Canadian Press

1/7/2005

EDMONTON (CP) - Hockey Alberta is expecting an appeal of its decision to bar suspended NHL star Theo Fleury from playing senior hockey.

The Horse Lake Thunder, a senior team in Alberta's North Peace Hockey League, announced earlier this week that they had signed the feisty forward.

But just hours before Fleury was to step on the ice for his first game with the Thunder, Hockey Alberta ruled that he was ineligible to play because he was technically still under an NHL contract last season.

''The Horse Lake Thunder have been given the opportunity to appeal Fleury's ineligibility,'' said Brad Robbins, Hockey Alberta's operations manager. ''They have seven days to file an appeal.''

Fleury played his last NHL game 17 months ago and is serving the latest in a string of suspensions for substance abuse. He's not expected to return to professional hockey anytime soon, if at all.

Hockey Alberta had ruled in the fall that no NHL player under contract last season would be allowed to play organized hockey in the province this season.

Hockey Canada made a similar ruling last month, deciding that no one under an NHL contract in 2003-04 would be allowed to compete for the Allan Cup.

Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson said he told Fleury that a decision on whether he should be allowed to play would be left with Hockey Alberta.

''I made it very clear that it certainly isn't our jurisdiction, but that I would talk to Hockey Alberta to make sure that, if we could get more information, that they would be acceptable for that,'' said Nicholson at a press conference on Friday.

Robbins acknowledged that Hockey Canada has been looking into the matter.

''Hockey Canada has been tracking down information from Fleury's agent and others that relate to this matter,'' said Robbins. ''But as of today (Friday), our decision hasn't changed.''

Fleury expressed bitter disappointment Thursday evening as he arrived at the rink in Grande Prairie, Alta., only to learn that he would not be allowed to play.

''It's just  another bad public relations move by the NHL,'' Fleury told a mob of reporters who were expecting to see him on the ice in front of a sold-out crowd. ''I'm really disappointed that it has once again come down to this. I'm just trying to have fun and play some hockey here and obviously that's not going to happen.''

The Thunder, who are undefeated in 15 games this season, are expected to appeal the ruling in hopes that Fleury can help the team in its run for the Allan Cup.

''I've provided the NHL with a lot of entertainment and put a lot of  people's butts in the seats and made some owners some money, especially in Calgary when the team wasn't very good,'' Fleury said Thursday.

Fleury, 36, last appeared in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks.

He also played for the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers as well as internationally for Canada, most notably with the 2002 Olympic men's gold medal squad in Salt Lake City.

The native of Russell, Man., has 1,088 points (455 goals, 633 assists) in 1,084 career NHL games.