Back to Square One; Coyotes future remains an enigma part 1
By Troy Baker
There I sat at 11pm on the last day of January. Thinking, well hoping, maybe a miracle would take place. I mean $308 million reasons why an owner and prospective investors may be willing to get a deal done. But this is the NHL where nothing seems easy and lawyers get involved.
Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY
At this point we know this much: NOTHING! We do know Seattle, Las Vegas and Markham are pretty excited to have an opportunity to snag and established hard working team with an excellent coach. Also some people in Quebec City think they have an outside shot to dust off the Colisee Pepsi and house a relocated team for a few seasons until they build a proper arena.
Unfortunately for Canadian hopefuls the NHL will make too much money off charging them an expansion fee. Gary Bettman has vowed to stay in the Phoenix market and has remained patient for going on 4 years now. If the Coyotes were to leave there are a few spots here in the U.S. that will be priorities for Bettman. #1 is Phoenix which I suggested before I heard it anywhere. You have US Airways and if Glendale wants to play around with the possibility of losing the Coyotes and turning Westgate into a ghost town then let the angry East Valley residents fill up the Arena where the Suns play.
Seattle is putting a package together which includes possibility of reclaiming the Sonics by snaring the Kings from Sacramento. An Arena to house them both is in the planning stage. Las Vegas is a bit of a reach with the gambling implications so close to home. No professional franchise has cracked into that market as of yet. Bettman wants to keep western teams in the US so Coyotes fans should take that into account when worrying about losing their team.
We get statements from all parties involved saying “We were not able to complete the purchase by the deadline give” and “We will continue to wok with the City of Glendale and Greg Jamison.”
Glendale claims they have a few other prospective owners who are ready to step up and make bids to secure a lease for years to come. Mayor Jerry Weiers is very smug about the position he newly occupies. I fear the Mayor and the city he presides over is missing the point. They need the Coyotes more than the Coyotes need them. Westgate and Jobing.com will die without them.