With the NHL terminating Chicago businessman Michael Hulsizer's bid to purchase the St. Louis Blues, minority owner Tom Stillman has emerged as the front-runner to purchase the team.
Stillman is chairman and CEO of Summit Distributing, a St. Louis-based beer distributor. He is an avid hockey fan who plays the game himself, and supports the Blues (I've personally seen him at games).
Many believe, including Bernie Federko, that Stillman may be the best choice for the organization, based on his support for the team and the city of St. Louis.
I have been secretly hoping that Stillman would somehow get the chance to take majority ownership. It would be great for the Blues to have a local owner, especially one that is such an avid fan. It may pay great dividends having an owner that sees the team as more of a passion rather than a business. Many also like the fact that there will be no chance of the team moving, although I think there was zero threat of that happening anyway. The Blues need stability and maybe a little bit of spending to take this team over the top and compete for that Stanley Cup. Doug Armstrong with a little expendable cash could be a very scary thing...scary good. An added bonus is the rumor that Brett Hull is interested in joining Stillman's group in the purchase (Wayne Gretzky's name has also been mentioned).
The clock will most likely begin ticking soon for Stillman and his group. The NHL has rejected previous attempts by the group to buy the club.
Click here for a profile of Tom Stillman.
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