The Friday Memo

News and Notes from around the Business World of Hockey...

- Three NHL Clubs are in the Top 10 of BizJournals new complete listing of all sports teams from the four major leagues in terms of being most successful in the calendar year of 2008. Five NHL clubs are in the top twenty (BizJournals). Here's the top five:

• 4. Montreal Canadiens
• 7. Detroit Red Wings
• 10. Pittsburgh Penguins
• 12. San Jose
• 18. Philadelphia Flyers

- As much as the Lighthouse project for the Islanders has had some great momentum of late, an interesting clause was found that states the Islanders will leave if the Lighthouse does not get the OK (Newsday).

"The transformation of the Coliseum, including the sports complex and associated parking," the developers' report states, "is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars [and] is essential if the New York Islanders are to remain. In order to absorb the cost of this transformation, it is necessary to develop the remainder of the components of the Lighthouse. Thus, if the Lighthouse is not approved and developed in a manner that can financially support the transformation of the Coliseum, the New York Islanders will leave this venue."

Hamilton here we come!

- The Stanley Cup Playoffs broadcasting changes up a bit this year. (Puck The Media)

More later.

Update, 2:00 PM EST:

- The San Jose Sharks have called the HP Pavilion their home for 15 years, and in that time span the Sharks and the Shark Tank have reportedly contributed around $1.7 Billion of business around the arena (MSNBC).

"The facility has also provided San Jose annually with direct fiscal impacts of $5.4 million and with an ongoing economic impact of $254 million and the creation of approximately 5,000 full-time equivalent jobs"

So hockey works in California.