More Truth & Rumors: March 21, 2005

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How can the owners and players could get relatively close to having a deal -- the owners gave up linkage and the players agreed to a cap -- but both have now retreated to their original positions. What? Having a sham of a 28-game regular season was important enough to move off of those supposedly sacrosanct positions, but the chance to save an 82-game season next year isn't worth it? With so much more at stake? Stupid. -- Ottawa Sun

Wayne Gretzky and his actress wife, Janet, have put their Los Angeles area estate on the market at $25 million. Gretzky moved to Los Angeles when he was traded to the Kings by the Oilers in 1988. He announced this month that his partnership agreement with the Coyotes would expire June 1. There has been speculation that he would be asked to run the Rangers. -- Los Angeles Times

Stars center and captain Mike Modano has accepted an invitation to play for the U.S. in the IIHF World Championships in Austria from April 30 to May 15. Modano said the U.S. team is expected to hold a training camp in mid-April in Lake Placid, N.Y., before heading to Europe. Modano is scheduled to play in Wednesday's "Pros vs. Prospects" charity game against the North American Hockey League's Junior A Texas Tornado, a team he co-owns. -- Dallas Stars

Canucks captain Markus Naslund said he will not play for Sweden in World Hockey Championship. Naslund, the NHL's leading goalscorer the past three seasons, played for his hometown club MoDo this past season, scoring 18 points in 14 regular-season games. But he had a disappointing playoffs, with only one assist in six games. Naslund said his poor playoff performance made him turn down an invitation from Sweden coach and former Capitals star Bengt-Ake Gustafsson to play in the tournament. "Right now, I don't think I belong in the worlds," Naslund said. -- Canadian Press

Naslund's teammate Peter Forsberg, who sat out the last part of the regular season with a fractured wrist and then suffered a concussion in his return game in the playoffs, was also expected to sit out the tournament, but Gustafsson said he hopes the star forward will play. "I'll contact him next week to see how he feels about the future," Gustafsson said. "I'm not closing any doors until I talk to him myself." -- Canadian Press

Bruins star and captain Joe Thornton was suspended two games yesterday for his two-handed slash the previous night in a Swiss league playoff game. Thornton, who plays for HC Davos, will miss Game 5 and Game 6 (if necessary) of his best-of-seven series against defending champion SC Bern. Swiss league officials will further investigate the slash and a longer suspension is possible. -- Canadian Press

Manchester United is expected to reveal tomorrow that six-month pre-tax profits have more than halved, reflecting the football club's reduced earnings from European matches, declining media revenues and a rising wage bill. Analysts predict the club will say pre-tax profits for the half-year to January 31 have collapsed to between �12m and �13m -- down from �26.8m for the same period a year earlier. The decline in profits is likely to be seized on by acquisitive American billionaire Malcolm Glazer who holds a 28.1 percent stake in Manchester United and has been circling the club for months. He is expected to launch a formal offer within the next few weeks, having indicated a provisional offer price of �800m, worth 300p a share to investors. -- The Guardian ( UK

The Manchester United board is believed to regard Glazer's offer as a fair price for the club, but questions still remain about the amount of debt he is likely to use to finance the deal. Glazer, who owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is being advised on the Manchester United offer by NM Rothschild. The investment bank has reportedly completed its inspection of the club's books but formal takeover talks have yet to start. -- The Guardian ( UK

An on-line survey from independent market research company, commissioned by a Manchester United fanzine, showed 97 per cent to be against the American tycoon's involvement with United. "This survey sends a powerful message of customer power to Glazer, to the PLC Board and especially to the club's sponsors, Glazer is bad for your wealth," said Nick Towle, chairman of fans group Shareholders United. SU are becoming increasingly confident Glazer's plans are floundering, with speculation persisting that major shareholders John Magnier and JP McManus will refuse to sell their 28.9 percent stake, without which the Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner cannot proceed with the deal. -- Manchester Evening News