Sale Approved

I think everyone knew the sale was in the works, but it (apparently) was not without concern and regret from some in the area.

Making it official the Western Hockey League (WHL) has unanimously approved the sale of the Prince George Cougars to EDGEPRO Sports & Entertainment, a local group headed by Greg Pocock.

The vote was taken at a WHL special meeting of board of governors that was held in Calgary and it was done so as not to waste time on putting things in motion for the upcoming season.

“Today is a dream come true for our ownership group, and the culmination of seven months of due diligence and negotiation,” said Pocock, in a prepared release.

“We are all very excited to begin a new era of WHL hockey in Prince George with citizens of the entire region.

We are confident that our business plan, our local ownership group and the management team we are assembling will produce success on the ice, and excitement in the stands and in the community.”

The Cougars were represented at Wednesday’s meeting by Brodsky and alternate governor Dallas Thompson, the team’s general manager.

Pocock now becomes principal owner of the team along with a group of investors which includes partners Ernest Ouellet, Raymond Fortier, and John Pateman and NHL defencemen Dan Hamhuis of the Vancouver Canucks and Eric Brewer of the Tampa Bay Lightning, both former Cougars.

“Dan and Eric are both northern B.C. boys, and their wives are from Prince George,” said Pocock. “Things are different in the North.  We understand how things need to be done in the North and have a proven track record of success in our various businesses.  We are looking forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting to work right away.”

The league has also approved the sale of the Regina Pats franchise to Queen City Sports & Entertainment Ltd.

The new Pats ownership group is headed by local businessman Anthony Marquart, who purchased the team from Russ and Diane Parker, owners of the Regina franchise for the past 19 seasons.

The other members of the group are Regina businessmen Todd Lumbard, Gavin Semple, Shaun Semple, and Jason Drummond.

“The WHL is fortunate to have attracted two very high calibre ownership groups who are fully committed to whatever is necessary to take the Prince George Cougars and the Regina Pats franchises to a new level,” said WHL commissioner Ron Robison. “We are confident that fans will enthusiastically embrace the local ownership groups and bring long-term stability to these WHL markets.”

Both deals are expected to close in late May.

A public introduction of the new Cougars ownership group at a media conference is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, from 12:15-1 p.m. at CN Centre.

Thompson and Todd Harkins, the Cougars director of player personnel, will be making the team’s choices at the WHL bantam draft in Calgary which starts Thursday at 7:30 a.m. PDT. The draft will be webcast live at whl.ca.

The Cougars hold the fifth overall selection in the draft.

Thanks to the Prince George Citizen for the info.