As news of the pending sale of the Sudbury Wolves to local developer Dario Zulich spread across the city Friday, the new owners, the OHL, and current team officials are staying tight-lipped until the transaction is voted on next month by the league's board of governors.
But multiple sources have told Sudbury.com the selling price for the team was around $11 million, an estimate that sounds about right to Mark Seidel, chief scout with North American Central Scouting.
"It's a big price for a group to pay -- it's a lot of money,” Seidel said. “But I think the city has shown they will support this team, and it's a team that can certainly make money.
“At the end of the day, Dario put together a package that satisfied Mark and his family. It's a good situation for both sides."
Zulich is heading up plans to build a two-icepad arena in the True North Strong Sports and Entertainment Centre on 100 acres in the Jack Nicholas Business and Innovation Park, along with partners Perry Dellelce and Andrew Dale. The land is located near the Moonlight Beach area of Sudbury.
At a public meeting last November on big project proposals, Zulich said the state of the 64-year-old Sudbury Arena has meant Sudbury has missed out on hosting major concert, sporting and other events.
“We shouldn't let that happen anymore,” he said at the time.
Zulich's group presented a business plan that would see the facility built as a P3 project, worth about $70 million with the second rink. Local taxpayers wouldn't have to provide money up front, but instead the city would provide “the security and borrowing power behind the project rather than capital investment.”
In turn, the group would operate the facility for 30 years, then turn it over to the city, under a similar arrangement as the $60 million biosolids plant completed in 2014. Read the full proposal here.
Weak teams in recent years has led to a sharp decline in attendance at Wolves games, and in revenue the city earns from the arena. While many fans were upset when owner Mark Burgess's son, Connor, played on the team, Seidel said the core issue is losing.
"The situation with Connor became a flashpoint, and gave somewhere for fans to vent,” he said. “At the end of the day, what fans want is a winning program.
"Having new leadership brings in new blood and new ideas. If the rebuild is successful, then certainly I think fans will flock back. Once they get the on-ice product where they want it to be, I think you'll see fans flock back to the arena."
Seidel also disputes the idea that players and agents don't want to come North to play hockey. He pointed to the Soo Greyhounds, which had trouble attracting players until they brought in GM Kyle Dubas. Dubas, now an assistant GM with the Toronto Maple Leafs, led the team to a quick turnaround.
"The Sault was really a place where a lot of agents didn't want their kids to go, and Kyle turned that around," Seidel said. "The Wolves have obviously been struggling for the last few years, and I think agents are more reticent to bring kids into that (atmosphere). So that's been the problem."
Another issue holding the Wolves back is the arena, he said. When top prospects and their agents are looking around and compare the new, state-of-the-art arenas in the south, it's tough for the Elgin Street barn to compete.
"Then you bring in a kid into (Sudbury Arena) -- and it was a great arena and served its purpose. But it's just a different world -- literally a different world from the newer facilities (in the south). So the new arena will probably be the biggest issue."
With the purchase of the Wolves, Seidel said Zulich is in a much better position when it comes to where the arena will be built, since he will be the main tenant.
In addition to Zulich's proposal, there's a proposal to build one in the South End, and a vocal lobby to keep it downtown.
"I'm certainly not involved in that process, but I would think it's got to give (Zulich) the ultimate leverage,” Seidel said. “He certainly has the trump card now with the main tenant under his control. We'll see how it plays out, but I think that if they weren't (bidding to) build the facility, I don't know whether they would be quite so interested in buying the team. I think they're trying to do the two deals together."
Again, the key will be to ice a winning team, he said, because hockey is a big part of the city's culture and history. Savvy local fans won't put up with a chronically bad team.
"Sudbury is one of the best hockey cities in the world, let alone Canada or the U.S., and I've been in arenas in cities all over the world and we have some of the most passionate fans," Seidel said. “But fans want to see a winner."
Short term, he doesn't expect to see much change in the front office, and thinks GM Barclay Branch will be given a chance to complete the rebuild.
"With Dario and his group, I'm sure Barclay will stay involved as the GM,” he said. "Like anyone (who buys a) business, I would expect they'll keep everyone in place and take some time and evaluate it and how the operation is run.
"Barclay's a respected guy in the league and I would certainly think they would keep him on to see this rebuild through. But again, that's obviously completely up to Dario and his group ... They may come in and clean house."
