Baltimore Bandits General Manager Mike Caggiano vehemently denied he has a deal in principle to sell his American Hockey League team to the Cincinnati Gardens, as reported Friday by The Enquirer.
''We've heard from several cities like Cincinnati, but we've also talked to New Haven (Conn.) and Fayetteville (N.C.),'' said Caggiano, who did not return phone calls to The Enquirer until he saw the story Friday.
The AHL source who confirmed the deal Thursday night, said Friday, ''(Caggiano) has to say that,'' because he still has six weeks left in Baltimore.
But Caggiano said he has been so busy luring an East Coast Hockey League team to Baltimore for next season that he hasn't had time to focus on the Bandits' situation.
''We're trying to make it go here, and we want to be here next year,'' Caggiano said of the Bandits. ''Now the fans are wondering what's going on. There's nothing done. We're only talking.''
Gardens vice president Pete Robinson said Thursday that bringing an AHL team into the Gardens is a strong possibility, but that the group is also evaluating two other leagues.
AHL TEAM READY TO MOVE TO GARDENS
PAUL DAUGHERTY COLUMN
