Toronto Maple Leafs Ownership Ranked Worst in NHL : SI Report

Sports Illustrated magazine has ranked Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. as the worst owner in the NHL, according to a feature on their website SI.com.

In a report that identified the five best and five worst owners in each of the four major team sports, the site included:

"How can the $1.75 billion owners of the most valuable franchise in hockey continue to so mismanage one of the NHL's most storied teams?"

"The Leafs still haven't won a Stanley Cup in 42 years, and the deep pockets of its parent organization have done little to reverse that trend. But it's not some fat-cat collective running the team from its penthouse suite -- since 1994, MLSE's primary investor has been the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan."

"Unfortunately, the dysfunctional relationship between the two principals -- Richard Peddie and Larry Tannenbaum -- continues to trickle down to the on-ice product, as MLSE is too busy running too many sports properties and breaking ground on too many real estate projects to pay enough attention to the Leafs."

Alan Cohen of the Florida Panthers was listed as the league's second-worst owner, followed by Charles Wang of the New York Islanders, Atlanta Spirit (owners of the Atlanta Thrashers), and Predator Holdings, LLC.

Oddly enough, the Phoenix Coyotes were not included in this list, in light of filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week.

Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch was named the NHL's best owner.

He was followed by New Jersey Devils owner Jeffrey Vanderbeek, Pittsburgh Penguins co-owners Mario Lemieux and Rob Burkle, San Jose Sports & Entertainment, and Peter Karmanos of the Carolina Hurricanes.