George Gund III, who helped bring the Sharks to San Jose, died at age 75 on Tuesday – AP File Photo
By Lisa Dillman | LA Times
Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi on Wednesday was recalling the man who took a leap of faith years ago in San Jose, putting his hockey franchise in the hands of a 38-year-old rookie GM. And Lombardi was a very young-looking 38.
Still, George Gund III, then a Sharks co-owner, was rarely conventional or predictable, moving through life with an international flair. Gund, who also once owned the Minnesota North Stars and the Cleveland Cavaliers, died Tuesday in Palm Springs of stomach cancer. He was 75.
“I owe him a lot,” said Lombardi, who is expected to sign a contract extension with the Kings this week, possibly as early as Thursday. “He gave me my start and stuck by me when I was by far the youngest GM in the league. He really loved the game.”