Report: James Dolan open to selling Knicks

There is hope, Knicks fans.

James Dolan, who doesn't like being berated in public for being an unpopular owner, has not ruled out selling the Knicks or Rangers.

In a lengthy profile on ESPN meant to portray Dolan as a shrewd businessman who no longer meddles with the Knicks, Dolan acknowledged that potentially interested bidders have sent out “feelers” for the Knicks in the $5 billion range.

Still, Dolan said there have been “no bona fide offers” and “nobody in my family wants to sell the Knicks and Rangers.”

According to Forbes, the Knicks, despite the fact they haven't won a championship since 1973, are the NBA's most valuable franchise at $3.6 billion.

“I still have a responsibility to your shareholders. They're not there because they're fans. You don't invest hundreds of millions of dollars in a stock because you're a fan. You do it because you think that the business is going to increase in value, that the stock price is going to go up,” Dolan said. “You have a responsibility as the guy who runs the place to deliver on that for them, that's being open and transparent. And so in that position, I could never say that I wouldn't consider selling the Knicks. Now, my family is not in that position, and they are the majority shareholders. They hold the majority of the vote. … As a majority owner, I don't want to sell, either. As the head of the public company, you can't say you can't sell, because then you're telling your shareholders that your own personal feelings about your assets are more important than their money. And they won't invest with you if you do that.”

This is certainly softer than the statement Dolan's company sent out in June, when there was speculation that he was clearing a path to unload his sports teams following an announcement that he was exploring a move to separate the Knicks and Rangers from the rest of MSG. sell his stake.

It took less than two weeks as Flyers general manager for Chuck Fletcher to see what he needed to see with coach Dave Hakstol.

With the team mired in a four-game losing streak, Fletcher fired Hakstol on Monday and named Scott Gordon as interim replacement.

“To my eyes there was a disconnect between what he was preaching and how the players were playing,” Fletcher said. “We need a new voice.”

Not much has improved since the team fired general manager Ron Hextall just after Thanksgiving. The Flyers have lost five of six, 11 of 14 and are in last place in the Eastern Conference. They went 1-3-1 on the road trip Fletcher said he'd use to evaluate Hakstol.

Hakstol becomes the fifth coach fired this season, following the Kings' John Stevens, the Blackhawks' Joel Quenneville, the Blues' Mike Yeo and the Oilers' Todd McLellan.

The Devils placed G Cory Schneider on injured reserve with an abdominal strain. Schneider, who lost his starting job to Keith Kinkaid last season, has struggled this season at 0-5-1 with a 4.29 goals-against average. AP