League May Fold Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins could be out of the NHL before they’re out of the playoffs.

The NHL, though supportive of Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux’s takeover bid, plans to fold the franchise and sell it to out-of-town interests if U.S. Bankruptcy Court does not approve Lemieux’s reorganization plan by May 31.

In paperwork filed Wednesday with Judge Bernard Markovitz, the NHL notified the court that the league would move next month to disband the Penguin franchise if new ownership isn’t in place.

The filing was mostly a formality, because the league signaled its intentions several weeks ago. But Wednesday’s action confirms the NHL is worried the cumbersome pace of the bankruptcy proceedings threatens the Penguins’ existence.

The league’s action came less than 24 hours after the Penguins pulled off the biggest upset in their 32-year history, ousting the top-seeded New Jersey Devils in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series.

If the Penguins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round, they could be playing past May 31, the NHL’s so-called drop-dead date for the franchise’s fate to be determined.

“There is no new revelation in this, but [the NHL] had to . . . signal its position. We felt it was something we were compelled to do,” said William Daly, the NHL’s vice president for legal affairs.

Under the NHL plan, the Penguin franchise would be terminated and would be relocated elsewhere by next season if the Lemieux group does not take control this month.

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Wayne Gretzky, who retired from hockey two weeks ago, has another chance to add some hardware to his crowded trophy case.

Gretzky, hockey’s all-time scoring leader, was one of three finalists announced for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, which recognizes sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct.

Also nominated were Mighty Duck winger Teemu Selanne and Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom with the winner to be announced June 24. Gretzky has won the award four times.

Pittsburgh’s Jaromir Jagr, Buffalo’s Dominik Hasek and Ottawa’s Alexei Yashin were nominated for the Hart Memorial Trophy, given to the league’s most valuable player.