Playoffs - Round 1 Game 2 - Fixtures

Thu, May 02
Los Angeles v St Louis 9.30pm ET
Detroit v Anaheim 10pm ET

Fri, May 03
NY Islanders v Pittsburgh 7pm ET
Ottawa v Montreal 7pm ET
Minnesota v Chicago 9.30pm ET
San Jose v Vancouver 10pm ET

Sat, May 04
NY Rangers v Washington 12pm ET
Toronto v Boston 7pm ET

Colorado win Draft Lottery

Seth Jones took his first strides as a hockey player in Colorado. Based on the fact the Colorado Avalanche won the 2013 Scotiabank NHL Draft Lottery on Monday, he may take his first strides as an NHL player there, too. Jones, a defenseman for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League, is the No. 1 ranked prospect by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau. The 2013 NHL Draft will be held June 30 in New Jersey and the Avalanche, who beat the odds with an 18.8-percent chance to win the lottery, is certainly in the market for a big, offensive defenseman.

 

 

For the first time in four years, it will not be the Edmonton Oilers stepping up to the microphone to announce the first pick of the draft. The Oilers collected Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov with the No. 1 selection the past three summers. "It is a very, very exciting night for the franchise for sure," Avalanche general manager Greg Sherman told NHL.com. Sherman did not attend the lottery, sending the team's director of amateur scouting, Rick Pracey, to Toronto instead. The Avalanche finished 29th this season at 16-25-7, three points ahead of the last-place Florida Panthers. Florida had the greatest odds to get the first pick in the lottery at 25 percent. It was a turbulent season for the Avalanche, beginning with the contract dispute with center Ryan O'Reilly and concluding with the dismissal of coach Joe Sacco. Still, with forwards O'Reilly, Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog and PA Parenteau, the Avalanche has a solid foundation from which to build. "Clearly, given the talent we have on this team right now, we're adding another elite prospect to the solid foundation that we have," Sherman said. "It is certainly a big day for the franchise; it's a big night for our fans and we're very excited about the outcome tonight."

Jones, who helped Team USA win the World Junior Championship this year and is currently playing with the Winterhawks in the WHL playoffs, is a blue-chip prospect expected to make an immediate step into the NHL next season. The son of former NBA star Popeye Jones had 14 goals and 56 points in 61 games this season and was ranked ahead of Halifax Mooseheads forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively. "There's a lot to like about Jones," Pracey said. "His size and skating ability are two things that jump off the page and are attention grabbers, but his ability to rush the puck and make decisions coming out of the D-zone to create offense from the back end has our attention. He's an individual that brings two-way ability, size and reach." Pracey also praised MacKinnon and Drouin. "Drouin is a skill-set type of player who makes others around him better. His ability to make plays and create chances are very good. His offensive ability will translate at the NHL level. We think he is very talented with great instincts. MacKinnon is more of a power play [guy] and his skating is elite. We think he comes to the rink and approaches and plays the game the right way. We like his intensity and his energy." Pracey added picking Jones first overall, "is not a slam dunk decision by any means."

Florida general manager Dale Tallon took things in stride. After making the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, the team struggled in 2012-13, with injuries certainly playing a role in their 15-27-6 campaign. Tallon had his heart set on getting the No. 1 pick, but knows his Panthers will still end up with a high-end prospect. "It reduces the pain if you get the top pick because we went through hell this year," Tallon said. "It would have been nice to get it, but picking second, we know we're going to get a hell of a player. Sometimes it takes the heat off …the pressure off you going to the draft. It would have been nice to get the top pick, but either way we know we're getting a good player."

The last two defenders chosen No. 1 - Erik Johnson (St. Louis Blues, 2006) and Chris Phillips (Ottawa Senators, 1996), are solid players, but not star players. The Blues passed on the likes of productive forwards Jordan Staal, Jonathan Toews, Nicklas Backstrom and Phil Kessel to choose Johnson. The 1996 draft was regarded as weak and it is somewhat ironic the best player from that class was another defenseman, Zdeno Chara, chosen 52nd overall by the New York Islanders. This year's lottery was the first in NHL history in which all 14 clubs not qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, or the clubs that have acquired the first-round drafting positions of those non-playoff teams, had a chance at winning the right to the No. 1 selection. In seasons past, only the bottom-five teams had a crack at the top pick. The Tampa Bay Lightning had a 14.2 percent chance of getting the top pick. The other teams who had an opportunity were: Nashville Predators (10.7), Carolina Hurricanes (8.1), Calgary Flames (6.2), Edmonton Oilers (4.7), Buffalo Sabres (3.6), New Jersey Devils (2.7), Dallas Stars (2.1), Philadelphia Flyers (1.5), Phoenix Coyotes (1.1), Winnipeg Jets (0.8) and Columbus Blue Jackets (0.5). Four first overall picks – Gil Perreault (Buffalo, 1970), Denis Potvin (N.Y. Islanders, 1973), Dale Hawerchuk (Winnipeg, 1981) and Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh, 1984) went on to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie and were elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, while three others – Bobby Smith (Minnesota, 1978), Bryan Berard (Ottawa, 1995) and Alexander Ovechkin (Washington, 2004) were named top rookie. Berard was traded to the New York Islanders before ever playing a game in the NHL.

