Thursday, May 7, 2009

Where the Coyotes Roam

All I have done over the past few weeks is watch hockey. Therefore, the content of this blog post will be more hockey (sorry to the folks expecting something different).

Anyone who is following the playoffs (the one with ice, not with hoops), knows how the Red Wings got completely hosed on a no-goal call at the end of game 3 which cost them the game. I'm going to avoid that minefield: the referee was following proper procedure, but it was still a god-awful call.

In my opinion, the big NHL news of the week concerns the Phoenix Coyotes franchise. The team owners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after multiple seasons of poor teams and shoddy attendance. NHL followers are probably not terribly surprised by this development. Phoenix is one of those new-market franchises pioneered by Commissioner Gary Bettman. My dislike for Gary Bettman has been stated before along with my doubt in the southern expansion. However, the next part of the tale is where it gets interesting.


Commissioner Gary Bettman impressions: the less evil, more incompetent 20th century mustache dictator

Businessman Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of Blackberry, quickly threw in a bid for the ailing franchise. Again, those who follow the NHL will recognize this name from a few years ago when he tried to buy the faltering Nashville Predators. Balsillie's $212.5 million bid includes a clause to move the team to Ontario, Canada. This is where Balsillie and Bettman are at odds. I'm neither opposed or supportive of a new team in Ontario. Instead, this serves as another opportunity for Mr. Bettman to embarass himself and the league.

Bettman was quoted, "We don't run out on cities."

Now Mr. Bettman, you may not have run out on Ottawa, Nashville, Buffalo and Pittsburgh, but what about Hartford, Winnipeg, Minneapolis and Quebec City? Didn't the NHL run out of those cities? It might have been the right move to pull the NHL franchises out of those markets, but would this be the wrong move in Phoenix?

Now here's an idea that will rock the world: close the franchise and do a mini-contraction. Give Jim Balsillie a call in five years when the financial situation hopefully improves then give him a franchise.

Red Wings-Ducks game four tonight! Let's hope the Wings and the refs bring their A-game, for a change.