The NHL : Jet Coach Reportedly on Thin Ice

Last year, the Winnipeg Jets were one of the two most improved teams in the National Hockey League, finishing second in the Smythe Division behind the Edmonton Oilers.

But the Jets are in last place in the division this season.

There have been reports in Winnipeg that General Manager John Ferguson is about to fire Coach Barry Long and take over behind the bench.

It would be the third time that Ferguson has fired a coach during the season and replaced him. While general manager of the New York Rangers, Ferguson fired Coach Ron Stewart and stepped in for him during the 1975-76 season. Ferguson also replaced Coach Tom Watt at Winnipeg during the 1982-83 season.

Ferguson refused to comment on the possibility of his going back into coaching. He met with his coaching staff Sunday, however, and reportedly told them that their jobs were safe until the end of the season.

So, who’s to blame for the Jets’ season?

Ferguson? The players? The coaches?

Assistant coach Bill Sutherland said he blames the Winnipeg media for putting the players in a negative frame of mind. “With all the negative stuff written, it’s hard to be positive,” he said.

Harry Ornest, the owner of the St. Louis Blues, said he’s trying to acquire a National Basketball Assn. expansion team.

Ornest said he has offered to make a $100,000 deposit to the NBA to show that he’s serious about getting a basketball team.

In addition to the hockey team, Ornest and his family also own the 17,666-seat St. Louis Arena, and if he got an NBA team it would play there.

Ornest, who lived in Beverly Hills before he bought the Blues, said that Los Angeles sports entrepreneur Jerry Buss had encouraged him to apply for a basketball team.

“I was having dinner with Jerry, and he said that he’d heard that the mayor of St. Louis had expressed interest in an NBA team. I told Jerry that I’d call the NBA office, which I did.

“I offered to send them a check for $100,000 in good faith, but they said it wasn’t necessary.”

Ornest said he probably would take in partners if he got a basketball team.

“I don’t think I’d undertake such a thing by myself,” he said. “I’ve been approached by prominent business people who are sports fans, substantial people.

“Who knows what the chances are? St. Louis is one of the largest TV markets in the country that doesn’t have an NBA team. And we have an excellent arena. The St. Louis Hawks played here before they moved to Atlanta.”

Hockey-basketball owners are commonplace. Besides Buss, who owns the Lakers, the Kings and the Forum in which they play, there also is Abe Pollin, who owns the Washington Capitals the Washington Bullets, and the Capital Centre, where those teams play. Gulf and Western owns Madison Square Garden, the New York Rangers and the Knicks. William Wirtz owns the Chicago Blackhawks, the Chicago Stadium and is on the board of directors of the Chicago Bulls.

The NHL may be moving closer to requiring players to wear visors on their helmets to protect their eyes.

There have been several serious eye injuries this season, and Charlie Simmer of the Boston Bruins came close to losing his sight.

“A rule phasing in visors seems to make a lot of sense, just as the helmet rule did,” Alan Eagleson, executive director of the NHL Players Assn. told the Associated Press. “I don’t see the downside. Some other people fear that more high-sticking is attached to visors. The fact remains that too many players are suffering eye injuries and something should be done.”