Vancouver Canucks v Chicago Blackhawks - An NHL Experience

The first thing you notice about an NHL arena is just how much bigger they are than British Ice Rinks, I mean I was expecting something bigger obviously, but I have been to smaller soccer stadiums than the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, which may give you an indication of the size. It was all starting to feel very real this was it, Welcome to the NHL!!
 

Having watched my first game 2 nights earlier against the Red Wings, this was Game number 2 and was against the league-leading Chicago Blackhawks. The opportunity to see players of the calibre of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Marion Hossa was too much to resist, when planning this trip, but I made a point of supporting the home-town Canucks, well you have to don’t you? The Penguins might be my team, but the Canucks will forever be my favourite Canadian team, and of course my first team I have seen play, and you never forget your first right?

 

The seats for this game were good and right behind one of the goals, much better than the Detroit game where I was high up in the corner. Although to be fair, there is not a bad seat in the house, all offer great views. Being a lone traveller can be a huge advantage on a trip like this as it offers you the chance to meet people, and talk to people you wouldn’t do if you were at home. I was lucky to be sat with 3 really cool people for this game. Karim, was directly to my left and we had several good conversations throughout the evening. He is a huge Canucks fan and was very informative about the team, amazingly he was impressed with my knowledge of Hockey, which was reassuring. I guess it must seem strange to some people that an average guy from across the pond can have such a love affair with the game and the knowledge to go with it. I certainly fall some way behind the real fans from Canada but it is nice to have it acknowledged all the same. To Karim’s left were a couple, called Afton & Troy. They too were impressed when I mentioned my blog and after realising I had watched 2 games and seen 2 Canucks wins, it wasn’t long before he was offering to buy me tickets. He kept saying, why don’t you stay for the playoffs, we need you here your our lucky mascot. If only I could have done, it would have been amazing to stay in BC. Of course I would need a job and a place to stay, but at least I had the offer of the tickets!!

And so to the game...

 

The Canucks dominated a game for the first time all season, against archrival Chicago Blackhawks. The Sedins were electric and feisty, producing 4 points while playing some smothering defence. Ryan Kesler was like a tornado who saw red all night. The blue line was solid. Max Lapierre looked like a third-line center, and Derek Roy and Chris Higgins played like they grew up together. You could almost believe we were back in 2011, as even the power play scored. I guess a lot was down to the Hawks on cruise control with the Conference already won, but lets not take anything away from the Canucks as they were awesome. You could argue the Blackhawks couldnt bring their A game simply because the Canucks, so fired up, wouldn't allow them to play. There were several memorable moments, including Frank Corrado's first NHL shift, where he crunched Marcus Kruger into an official. There was Alex Edler taking out Daniel Carcillo late, putting the gloss on what's been the best two weeks of his season. Most of all, was seeing Kesler playing wing for the first time in 4 years, as he switched into playoff mode. He looked back to his 2011 best. He chased hits all game, going after Marian Hossa, jawing at Brandon Bollig and taking a run at Duncan Keith. He saved his best for Jonathan Toews, and was in the center's grill all night, even taunting him in the first period, pleading for a fight by lowering his gloves almost to the ice.

 

'I asked him to the prom and he declined. He said Bollig would go with me though. Bollig's not my style' Kesler said.

 

The rivalry is great, although Daniel Sedin might not think so. The Canucks star was concussed last year by a Keith elbow and looked like he narrowly avoided a repeat when Niklas Hjalmarsson appeared to just miss him with a high elbow. When Daniel iced the game at the end of the secomd period with a breakaway goal making it 3-0, his old nemesis, Keith, gave him a two-handed whack to his back side. It sent him tumbling into the boards. Apart from his goal he also set up zack Kassian from behind the net for the Canucks' second goal. The 2 points allowed him to pass Markus Naslund for second on the teams' all-time points list. The crowd erupted when it was announced.

It was the perfect ending to an amazing trip, but also sad at the same time, as I was heading back home the following day. I sure hope to come back to Vancouver some day and meet up with my new found hockey friends. Go Canucks Go!!

 

 

Hockey expansion & relocation - A summary

The Atlanta Thrashers recently moved to Winnipeg, and it's likely that we could see a few more teams relocate in the next two to three years. The Phoenix Coyotes, perhaps? The New York Islanders, if they don't move into Barclays Center? The Nashville Predators? The Florida Panthers? There is also the rather remote possibility that the NHL could add another franchise. However, unless people start watching the NHL in droves, this probably won't happen.

Here are ten cities—three in Canada and seven in the United States—that could see an NHL team.

1 – Seattle, WA

Obviously, Atlanta is out. Hartford has been discussed as a potential NHL site, but it's less than 150 miles from four hockey teams. The only franchise that I could see moving to Hartford is the Islanders, and only then if the XL Center is replaced. Therefore, Seattle seems an obvious. It is the third-largest American market without an NHL team, after Houston and Atlanta, and the largest in a cold climate. While population and climate are important, there are two limiting factors for Seattle: the fact that Key Arena is not a good arena for anything, and the fact that Seattle is fairly close to Vancouver.

2 - Portland, OR

The Northwestern United States has two Major League Soccer franchises and a professional team in every major sport...except hockey. Between the antiquated Key Arena in Seattle and the Rose Garden in Portland, the Garden is better-suited for an NHL team. The Garden has hosted hockey and arena football events many times. Additionally, it is currently the home of a Western Hockey League team: the Portland Winterhawks. Portland, Oregon is one of the largest markets, but the city has only one big-four franchise. The Thrashers actually considered relocating to Portland before deciding on Winnipeg. If the Coyotes stay in the United States, Portland is their best option.

