Sabres for Sale?

Buffalo Sabres managing partner Larry Quinn denied a report that the western New York hockey club is for sale.

In an article to be released later this week, Western New York Hockey magazine writer Jim Kelley reports that Quinn is looking for a buyer for the Sabres and that he reportedly approached Research in Motion co-founder Jim Balsillie with an offer.

Quinn released a statement on Dec. 8 denying the Sabres are for sale. “Absolutely not,” Quinn told TSN.ca. “We’re not selling the team, we’re not moving the team to Hamilton, there is absolutely nothing going on.”

The magazine also stated that part of the purchase bid would require that the Sabres play some of their home games out of Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ont. Quinn stated that the hockey club would “never entertain discussions to move the team out of Buffalo.”

Richard Rodier, Balsillie’s lawyer, issued a statement, via e –mail, on behalf of Balsillie.

“From time to time reports surface quoting anonymous sources claiming a club is for sale, or that Jim is doing this or that with respect to a particular club. These reports have generally been inaccurate,” Rodier said. “More importantly, these reports unfairly put the incumbent owners in the uncomfortable and potentially destabilizing situation of having to comment on these inaccurate reports. As such we have no comment beyond referring you to the statement made by Larry Quinn, the Managing Partner of the Sabres.

Earlier this year the Toronto Star reported that Balsillie approached Sabres owner Tom Golisano in 2007 about a potential sale. Galisano rejected Balsillie’s offer in December of that year saying that he would never move the team out of Buffalo.

This marks the third time Balsillie has tried to buy a hockey club.

In 2007 Balsillie made a $220 million (US) offer for the Nashville Predators. Balsillie went a step further by offering season tickets to hopeful hockey fans in Hamilton. The deal for the Penguins went sour after NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told Balsillie that the NHL would restrict his control of the team.

This news comes as the Board of Governors hold their annual meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. The crumbling economy is expected to be at the top of the discussions.

With files from TSN and Rogers Sportsnet