After months of speculation and negotiation Tony Tavares, according to ESPN Dallas, has finally been officially named Dallas Stars Interim Team President as the sale of the team trudges on through it's 11th month. They've been without a team president since August when Jeff Cogen left to help the Nashville Predators.
Tavares has been seen in Frisco and at the AAC in recent weeks and has seemingly been working in this capacity for some time. It has been speculated that he was involved in both the Trevor Daley extension and the Jamie Langebrunner trade. Joe Nieuwendyk would later confirm at least some of that.
Conspiracy theorists among us have also been watching this development closely due to a curious note dropped by Mike Heika in a DMN chat last week. Said Mr. Heika:
I believe several of the possible buyers have backed off and are waiting for the lenders to decide if they are going to hold onto the team into the summer. I believe one potential buyer is trying to get aggressive and possibly find a creative way to pull this off.
I think that's why they have yet to officially name Tony Tavares the interim president. If this one guy can't make things work by the end of January, I think they will officially name Tavares and the lenders will retain ownership into the summer. -Mike Heika
This leads many to believe that the latter has happened and that this is possibly a sign the lenders will definitely retain ownership of the team well into the summer. Is that true? Can anyone confirm or deny that? Should you hurl yourself off a cliff, distraught and saddened? No. It could be the case, but no one will ever say it out loud.
It's a shame that this signing will be heralded as a bad thing by some because of the ownership implications when evidently the man has already helped the Stars improve their team this season.
So far as anyone else knows the delay was due only to getting an agreeable contract in place for Mr. Tavares, who could be at risk once a new owner does come in. Whenever that might be. Thus, the interim tag.
Welcome (officially) to the Dallas Stars family, Mr. Tavares, and if you can get anything done on the Richards front, well, we'll love you long time.