image: TSN

As a native Montrealer, I was saddened when the Nordiques were sold in 1995 and became the Colorado Avalanche but that’s the nature of the game.  With all of the controversy surrounding the bankruptcy and ownership of the Phoenix Coyotes, a lot of people have been saying that they’d like to see another team up in Canada and I actually agree.  I don’t know if I want the Coyotes to move to Hamilton but a second team in Quebec or a new one in the prairies is worth a shot if California can have three clubs.

NHL commissioner, Gary Bettman, reportedly met with Quebec City mayor Regis Labeaume and former Nordiques owner Marcel Aubut.  No concrete details have emerged but Labeaume did say that more information about the meeting, which took place in New York on Friday, will become available soon.  There’s talk of a new arena being built in the city which, naturally, only fuels the speculation that the Nordiques are returning.

What do you think?  Should the Nordiques return to the league?

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Okay, so maybe Bettman didn’t say those words exactly but court documents have revealed that the NHL commissioner would prefer to see the Phoenix Coyotes move to Winnipeg than Hamilton.  I think that’s the smartest thing I’ve ever heard him say.

Honestly, I know that a lot of people are all for it moving to Hamilton but I just don’t think it’s right to have three teams in the same province (and, yes, I also don’t think California needs all those teams – especially after I saw first-hand how little many of the residents of Anaheim care about the Ducks).

Besides, the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton is more than 30 years old and Winnipeg just got a new arena.  Sure, it only seats around 15,000 fans but that seems like more than enough at this point.

The Coyotes’ bankruptcy hearing is on Tuesday.  I can’t wait to hear what comes out after that.

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To be perfectly honest, I don’t completely understand some of the jargon being thrown around but I will say that it’s pretty clear that the league was unhappy when Moyes tried to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 

The NHL holds an "irrevocable proxy" according to documents filed in an Arizona court and I believe that they will fight any efforts to sell the team.  “As a condition to providing this support, the league required Mr. Moyes . . . to execute proxies in favour of the commissioner of the NHL to control the equity and operation of the (club).  Moyes asked that he be allowed to retain his titles to avoid public embarrassment, and the league so agreed, but with the express understanding that he had no authority . . .  to take any action outside the normal course of business, including filing for bankruptcy."

I don’t know what to say about that but it looks like Moyes was trying to pull a fast one on the league.  I’m guessing that BlackBerry millionaire, Jim Balsillie, flashed some major cash in front of him and Moyes was tempted.  Of course, the Coyotes owner is denying the claims and says that the NHL “was only given voting powers on certain matters and that bankruptcy is not included because it is not a voting matter.”

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There’s just one catch – Balsillie would want to move the team to southern Ontario.  I don’t like the idea but Prime Minister Stephen Harper decided to weigh in on the matter: "I’d love another NHL team in Canada . . . particularly southern Ontario can support another team.  I have even (mentioned) to a couple of NHL owners I think southern Ontario is ripe to support more than one NHL team."

Uhhhh… I am one of the Canadians who actually likes Harper and I just want to say that I find it very bizarre to have our nation’s leader weighing in on this potential move.  I know he’s a hockey fan (and we’re a hockey loving country) but I’m sure he’s got better things to talk about.  What am I missing here?

Anyway, I’m sure earning the support of the prime minister bolstered Balsillie’s spirits but I’m equally sure that it has the NHL (particularly commissioner Gary Bettman) seeing red. 

Bettman doesn’t want the team to move and believes that it can still work in Phoenix.  His plan is to do his best to make sure the team stays right where it is.  My only question about that pertains to the fact that the Coyotes got into financial ruins somehow, right?  If it was a good hockey market then would the team be on the brink of bankruptcy? 

"We generally try to avoid relocating franchises unless you absolutely have to," he said. "We think when a franchise is in trouble, you try and fix the problems. That’s what we did in Pittsburgh and Ottawa and Buffalo prior to our work stoppage. That’s what we did when the perception was that five out of the six Canadian franchises around the turn of the century were in trouble. We fixed the problems. We don’t run out on cities."

Here’s my thing – is Ontario the only Canadian province that can get a new hockey team?  Every time I hear chatter about a move, it’s always about Ontario.  Guess what?  That place already has the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs so why not share the love a little bit?  The population in places like Saskatchewan has grown considerably and continues to grow and I think that it is a market that is ripe for the picking. 

What do you think?  Where should the Coyotes be?  Should they stay in Phoenix or move?

image: TSN

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