3 - Kansas City, MO

From 1974 to 1976, Kansas City had a hockey team called the Scouts. Now it has a new arena called the Sprint Center that's very lonely without a tenant. KC is also one of the largest midwestern cities without a hockey team. What's the problem with Kansas City, then? There may not be a big enough fanbase. The Scouts used to play in half-empty arenas. More recently, the Sprint Center has hosted NHL exhibition games to small crowds. Kansas City also has a warmer climate than many other NHL cities. It's not Palm Springs, but then again, it's not Duluth.

4 - Milwaukee, WI

Wisconsin has MLB, NBA, and NFL franchises. It is also a cold-climate state with a strong hockey following already. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers and the Milwaukee Admirals, an AHL team, are both popular. Why isn't there an NHL team in Wisconsin? First of all, Bradley Center is a terrible arena, despite being big enough to house an NHL franchise. Secondly, Milwaukee reportedly turned down the possibility of an expansion team in the 1990s. If a team, such as the Coyotes, is desperate for a new market, or if Milwaukee finally gets a new arena, it should jump higher on the list of potential sites.

5 – Las Vegas, NV

For the second city in a warm climate, it came down to Las Vegas or Atlanta. Popular sentiment has always leaned toward Vegas, the largest city without a professional sports team.
There are four main reasons why Vegas would not be suitable for an NHL team. First of all, the warm-weather factor. Secondly, Las Vegas is only a medium-sized market, and it's taken a hit with the foreclosure crisis. Thirdly, there are several territorial conflicts, as there are already two teams in Los Angeles and one in Phoenix. Lastly, there is the issue of sports betting. Every time it looks as if a team will move to Vegas, another betting controversy arises. Atlanta, a much bigger, stabler, and less-controversial market, seems like a more sensible choice. That said, Atlanta has lost two NHL teams, so Vegas it is.

6 - Quebec City, QC

Even the Russians think it's weird that Quebec City doesn't have a hockey team.The Nordiques played in Quebec City before they moved to Denver. Now, Quebec City's Colisee Pepsi is outdated. However, in February 2011, Quebec City announced plans to build a new NHL-sized arena and hopefully bring an NHL team back to the city. There are only 700,000 people in the Quebec City metro area, but it is more than 50 miles from another NHL team. Especially considering the fact that Quebec City is building a new arena, it would be an ideal site for an NHL team.

7 - Salt Lake City, UT

Salt Lake City is a small market, but it is very much a winter-sports city. Salt Lake City didhost the 2002 Winter Olympics and has many high school and club hockey teams. And with regard to market side, consider SLC's NBA team, the Utah Jazz, which has better attendance records than teams in much larger markets.There is some debate about whether EnergySolutions Arena is suitable for hockey. If it was good enough to host the largest crowd in minor league hockey history, it should be good enough for the Coyotes or the Predators.

8 - Halifax, NS

Some would say Regina or Saskatoon could also host an NHL team, but with the Jets in Winnipeg, the Prairie Provinces are covered in terms of hockey. Keep in mind that Saskatchewan isn't exactly a huge market. There are only 200,000 people in the Regina area and 250,000 in Saskatoon, which are separated by 150 miles of farmland. On the other hand, the Maritime Provinces have been aching for an NHL team. The Halifax Metro Centre is a bit undersized, but there have been proposals to expand it or build a new arena, which would likely lead to an NHL team in Atlantic Canada.

9 - Houston, TX
Houston is the largest city in the United States or Canada without a hockey team. The Toyota Center is fairly new and has hosted the Houston Aeros, an AHL team, since its opening. Despite the large market and a viable arena, I doubt Houston will be seriously considered as an NHL site; too many Sunbelt teams have failed in recent years.

10 - Hamilton, ON

It's no secret that Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie has been trying to bring another NHL franchise to southern Ontario. While there have been proposals to build a second arena in Toronto, there is already an NHL-ready arena in Hamilton: Copps Coliseum. This area also boasts a built-in, die-hard hockey fanbase. So, why doesn't Hamilton have a team? The Buffalo Sabres have vetoed potential NHL moves to the city because they feel that another team so close by would invade their territory. Hamilton is just under 50 miles from Buffalo as the crow flies; it's 72 miles by automobile. Additionally, Toronto and the Maple Leafs are only 45 miles away. Frankly, I don't see another NHL franchise in southern Ontario's future; a more likely outcome would be the Sabres playing home games at Copps from time to time.

