TORONTO (CPi — Defenceman Bobby Orr of Boston Bruins is the key to an attempt by a Toronto group to buy Kansas City Scouts and move the National Hockey League team to Toronto.
Ted Tobias of Toronto, who once tried to place a World Hockey Association team in Hamilton, said he will offer Orr a “piece of the action” if his group is successful in buying the team.
The Tobias-led group proposes to have the Scouts play at Maple Leaf Gardens, home of Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL. The Leafs share the arena with Toronto Toros of the WHA.
There have been reports the Toros, who lost an estimated $2 million this season, may move to another city. Tobias said his group's plans depend on what the WHA team, which has first rights to the Gardens, decides to do.
“Its obvious that if a team in Toronto had somebody like Bobby Orr it could sell 15.000 tickets.” he said. “I'm in no position to say anything more than that
Orr. who has missed most of this season with knee trouble, played out his option with the Bruins this year His contract expires June 1.
Alan Eagleson, Orr's agent, said he had talked to Tobias and “the deal he was offering sounds like a good one,' but formal talks cannot take place until June 1.
Orr, 28, was named the NHL's top defenceman in each of the last eight seasons and twice was named the league's most valuable player.
The Scouts have been a box-office flop this season, enduring the longest winless streak in league history and losing about $1 million on their 1975-76 operation.
A season-ticket drive to raise capital to keep the Scouts in Kansas City fell short this spring. The league had to loan the team $300,000 last month to get it through the season.
Scouts president Ed Thompson said the club must sell 8,000 season tickets, triple this year's total, to remain in Kansas City. Earlier this season. Jay Moore, president of Cleveland Crusaders of the WHA, discussed buying the Scouts and moving them to Cleveland.
NHL president Clarence Campbell said recently the Scouts must decide about their future by June.
However, William Wirtz, president of Chicago Black Hawks and the leagues chairman of the board, said the Scouts will operate again next season, whether in Kansas City or in another city.
Tobias indicated the stay at Toronto would be temporary, with the Scouts moving on to Hamilton if a proposed new arena is built there
NHL rules give the Leafs territorial rights to Toronto and the area within 50 miles of Toronto's boundaries. Any team moving to Toronto or Hamilton would have to compensate the Leafs