From The Hockey News Archive, Apr 26, 1985 / Vol. 38, Issue 30
Among the many people to thank for NHL hockey having a home in Seattle, Earl Hale deserves to be on that list. Because without a financial injection from Hale and his investors, hockey might have abandoned Puget Sound four decades ago.
Hale purchased the financially troubled Seattle Breakers WHL team in 1985, renaming them the Thunderbirds. The season after he sold the franchise in 1989, the T-Birds began playing games at Seattle Center Coliseum, drawing league-record crowds in excess of 12,000 for some games.
Years of on-ice and box office success eventually convinced NHL owners that the Emerald City deserved a place at their table.
Ben Kuzma wrote the story below in the April 26, 1985 issue of The Hockey News.
You might say Earl Hale has the proper prerequisites to enter the Western Hockey League ownership game.
Hale, the majority owner of a Calgary-based group which purchased in principle the financially-plagued Seattle Breakers on April 2, is in the gas and oil exploration business. Hale has enjoyed much success in that endeavor and is hoping for much of the same in major junior hockey.
But, just as the exploration game can leave you dry, so can the uncertainty of junior hockey ownership. The Breakers are a prime example of a resource which has yet to be properly tapped. They missed the playoffs this season and have had trouble drawing fans in a thriving sports city. The WHL took over the franchise from previous owner John Hamilton and had been looking for a suitable buyer.
“It’s an opportunity to turn it (the franchise) around,” said Hale, who heads a four-member ownership board. “We have to put together the proper team and we have to be competitive. They have tremendous fans in Seattle, although not everybody likes them.
"We look at it as a business. There’s a good chance to be successful. We look at franchises like Prince Albert and Portland and how successful they’ve been. What we have to do is develop players and work with them.
“We have a lot of ground to cover. Other teams have lists which are stronger than ours. A lot of things have to be covered in the next three months.”
League president Ed Chynoweth said there are still a lot of loose ends to tie up in the purchase, such as clearing debts and reaching a suitable agreement with the Seattle Center Arena.
“You try to get somebody who’s financially stable and concerned with keeping the franchise in Seattle like we are,” said Chynoweth. “And of course we’re concerned about the people they’re hiring.”
Sheldon Ferguson has been appointed general manager, while Marc Boileau remains as coach and Jake Goertzen as director of player personnel. Ferguson has been a Quebec Nordique scout for six years arid previously owned the now defunct Billings franchise in the WHL. He coached the tier II Red Deer Rustlers to a Centennial Cup title.
“They will carry the ball,” said Hale of his front-office appointments. “We’ll outline what the philosophy and approach should be.”
The Breakers, who finished fifth in the Western Division with a 25-44-3 record, have some bright spots to look on for next season. They’ll lose only two players and figure to be competitive in the six-team division.
“We can build on what we’ve got coming back,” said Hale. “We’re not overly big, but we’ll have a good skating club. Everybody needs goaltending and so do we, and we could use a big, tough right winger. If we get that we think we can play with anybody in the league.”
Hale is no newcomer to hockey. He has coached amateur teams in Calgary on various levels for eight years and this season also served as a director of the tier II Calgary Canucks.“The way I look at it there’s a new crowd getting involved with the WHL,” he said. “More business people are taking action.”
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