Expansion in Canada

The potential of adding additional franchises in Canada had been an ongoing source of controversy for the NHL in recent years as numerous groups proposed expanding the league into a new Canadian city, or purchasing a struggling American franchise and relocating it north; to a certain extent, these issues continue even after the awarding of a seventh franchise to Winnipeg. Quebec City and the Golden Horseshoe area of Southern Ontario are most frequently proposed as locations for new Canadian teams, as was Winnipeg prior to the announced relocation of the Thrashers. Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie has made several significant attempts to bring a team to Hamilton, including a $242.5 million offer in 2009 to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes, immediately after the team filed for bankruptcy protection. Balsillie's efforts have been resisted by the NHL during commissioner Gary Bettman's tenure. Balsillie's latest efforts include a public relations campaign based around Canadian nationalist feelings and the perception that the NHL is "anti-Canadian". Throughout the history of the NHL, attempts to bring franchises to Canadian cities have caused points of contention. Vancouver's rejected bid for one of six new franchises added in 1967 outraged Canadians, who felt they had been "sold out". Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson stated that "the NHL decision to expand only in the U.S. impinges on the sacred principles of all Canadians." Three years later, the Vancouver Canucks joined as the league's third Canadian franchise. The 1979 defeat by a single vote of a merger agreement between the NHL and the rival World Hockey Association that would have resulted in three Canadian WHA franchises (the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets) joining the NHL led to a mass boycott of Molson products across Canada. In a second vote, the Montreal Canadiens, owned by Molson, reversed their position, allowing the Oilers, Nordiques and Jets to join the NHL for the 1979–80 NHL season (along with the New England Whalers, who would be renamed the Hartford Whalers). The Calgary Flames became Canada's seventh franchise in 1980, relocating from Atlanta. The 1990s saw considerable upheaval amongst Canadian franchises. In 1992, the NHL returned to Ottawa, while a potential expansion into Hamilton failed. However, the declining value of the Canadian dollar at that time, coupled with rapidly escalating salaries, placed hardships on Canadian franchises. As a result, the Nordiques and Jets left Canada, becoming the Colorado Avalanche in 1995 and the Phoenix Coyotes in 1996 respectively. Fears persisted up to the 2004–05 NHL lockout that the Flames, Oilers, and Senators could follow suit. The financial fortunes of Canada's teams rebounded following the lockout: Canada's six franchises represented one-third of NHL revenues in 2006–07, primarily on the back of the surging value of the Canadian dollar.In May 2011, True North Sports and Entertainment, an ownership group with the support of billionaire David Thomson, 3rd Baron Thomson of Fleet, purchased the Atlanta Thrashers with the intention to move the team to Winnipeg, Manitoba. The relocation marks the first franchise relocation since 1997 and the first new Canadian franchise since the Ottawa Senators entered the league in 1992. At the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, it was announced that the team would be named the Jets. Former NHLPA executive director Paul Kelly has repeatedly argued in favour of bringing a new team to Canada. In early 2008, he described the Canadian market to The Palm Beach Post: "The six Canadian franchises do so well, they pack the buildings, get great TV, great revenue streams. If you put another team up there, be it in Nova Scotia or Hamilton, it would be more of the same." Prior to the relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg, Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke in favour of another team in Canada, stating he has spoken with NHL owners in the past about bringing a new team to southern Ontario. A study published in April 2011 by the University of Toronto's Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation concluded that Canada can support 12 NHL teams, double the amount it had at the time of the study, including second franchises for Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

 

Hamilton - Hamilton mayor Jack MacDonald attempted to lure the Colorado Rockies to Hamilton in 1980, an effort that ended when he lost his re-election bid. Hamilton was also a candidate for expansion in 1991, being one of the favorites, but it lost out to the Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning. Hamilton's bid group attempted to negotiate the $50 million expansion fee; a condition the NHL rejected. While it was speculated that the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres did not want an NHL team in Hamilton due to territorial competition, former league president Gil Stein has denied that was the case.BlackBerry founder and co-CEO Jim Balsilliehas made numerous attempts to purchase an existing NHL team with the purpose of bringing it to Southern Ontario. He signed an agreement in principle to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins for US$175 million on October 5, 2006. Penguins' majority owner Mario Lemieux agreed to the sale after struggling to gain support from local governments to build a new arena. Balsillie's purchase agreement offered to help finance a new arena, but also contained a stated intention to relocate the team to Hamilton or Kitchener-Waterloo if no deal on a new arena could be reached. Balsillie later retracted his bid, claiming that the NHL had placed conditions on the sale that he was not comfortable with, including a commitment to keep the team in Pittsburgh under any circumstances. Balsillie then reached an agreement to purchase the Nashville Predators for $238 million on May 24, 2007, and began a season ticket campaign in Hamilton a week later intending to prove that the city was capable of hosting an NHL team. Thousands of fans purchased tickets, however the sale again fell through a month later when Predators owner Craig Leipold opted to terminate the agreement. The Predators were later sold to a group of ten investors, led by Nashville businessman David Freeman, who promised to keep the team in Nashville. Leipold accepted $40 million less from Freeman's group than Balsillie offered, and later ended up as the majority owner of the Minnesota Wild. During the 2008–2009 NHL season, the future of the Phoenix Coyotes was on shaky ground as the team expected to lose as much as $45 million, and the league had to step in to assist with paying the team's bills. Coyotes' managing partner Jerry Moyesfiled for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early May 2009, and immediately afterwards, an offer by Balsillie to purchase the team was made public. The NHL challenged the Coyotes' ability to file for bankruptcy, claiming that as a result of the financial support the league had been offering the franchise, the league itself is in control of the team, and that Moyes did not have authority to act as he did. Balsillie's launched public relations campaign aiming at igniting Canadian nationalistic feelings and the perception that Bettman has an anti-Canadian agenda, including a website. His bid to purchase the Coyotes failed as the bankruptcy judge ruled his offer did not meet the NHL's rules on relocation. The Hamilton Spectatorreported on May 9 that a Vancouver-based group led by Tom Gaglardi was planning to make a bid to purchase the Atlanta Thrashers and relocate the team to Hamilton in time for the 2010–11 NHL season. This never materialized, and the idea was eventually rendered moot by the Thrashers' sale and relocation to Winnipeg. Gaglardi later purchased the Dallas Stars and, to date, has kept the team in Dallas.Under NHL rules, an expansion or relocation of a team to Hamilton could potentially be blocked by the Buffalo Sabres or the Toronto Maple Leafs, because Copps Coliseum, the likely venue for a Hamilton NHL team, is located less than 50 miles from the Sabres' and the Leafs' home arenas. Roughly 15% of the Sabres' business comes from residents of the area of Ontario between Hamilton and Buffalo, and the Sabres or the Leafs could require "an enormous indemnification payment" to allow an additional team to be established within a 50-mile radius. A pre-season NHL game was played in Hamilton between the Sabres and the Ottawa Senators on September 28, 2010 as part of the Kraft Hockeyville promotion, as a result of the city winning a fan vote. The game was hosted at the much smaller J. L. Grightmire Arena in the Dundas region of the city and not at the Copps Coliseum. An unnamed bidder made a bid for the Sabres in February 2011, offering $259 million for the team to move it out of Buffalo, which would either mean the team itself would relocate to Hamilton or it would clear the way for another team to make such a move. The bid was rejected in favor of an offer from Terrence Pegula, who planned to keep the team in Buffalo. A popular choice for a new Hamilton team is the Tigers,the name of an NHL team in the 1920s (and ironically, a team whose successors eventually led to the modern Sabres franchise that opposes its establishment). However, that name is very similar to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats football team, whose name is derived from a Hamilton Tigers football team. While two professional teams sharing names is not unheard of in professional sports, any Hamilton franchise would need to seek permission from the Tiger-Cats to use the Tigers name to avoid any trademark disputes. Copps Coliseum in Hamilton was built in 1985 with the hope it would help lure an NHL team to the city.

