If the Rangers intend to talk further with Glen Sather, it’s going to cost them simply for the privilege of doing so.
Edmonton’s Board of Directors held an emergency meeting yesterday in light of the news that deposed chairman Jim Hole, a Sather crony, had granted Dave Checketts at least informal permission to speak with the GM.
After the meeting, chairman Cal Nichols said that the Oilers were through allowing teams to chat up Sather, who has a July window to leave the team.
“Just to be granting permission [to teams] to talk or negotiate means we have an asset we’re giving away for nothing,” said Nichols, who seemed to be threatening to file tampering charges against the Rangers.
That presumably means that prospective Phoenix purchaser Steve Ellman, who is attempting to put together an ownership group that would include Wayne Gretzky, must also now pay for the privilege of speaking to Sather.