Molson family buys Canadiens (Montreal Gazette)

From the Montreal Gazette:

By Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette
June 20, 2009

Team owner George Gillett and Geoff Molson issued a joint statement Saturday saying they have an agreement in principle for three Molson brothers to purchase the club.

The brothers are continuing a family tradition with the purchase. Senator Hartland Molson and his brother, Thomas, purchased the team from Senator Donat Raymond in 1957. Hartland and Thomas Molson sold the team to their cousins, David, Bill and Peter Molson, in 1964, and they owned the team until 1971.

Molson Breweries purchased the team from a company controlled by Peter and Edward Bronfman in 1978, and Eric Molson, the father of the new owners, was one of the driving forces in the construction of a new arena that opened in 1996 as the Molson Centre.

The brewery sold a controlling interest to Gillett in 2001.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/Life/Molson+family+buys+Canadiens/1717319/story.html


* Fan Reaction Montreal: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Life/reaction+Habs+sale/1717697/story.html

* Timeline: Molson ownership history of the Canadiens:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Sports/Timeline+Molson+ownership+history+Canadiens/1717316/story.html