 

Greater Toronto Area - Despite the fact that Toronto already houses the Toronto Maple Leafs, its suburbs have been mentioned as potential sites for NHL franchises, under the logic that Toronto is the largest metropolitan area in Canada and can support two NHL teams. Unlike other potential expansion markets, a new arena would need to be constructed, and most of the proposals for a new Toronto area team include a new arena along with them.In April 2009, a group of businessmen met with NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly to discuss the possibility of bringing a second NHL franchise into the Toronto area, most likely in Vaughan, Ontario. Despite the talks, Daly reportedly stated the NHL is "not currently considering expansion nor do we have any intention or desire to relocate an existing franchise."In June 2009, a group headed by Andrew Lopez and Herbert Carnegie proposed a $1 billion plan for a second Toronto team, called the Legacy, to begin play no earlier than 2012. The group announced a plan for a 30,000 seat arena, with 15,000 for tickets of a price of $50 or less. The arena would be situated in Downsview Park in the north of the city. Twenty-five percent of net profits would be given to charity. In 2011, a proposal surfaced to build a multi-purpose 19,500 seat arena in Markham, Ontario, north-east of Toronto, that could potentially be used for an NHL team. The CAD$ 300-million arena is to be part of an entertainment complex and could be ready as soon as 2014. The company behind the proposal, GTA Sports and Entertainment is headed by W. Graeme Roustan, the company's chairman and CEO. Roustan is also the chairman of sports equipment maker Bauer. Roustan is a Montreal-raised private equity investor whose firm Kohlberg & Company, purchased Bauer from Nike. The land proposed for the arena, near the Unionville commuter train station, is owned by Rudy Bratty, chairman and CEO of the Remington Group. The Remington Group is at the heart of Markham's proposed downtown-style development. As to the likelihood of getting a team, the NHL's Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly met with the ownership group and advised them "for purposes of their analysis, they should assume it will never happen."

 

Quebec City - Alexander Medvedev, the president of the KHL, Russia's professional hockey league, has stated his intention to purchase an NHL team and move it to Quebec City,saying that it is "strange" there is no NHL team there. Medvedev said he shelved plans to buy a North American team after NHL representatives told him that the league would never allow a Russian to own one of its clubs. Quebec City mayor Regis Labeaume, on October 10, 2009 talked with NHL officials, regarding the return of the Nordiques. Bettman said this in October 2009, that he would consider Quebec City as a possible home to an NHL team if it followed through on plans to build a top arena and if a team were for sale. In May, 2011, Labeaume stated that Pierre Karl Peladeau, the president and CEO of Quebecor Inc., is currently in talks with the NHL regarding a franchise in Quebec City. A new 18,000-seat arena is currently being built in Quebec City, the Quebecor Arena; ground was broken in September 2012 and it is expected to be ready for use by the 2015-16 season. During that time, the Colisée Pepsi(the previous home of the Nordiques) could function as a temporary arena until the Amphitheatre is completed.The active Quebec sovereignty movement was claimed by Jean Charest to be a possible problem in regard to bringing the NHL back to Quebec. An exhibition game was played prior to the 2011–12 NHL season at the Colisée Pepsi. The Montreal Canadiens hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning in Quebec and won 5–1. The Canadiens were well received despite being from rival Montreal. Montreal was going to host the Carolina Hurricanes at Colisée Pepsi in 2012; however, that game was canceled due to the lockout.

