THE CANADIAN PRESS
BROSSARD, Que. — Montreal Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey says he’s concerned by a published report some of his players have been hanging out with a man who has just been arrested on criminal charges.
Montreal La Presse says Andrei Kostitsyn and Sergei Kostitsyn had social ties with Pasquale Mangiola, who was arrested Feb. 12 as part of what police called a crackdown on outlaw bikers and street gangs.
Mangiola faces charges including conspiracy and possessing and trafficking cocaine.
Gainey told a news conference near Montreal today he has not spoken to either of the Kostitsyns or to Roman Hamrlik, another Canadien identified by La Presse as being someone who hung around Mangiola.
Andrei Kostitsyn told La Presse he knew Mangiola but that he didn’t know anything about his situation.
La Presse says none of the three players is suspected of any criminal activity.
Gainey says all kinds of people, including sports psychologists and masseuses, try to gain access to the team.
Sportsnet’s Daren Millard confirmed that the National Hockey League has dispatched one of its security staff to Montreal to gather information related to the case.
