CORNWALL, Ontario – Discussions have taken place about yet another ownership change involving the Cornwall River Kings – but the man who signs the paychecks maintains there is nothing imminent.
Brock Frost, who swooped in last summer to purchase the troubled semi-pro team, suggested Thursday he is not actively looking to offload the River Kings – but people have approached him about acquiring the franchise.
And there have been meetings about a potential sale.
Frost said as many as four purchase offers have presented themselves, including one from Mitch Gagne, a former Cornwall resident who had a hand in the River Kings previously as well as the now-defunct Cornwall Comets.
Gagne approached Frost on behalf of an ownership group that was interested in acquiring the River Kings – but any potential for a sale fell apart when neither side could agree on a price.
“We met Friday at Truffles and spoke for about 45 minutes,” said Gagne. “He said basically he had a better offer on the table.”
Frost said offers come and go and like any other businessman he will listen, but suggested a sale is not imminent.
“(It’s) business as usual. (We) have two games to focus on this weekend,” he said.
Social media lit up in recent days, with fans openly speculating about the future of the team and its ownership. A Facebook post on a River Kings fan page Wednesday had dozens of responses from individuals who believe that the sale of the team is a forgone conclusion – including a missive from Gagne about the Truffles meeting.
“I don’t pay attention to the rumours. There are too many of them to keep track of,” Frost said, but then added: “I will do what is best for me and the team.”
The River Kings franchise, which has enjoyed a passionate fan base, is hovering close to the bottom of the Ligue Nord-Americaine du Hockey standings and has been drawing between 1,000 and 1,500 fans to home games at the Ed Lumley Arena, which is shared with the junior league Cornwall Colts.
The team did win two games in a row last weekend and individual players have been recognized by the league for their strong play.
Frost, who was recently elected to city council, bought the team in June when it was in the midst of financial troubles and had already been through a number of owners. Word recently came out from the team that it was searching for a director of hockey operations to help Frost with the day-to-day responsibilities of the River Kings.
Frost said he has received more than 30 resumes and was close to hiring an individual before the deal “fell through” within the last 24 hours.
He said more interviews will be taking place over the coming days and he expects to be close to hiring someone next week.