 

Saskatoon - Bill Hunter, the founder of the Edmonton Oilers, had an agreement to purchase the St. Louis Blues and move the team to Saskatoon as the Saskatoon Blues in the 1982–83 NHL season; however, the NHL (who did not want to leave the St. Louis market) vetoed the sale. Faced with the prospects of either having to allow the sale or contract the franchise, the league found an owner (Harry Ornest) willing to keep the team in Missouri and, in an eleventh-hour deal, preserved the Blues in St. Louis, where they remain.A proposal from Ice Edge Holdings to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes would move a portion of the team's home games to Saskatoon in an effort to maintain the team's viability in its main home in Phoenix, similar to the current Bills Toronto Series arrangement in the National Football League;the group, had it bought the team, was ready to go forward and had leased Saskatoon's Credit Union Centre for five home games in the 2009–10 season. The group is believed to lack the funds to buy the team outright, but remained in contention as potential minority owner until May 2011, when it pulled out of negotiations. On Ice Management, an ownership group backed by auto racer, former Moncton Wildcats owner, and former professional hockey player John Graham, is backing a long-shot bid to bring the NHL to Saskatoon. An exhibition game was played prior to the 2011–12 NHL season at the Credit Union Centre, whose capacity is 15,195 (fewer than all NHL venues other than Winnipeg's MTS Centre). The Chicago Blackhawks faced a split squad of the Edmonton Oilers losing 4–2 to Edmonton. A second game in Saskatoon that would have seen the Winnipeg Jets take on the Boston Bruins in October, 2012 was cancelled due to the lockout.

 

Expansion sites within the United States

Several cities in the United States have been mentioned in the media as possible future sites for new or relocated NHL teams. In December 2007, organizations from Kansas City, Las Vegas, Houston, and Seattle presented their proposals for a franchise to the NHL's Executive Committee. Other possible locations include San Antonio, Salt Lake City, Portland, Hartford, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Norfolk, New Orleans, Cincinnati and Baltimore. The five largest metropolitan regions without NHL franchises are (in descending order of population) Houston, Atlanta, Seattle-Tacoma, San Diego, and Baltimore. Cleveland, Houston and Atlanta have previously hosted major professional hockey teams. During the 1970s, Cleveland was home to the Cleveland Barons (the former Oakland Seals), which failed to draw fans or revenue, and was merged with the Minnesota North Stars (now the Dallas Stars) after two seasons. The Houston Aeros of the World Hockey Association (WHA) existed from 1972 until 1978, where they won two Avco Cups and enjoyed a large and loyal fanbase. The Atlanta Flames joined the NHL in 1972 and played in the city for eight years before being moved to Calgary in 1980 and becoming the Calgary Flames. The Atlanta Thrashers played in the NHL from 1999 to 2011, until its move to Winnipeg for the 2011–12 season.Houston (Toyota Center), Atlanta (Philips Arena), Cleveland (Quicken Loans Arena), and Portland (Rose Garden) have arenas capable of hosting NHL games. Other arenas specifically designed for NBA franchises such as San Antonio's AT&T Center, Seattle Center Coliseum in Seattle, Baltimore's 1st Mariner Arena, Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena, and Salt Lake City's EnergySolutions Arena have low seating capacities for a prospective NHL team, although San Antonio also has the Alamodome. The New York Islanders intend to move to Brooklyn's Barclays Center in 2015, an arena specifially designed for the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.

 

