$450 Million Isn’t Chicken Feed, but That’s What NHL Fan Wants

Michael Lewicki of Brantford, Canada, makes his living by running a company that manufactures plastic chicken cages--the only firm in the world that does, he says.

He’s not a lawyer. But Lewicki, frustrated over the 26-day-old NHL lockout, drew up legal papers and on Tuesday sued Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL owners for $450 million (Canadian).

Lewicki filed a class-action suit in Ontario Court asking for nominal damages of $50 million, a minimum of $150 million in actual damages, special damages of $100 million and exemplary damages of $150 million. He says he’s not joking.

“It’s a very serious lawsuit,” he said. “We take the position that they have no defense.”

Bettman and the owners, Lewicki claims, “are no longer mentally competent to administer the moneys entrusted to them through the De Facto contract with the Plaintiff.”

Lewicki, who said he’s acting on behalf of all fans and arena employees, contends fans are entitled to compensation for “out of pocket expenses and past, ongoing, and future loss of income caused by the Defendants(sic) Gross neglect, Misfeasance and ‘Unwisdomness.’ ”

Lewicki also sued the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs. An NHL spokesman said the league had received copies of the claims at its New York office and they are being reviewed by legal counsel.