Canadiens holding company CH Group Monday announced Chair Geoff Molson will replace Pierre Boivin as the team's President & CEO next year. A succession plan calls for current Boivin to remain in the role until June 30, 2011, and to work closely with Molson during the transition period ( Canadiens ). In Montreal, Pat Hickey noted Boivin will remain with the organization as a CH Group BOD member. Boivin was hired by former Canadiens Owner Molson Inc. as President in '99 and was retained by former Owner George Gillett when he "purchased the controlling interest in the team and the Bell Centre in 2001" ( Montreal GAZETTE, 7/6 ). SEPARATE DEALINGS : Oilers President & CEO Patrick LaForge Monday reiterated that the Katz Group's " interest in Hamilton's hockey business has no bearing on the company's operations in Edmonton." LaForge: "It's not about the Oilers, it's not about Edmonton, it's not about Katz Group's owning even the tiniest part of another NHL team." LaForge added, "We don't have a deal with Hamilton. There is no proposition. We haven't even had the first meeting yet." LaForge said that the Hamilton City Council "voted unanimously to have city staff start work with Katz Group representatives to draft a non-binding memorandum of understanding that will be presented to council before Aug. 30," and that the memorandum "could lead to a licence to operate various unnamed facilities that are currently owned or operated" by the city ( EDMONTONJOURNAL.com, 7/6 ). ISLAND GETAWAY : On Long Island, Arthur Staple noted free agent D Paul Martin before signing with the Penguins last week talked with Islanders GM Garth Snow and "asked him point-blank about Nassau Coliseum and what the situation was with the building." Martin's agent, Octagon Hockey USA Dir of Player Representation Ben Hankinson: "Garth said the team was there for five more years. And I could just see it in Paul's face." Hankinson said the arena is "just going to be a problem for Garth, and he was as aggressive as he could have been with Paul." Staple wrote the Coliseum "is a hurdle out of Snow's hands, one that could tie his hands when it's time for his team to take the next step" ( NEWSDAY, 7/3 ). ROOM TO OPERATE : Mike Nealy, who last week was promoted to COO of the Coyotes, said there have been “no handcuffs” placed on the team by the NHL, which is operating the club until an owner is found. Nealy: “The NHL approved the budget … they are not gonna micromanage; it’s not an austerity program. They’ve given [GM] Don Maloney the room to do the right thing; they’ve given me room to deliver for Don Maloney, and we’re moving forward.” He added, “I’ve been given a good runway here with a team that’s got a lot of potential, and the NHL has given rope there to do what needs to be done” ( ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/7 ). SKATING SHORTHANDED : In Dallas, Tim Cowlishaw wrote the Stars, who have been put up for sale by Owner Tom Hicks, are "truly handicapped by Hicks' fingerprints today." They are a "bad team that has missed the playoffs the last two years and has no obvious blueprint for improvement." The Stars in the past "have never had to sell a product that had gone two years without a playoff appearance," and have "never had to sell a product without" C Mike Modano, who will not be offered a new contract by the team. Cowlishaw: "That's the real curse of life at the end of the Tom Hicks regime" ( DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/6 ).
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