Hefty fine hangs in balance at hearing April 23, 1999

The Tiger Sharks may face a $50,000 penalty if the ECHL today finds they violated salary cap restrictions

By Jack Corcoran
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

Even though the Tallahassee Tiger Sharks missed the playoffs for the second straight season, they may be in for one more loss today.

And this setback might carry a $50,000 price tag.

The East Coast Hockey League, investigating alleged salary-cap violations, will hold a hearing today with the Tiger Sharks at the league's offices in Princeton, N.J.

The ECHL may hit the Tiger Sharks with a $50,000 fine if it finds the team guilty of blatant cap violations.

A source with knowledge of the league's investigation said last week that former Tiger Shark Jason Clarke blew the whistle on Tallahassee, supplying testimony and evidence about illegal money he received through a signing bonus and expense checks.

But there is much more.

Several sources have said that the league also will question the Tiger Sharks on whether they illegally funneled money obtained through merchandise raffles to players.

Sources also have said that goalie Greg Taylor, who clashed at times with coach Jeff Brubaker during the season, provided the league a copy of a contract with the team that guaranteed him $100 bonuses for every shutout he posted and every Tiger Sharks victory (even when he was not in net).

Former Tiger Sharks general manager Joe Sloboda, who handled the team's finances, said he was not sure if the money brought in by raffles during games at the Civic Center was ever documented or whether the team paid taxes on the revenue.

"Money for the jersey raffles were used for a lot of things," Sloboda said. "That cash was used for different things, like paying bills. But 25 percent of that money went to charity. That always happened."

But did it also go to pay players?

"I'm not going to comment on that until the investigation is over," said Sloboda, who resigned late in the season as rumors circulated that he was about to be fired.

Brubaker refused to comment on the raffles and whether he signed Taylor to a contract with bonuses.

Although ECHL spokesman Jason Rothwell would not comment on the specifics of the Tiger Sharks' case, he said the league must approve any contracts with bonuses.

"Incentive-laden performance bonuses have to be reported with their contract to the league and then approved," Rothwell said. "And most of them are not approved."

Taylor, who was said to have been angered at the end of the season after the team had yet to fully compensate him for his win bonus, could not be reached for comment.

The Tiger Sharks went 27-34-9, meaning Taylor would have been entitled to $2,700. He also had one shutout, which would have netted him $100.

Tiger Sharks co-owner Dave Elmore, Brubaker and Tim Mouser, who directs hockey operations for the Elmore Sports Group, were scheduled to represent the team at the hearing.

Although the hearing is expected to be completed today, the league is not expected to rule on the case until next week at the earliest.

Posted at 1:31 a.m. EDT, Friday, April 23, 1999