Sather Resigns as Oilers’ GM and President

Glen Sather, the architect of the Edmonton Oilers’ five Stanley Cup championship teams from 1984-90, resigned Friday night as president and general manager.

“I don’t wish this franchise any bad luck,” Sather said during a news conference at Skyreach Centre. “It’s the first time since I’ve been 16 years old that I’ve been unemployed.

“This hasn’t been a quick decision, but it’s something that I had to do. I never contemplated leaving this organization. But things change.”

Sather, 56, who joined the Oilers as a player in 1976 and became general manager in 1979, reportedly has drawn interest from the New York Rangers and Phoenix Coyotes.

“There is no job offer on the table,” said Sather, who was under contract at $2 million annually for the next two years.

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Finland’s Alpo Suhonen is reportedly set to take the Chicago Blackhawks’ coaching job, a move that would make him the NHL’s first European-born head coach.

Mike Smith, the team’s manager of hockey operations, declined to confirm the reports, and spokesman Tony Ommen said the team had no comment.

The Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Daily Herald of Arlington Heights reported the 51-year-old Toronto assistant would be officially introduced as the team’s coach Monday or Tuesday.

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Maurice Richard has a malignant tumor in his abdomen, his oldest son, Maurice Jr., says. But there was a conflicting account of the hockey great’s health.

Richard’s agent, Jean Roy, said it was too soon to draw conclusions about cancer. He said doctors suspect the 78-year-old Richard has Alzheimer’s disease and his condition will be clarified at a news conference Tuesday.