The sale of the Penguins from the Fenway Sports Group to the Chicago-based Hoffmann Family of Companies, agreed upon in December but still pending approval from the NHL’s Board of Governors, sure won’t feel complete to anyone in Pittsburgh until it’s known what, if any role, Mario Lemieux would play within ownership.
That might be known before the Board of Governors meet again.
A source informed me today here at PPG Paints Arena that Lemieux, still a limited partner within the ownership structure, expects to meet soon with the Hoffmann Family. I don’t have a date for that and, for that matter, I don’t have a date for the next Board of Governors meeting, as the league hasn’t made the latter known. But the operative timeframe, to repeat, is soon.
Lemieux attended the Penguins’ 6-5 victory over the Rangers today, having participated in much of the 2016 Stanley Cup champions’ reunion, as he and Ron Burkle were principal owners of the team at that time. He also accompanied those former players into the locker room after the game, where all involved gathered for a combo team photo:
JOE SARGENT / GETTY
And for what it’s worth, there’ve been more appearances from more of the standard Lemieux crew in the building since the sale agreement Dec. 17.
I’ll stay on this, obviously.