I noticed how Richard Rodier's name continues to pop up in regards to Jim Balsillie's proposed purchase of the Nashville Predators. He has been a frequent guest of The Fan to discuss what is going on behind the scene. So I decided to Google Mr. Rodier to learn more about him.He is a Toronto lawyer at Gardiner Roberts practicing corporate/commercial and banking law. Prior to law school he was an economist. Richard's subspecialty expertise is in banking, acting for both financial institutions and borrowers in connection with complex secured lending transactions, including financing of acquisitions, hostile take-over bids (hostile would certainly describe the status of the Nashville franchise purchase), sub-debt financing, and equipment leasing.
The Globe reports that a Toronto-based group has submitted an all-cash bid to buy the Ottawa Senators and plans to move the team to Hamilton back in 2002. Richard Rodier submitted the bid on behalf of HHC Acquisition Corp but declined to provide details of who was involved in the bid.
It was also later reported in The Globe that this HHC group had attempted to make a play for the Buffalo Sabres during that team's bankruptcy - again with Richard Rodier acting as the front man.
Now it's becoming obvious who was behind these "cash offers" for struggling franchises - none other than Jim Balsillie.
Then there was the bid for the Penguins last year that fell through after the NHL included a long list of conditions at the last minute. Jim Balsillie pulled out of that purchase and walked away from a $10 million deposit.
If you include the plays for the Sabres, Senators, Penguins and Predators, Balsillie's been lining up for troubled NHL franchises now for a lot longer that has been reported to this point.
And you can bet he'll be at the front of the line the next time a franchise is drowning in red ink (Phoenix, Atlanta, Florida).
