"When city council made the decision to let us be the main tenant it really bought the community another year of negotiations for the teams to co-exist. If they had chosen the Skyhawks at that time we would have been done because our timeline would have been gone and we would have waited another year (to apply)."

Royal Conflict?

The Skyhawks aren't the only NOJHL team upset about the University announcement. Officials with the Temiscaming Royals have voiced their displeasure over the news that North Bay could be leaving the NOJHL.

Ironically, University private investor Dennis Lathem is a part-owner of the new NOJHL franchise in Temiscaming.

Lathem claims his status as an part owner of the Royals hasn't played a part in the negotiations although word around the NOJHL is that if he became a part owner of the Skyhawks the league would force him to sell his interests in Temiscaming.

"I would have to give that some consideration if that would mean getting me out of Temiscaming," said Lathem.

Coach search

While the primary focus of the press conference was co-existence, the University did take the time to talk about its coaching search.

Nipissing University Athletics Director Vito Castiglione says they are hoping to hire a head coach by this September.

""We are not sure who is going to apply for the position we are going to put something out nationally and provincially and see who applies for it and hopefully we'll get some good applicants," said Castiglione noting that the head coaches salary will be the responsibility of the School.

Castiglione noted that Women's varsity hockey is also something they are looking into if the Men's program gets off to a successful start next fall.