Sting Secretly Sold To Belleville Group

For many fans of Trenton hockey and for those who have supported a Trenton run Junior "A" franchise, today is a very dark and sad day with the announcement that the team has been sold.

Having never been publicized as being for sale, the Sting Board of Directors announced to the team and current management group on Tuesday that the deal was all but done.

Sting founder, current General Manager and former owner Jon Gibbons felt blindsided by the announcement. After giving 13 years to the team including 12 as a member of the OPJHL and after providing direction to the Huff family following the passing last February of former owner Peter Huff, Gibbons was disheartened by the decision.

“It’s sad that it has been sold and I certainly would be much happier had it been sold locally and kept a Trenton flavour,” Gibbons said in an interview with Trentonian reporter Tim Meeks. “I thought that I would have been involved in the sale, but I wasn’t. Who I’m really disappointed for is George Ferguson. Had I known this was going to happen I certainly wouldn’t have brought George in as coach. We had acquired some new sponsors and there were a lot of new faces at the games and a lot of that was because of George. A lot of us older people identify with George and the Ferguson name, which is a household name in this town."

Gibbons also added that he was sad for all the “dedicated people involved with this organization, my wife (Sandy) included. I’m still taken aback by it, it’s pretty disheartening.”

The Sting Board of Directors made the announcement official on Tuesday and introduced former Belleville Bulls goalie Brad Teichmann and Quinte AAA Minor Bantam Red Devils coach Mark Burrows along with two silent partners as the new team owners.