The Hawks' long nightmare is OVER!

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=122410811133285900
At their annual meeting, the WHL Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale of the Winter Hawks to Bill Gallacher of Calgary. A condition of the sale is that the Hawks remain in Portland.

The three Js' reign of incompetence will soon be over!

As a Hawks fan I am overjoyed to see this change. The current ownership took what was a proud franchise with one of the richest histories in the league and ran it into the ground, making it a disgrace and embarrassment. I've only been following the Hawks since about 2000 and I'm especially happy for the longtime supporters. Hawk fans are without question the most loyal, passionate, and knowledgeable I have seen in any sport (OK, outside of our own). If It was painful for me to watch the team struggle through these last few seasons I can only imagine what the diehards who saw the Memorial Cups and league championships were feeling.

They still may not win many games on the ice this year, but for me there will not be that sense of dread walking into the Coliseum, the sense that there is no end in sight. Better days are now ahead. The boys are on their annual road trip back east (to the prairie provinces) but when they return home on November 5th and 8th, it's a good bet there will be more than a few happy fans to welcome them home.

GO HAWKS GO!

It's now official: the sale to Gallacher has been completed. As well, the Hawks have changed the hockey staff:
New Head Coach/GM: Rich Johnston
New Assistant Coach/Ass't GM: Travis Green
New Trainer: Rich Campbell

Assistant Coach Kyle Gustafson will stay. Former coach Rich Kromm has been offered another position. Former assistant Brian Pellerin and Trainer Innes Mackie (the only one the Hawks have ever had) will be leaving.

Finally, founding father/former coach/GM/WHL legend Ken Hodge will be staying as a consultant.

Hawks press release