Seattle -Seattle has a long hockey history. The 1917 Seattle Metropolitans were the first American winners of the Stanley Cup, but folded in 1924, while the Seattle Totems played in the borderline-major Western Hockey League from 1944 until the WHL's dissolution in 1975. As of 2012, the Puget Sound region's highest level of hockey is the Canadian major juniors: the Seattle Thunderbirds (based 20 miles south of Seattle in Kent) and Everett Silvertips (25 miles north of Seattle) both play in the Western Hockey League. The Seattle Center Coliseum (also known under an expired naming rights deal as KeyArena) is less than ideal for NHL in terms of capacity and sightlines, due to a 1994 renovation that made the arena basketball-specific for the arena's major tenant, the now-relocated Seattle SuperSonics; the league has stated that the Coliseum would be "a difficult arena for hockey." That played a major factor in the departure of the Seattle Thunderbirds, a major junior hockey team, from the same buildings, owing to problematic sightlines caused by a scoreboard that is off-center in a hockey configuration. The Tacoma Dome, a multi-purpose stadium that has hosted NHL exhibition games in the past, could function as a temporary facility, though issues with the facility include its distance from Seattle (30 miles), poor sightlines, awkward (and largely temporary) seating configuration, absence of icemaking facilities, and a general lack of modern amenities. The city of Tacoma is studying a possible renovation of the Dome to meet major league standards. In April 1974, both Seattle and Denver were conditionally granted NHL franchises. Seattle's never came to fruition because of the Western League's instability (according to season ticket promotions the team would have kept the WHL name of Totems). A Seattle group made a bid on an expansion franchise in 1990, but it failed over the financial terms the NHL demanded. The SuperSonics basketball team managed the arena and would not offer a share of suite revenues considered necessary for the NHL team's success. The businessmen who wanted to operate the potential NHL team were unwilling to pay the $50 million expansion fee imposed by the NHL, and their bid was rejected. An unnamed Seattle group expressed its interest to the NHL in 2007. In 2011, the NHL acknowledged that there was interest expressed by a group in Seattle for a team. Multiple reports suggested Chicago Wolves owner and businessman Don Levin had expressed interest in building a new arena in nearby Bellevue that could host an NHL team. On February 16, 2012, a plan was announced to build a new arena in Seattle's SoDo district just south of Safeco Field. An investment group, headed by hedge-fund manager Christopher Hansen, is proposing to seek a return of the National Basketball Association (NBA) to Seattle after the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City and is interested in possibly having an NHL team as well. The configuration of the proposed arena would be able to accommodate hockey, unlike KeyArena. The arena would be built as a public-private partnership between the City of Seattle and Hansen's group. Hansen's group would invest $290 million and the public sector (city and county) $200 million. The project will not proceed without the confirmed purchase of a professional team as the arena's tenant. Hansen's group has purchased all the land that makes up the arena site.Commenting later that day, NHL Commissioner Bettman stressed that the NHL has no plans for expansion or relocation. Levin has spoken to Hansen and expressed his interest in being involved as the owner of the NHL franchise that would be the tenant in the arena. Levin has also expressed his interest to Bettman. On July 25, 2012, it was reported that Wayne Gretzky was meeting with Bellevue officials regarding an NHL team in the Seattle area. On September 11, 2012, it was announced that the Seattle City Council had reached an agreement with Chris Hansen to build an arena in Seattle's SoDo district. The agreement calls for a $40 million transportation fund, $7 million to upgrade KeyArena, an option for the city and county to sell the arena at the end of the 30-year lease period, and a personal financial guarantee from Hansen if the arena's finances fall short. Shortly afterward, on September 24, it was reported that Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz and team president Patrick LaForge visited Seattle, sparking rumors of the Oilers relocating to Seattle. The proposed arena secured its first tenant when in January 2013, Hansen purchased the Sacramento Kings with the intent of relocating the team to Seattle.When Greg Jamison was unable to meet a deadline to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes on January 31, 2013, speculation began that the team would be relocated to Seattle.

 

Houston -Professional ice hockey dates back to 1946 in Houston with the establishment of the Houston Skippers. This was followed by the Houston Apollos, the Houston Aeros of the WHA and the current Houston Aeros. The WHA Houston Aeros were an original member of the World Hockey Association. From 1972 to 1978, the Aeros twice won the AVCO World Trophy and featured the first father/son combination to play together in professional hockey, Gordie Howe and his two sons Mark and Marty. The Aeros, despite being a successful franchise, were left out of the NHL-WHA merger and were forced to fold in 1978.The current Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL) were founded in 1994. The team plays in the Toyota Center, which seats 17,800 for hockey. As part of the lease agreement of the Toyota Center with the Houston Rockets, only an NHL team owned by Les Alexander, owner of the Rockets is allowed to play at the Center. The Rockets have twice explored the purchase of an NHL team for the building. According to comments made by Harris County officials, (Harris County owns the Center) there is no current interest in an NHL team. The other arenas in Houston with the capability of hosting an NHL team are The Summit, although that building has been sold to a megachurch and has been decommissioned as a sports venue, and the currently vacant Astrodome. Currently the Minnesota Wild affiliate will be moving the Aeros to Des Moines, Iowa since an agreement could not be met to lease the Toyota Center for another season.Greater Houston is currently the largest market in terms of both city proper and metro population, in North America without an NHL franchise. The area ranks second in the nation with 22 based Fortune 500 companies, only behind New York City,which has 45.

 

Kansas City - Kansas City, Missouri has hosted NHL hockey before. The NHL Kansas City Scouts played out of Kemper Arena from 1974 until 1976. The team averaged only 8,218 in attendance per game in the 17,000 seat arena, leading to the team's sale and relocation to Denver to become the Colorado Rockies. Professional hockey continued at the arena in the form of the minor league Kansas City Blues, followed by the Kansas City Blades and the Kansas City Outlaws.Kansas City opened an NHL-ready arena named the Sprint Center in 2007. The arena is managed by the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), which owns the Los Angeles Kings, among other sports interests. In 2007, when the Pittsburgh Penguins faced financial troubles and no prospect of a new arena, the president of AEG offered to relocate the team to Missouri to play in the new Sprint Center rent-free and to become managing partners in the facility. The Penguins, however, remained in Pittsburgh and ultimately got their new arena in 2010. In 2009, the New York Islanders played the Los Angeles Kings in a pre-season game at Sprint Center. The game was poorly attended, ending speculation that the Islanders would move to the arena. The Sprint Center hosted another pre-season game of the Los Angeles Kings; this time versus the Penguins, in September 2011. As AEG already owns the Los Angeles Kings, it would not be allowed to own another NHL team under NHL rules, although the rule has been circumvented in the past. The pre-season game between the Penguins and Kings was a sellout, drawing over 17,000 fans.

 

Las Vegas - Ice hockey interest in Las Vegas dates back to 1991, when the first ever outdoor game in the NHL's modern era was held in Las Vegas, with the Los Angeles Kings facing the New York Rangers outside Caesars Palace in the preseason. The minor league Las Vegas Thunder professional ice hockey team operated out of the Thomas and Mack Center from 1993 until 1999 when the team's lease of the facility expired. Several of the team's players eventually played in the NHL.Almost every year since 1997, Las Vegas has hosted Frozen Fury,a pre-season competition between the Los Angeles Kings and the Colorado Avalanche at the 16,800 seat capacity MGM Grand Garden Arena. It has been sold out every year, with substantial attendance from Las Vegas locals as well as travelling Kings and Avalanche fans. Despite the fact that the NHL Awards ceremonies are held in Las Vegas, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has said it "has nothing to do with" it being a potential relocation or expansion spot.The media has speculated openly about a plan involving the Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer to bring the Phoenix Coyotes to Nevada.

