Schlossman: Major League Hockey is trying to hire people, but is it for real?
May 10—GRAND FORKS — On Thursday night, hockey YouTuber Steve 'Dangle' Glynn reported a new professional hockey league is set to begin in North America this fall.
The plans called for a 16-team league and only three-on-three play. It reportedly had massive financial backing: Each team's salary cap was to be $30 million. Add it up and that's nearly $500 million in salaries alone.
The name: Major League Hockey.
The outline for the league has been circulating among hockey people for more than a month, because it is trying to hire personnel to manage and coach the teams.
Hockey agent Allan Walsh, who has 69,000 followers, even posted on X/Twitter on Thursday: "This is going to surprise a lot of people with its popularity and ability to generate revenue. I'm hearing this venture has significant financial backing."
But where is the money coming from? Is there even money? Who is behind it?
The chairman and chief executive officer is listed as Max Chambers. The senior vice president and director of player personnel is listed as Auzzie Chambers. Its headquarters are listed as Victoria, B.C.
A document they shared with one potential hire said the league will have $10 billion Canadian — yes, billion — in the bank to guarantee the first five years.
Due to the incredibly high dollar number, speculation has run rampant that it is Saudi-backed and this is hockey's version of LIV Golf.
But nothing adds up.
If you search Max Chambers, you will find an odd story here and there.
He apparently attempted to buy the St. Louis Blues in 2011, but wasn't seriously considered. The
Toronto Globe and Mail researched Chambers
and called him an "international man of mystery."
The Globe and Mail was unable to find any information on his alleged companies or business dealings.
There are records of Chambers attempting to buy other sports teams. In 2004, a deal to purchase two minor-league hockey teams — the Orlando Seals and Jacksonville Barracuda — fell apart because Chambers failed to pay a deposit, then-owner
David Waronker said in the Orlando Sentinel.
A
2009 story
refers to him as an oil tycoon who was interested in purchasing the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes.
Auzzie Chambers, listed as the No. 2 of Major League Hockey, is a 21-year-old who had a brief stint as a scout and
assistant general manager in the British Columbia Hockey League,
but it appears
he's more into lawn bowling
now.
If there actually are investors putting billions of dollars into this venture, why are they having a mysterious person with no track record in the sporting world — and a 21-year-old lawn bowler — run it? It doesn't make sense. With that money, you go out and get a big name (like Greg Norman).
I got a cell phone number for Max Chambers and called him Friday morning with several questions.
He repeatedly declined to answer them, saying an official announcement is still a couple of weeks away. I told him people he's contacted do not believe his venture is a real thing and asked for any sort of proof. He offered none.
The documents he's sent to potential hires say he has "arena deals in place and/or pending in 16 markets."
I asked him repeatedly to give me the name of a single arena he's worked with — just one — so I could verify he's for real. He would not, only saying that some deals were still being worked on.
One of the markets listed in the documents is Minneapolis/Minnesota. I contacted every arena in the state of Minnesota that seats more than 6,000 people. Nobody had ever heard of Max Chambers or Major League Hockey at any of them.
There's also no trademark filing on record for Major League Hockey.
There is currently one professional three-on-three hockey league — 3ICE. It runs in the summer with notable coaches, experienced players and a TV deal.
Major League Hockey has yet to show any legitimate backing and anyone approached by it should give it full skepticism.