 

Possible relocation candidates

The media has speculated on the Phoenix Coyotes relocating to a new city, as they filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and are currently owned by the NHL; the Coyotes relocated from Winnipeg in 1996, but have been unprofitable ever since. The team came close to being sold to the Winnipeg group that bought the Atlanta Thrashers and relocated them to Winnipeg, among numerous other groups. The club remains in Phoenix because of annual US$25 million payments by the owner of the Coyotes' arena, the City of Glendale, Arizona; however, the city revoked its support of the Coyotes in April 2012 and now seeking recovery of the US$400 million paid to the team.

Other news regarding Phoenix

Up until now, the possible relocation of the Phoenix Coyotes has centered on two cities; Seattle and Quebec City. Now there is a new city emerging, and no, it's not Markham, Ontario. Try Portland, Ore. It was interesting to hear some reports surfacing earlier this week when the deadline for Greg Jamison to buy the Coyotes under a favorable lease deal expired. Mainly, there was mention of possibly another suitor to the party, adding another layer to this complex story. According to Craig Morgan of Fox Sports Arizona, that would be Calgary-based oil mogul Bill Gallacher. Gallacher just happens to be the owner of the WHL's Portland Winterhawks. If Gallacher does get involved and tries to buy the franchise, you can surely bet the relocation talk will begin immediately. Portland has something that Seattle and Quebec City don't have: an NHL-ready arena at the moment. The Rose Garden, home of the Winterhawks as well as the NBA's Portland Trailblazers, would be suitable from Day 1. The arena opened in 1995 but isn't exactly out of date. For hockey it has a capacity of 17,544. Many of the advantages that Seattle would have over Quebec City, such as being an American market and on the West Coast, would translate over to Portland as well. The media market in Portland wouldn't quite compare with Seattle or Phoenix, but it would beat a Canadian market as far as American television is concerned. Of course, there is the sticky matter of the NHL continuing to maintain it wants to keep the Coyotes in Arizona. They have been trying this for nearly four years, so why stop now? Until Greg Jamison is completely out of the picture, which he isn't right now,then the Coyotes will be staying in the desert. It's important to note that Gallacher's potential involvement wouldn't necessarily mean he'd be looking to move the franchise. It is possible he could buy the team and keep it in Arizona, he tried previously to buy the Stars and Devils so he could just want to own an NHL team. But it is fun to speculate a little bit (sorry, Coyotes fans). Portland has a history of supporting its junior team, the Winterhawks. Last season they averaged a little more than 6,000 fans per game, not bad for junior hockey in the States. Also, it would obviously be farther from Vancouver than Seattle but still close enough to have some semblance of a regional rivalry. So what does this all mean for the Phoenix Coyotes In my opinion, being in a seven team conference likely means the team is either; A. staying put in Glendale, and the league will eventually expand to Seattle or Portland, or B. they relocate to a market within the borders of the 'Red' conference, like the aforementioned cities (sorry Quebec City). Speaking of Quebec City, what does this realignment mean for them, and for that matter, Markham? A few months ago rumors were flying that the NHL was set to expand to 32 teams, and Quebec City and Southern Ontario were the likely targets. Now with this proposed realignment it looks like expansion is more likely to occur in the West. If the league were to expand or relocate team(s) to one or both of those cities there would be upheaval in the newly formed 'Blue' and 'Green' Conferences. That is of course, unless one or more struggling teams in the 'Blue' and/or 'Green' Conferences are being targeted for relocation... You can of course take this all with a grain of salt, as no one thought the Winnipeg Jets were going to stay in the "South East" division for two seasons either.

Fox Sports Arizona

With the Winnipeg faithful now in possession of another NHL team and no longer vulturing over the Coyotes while salivating at the possibility of bringing back their one-time Jets, it’s the people in Seattle who have taken their place in the comments section of Coyotes stories all over the internet. On Thursday, businessman Chris Hansen, who is awaiting approval of his attempted purchase of the Sacramento Kings, a franchise he would then move to Seattle to revive the SuperSonics, fanned the flames a bit with a blog post on SeattleArena.com featuring renderings of the hockey setup for the new arena that is in development in the city’s downtown area. The post includes the following line …
“While I know there may have been a few skeptics out there, I have to say I am just as pumped as most of you to see the return of professional hockey to Seattle, and honestly can’t wait to see this building bursting at the seams with crazed Seattle hockey fans.”

According to Dreger, the NHL may be running out of patience in Phoenix. After years of doing their best to keep the team in Glendale, the league could make a decision on relocating the franchise in advance of the Stanley Cup playoffs."It's clear time [is] running out and relocation must be considered," Dreger tweeted. The TSN analyst listed Quebec City, Seattle and Kansas City among relocation sites, none of them new options to puckheads. But at this point, I think hockey fans know not to react too quickly to any report about the Phoenix Coyotes, and this one is no different. Don't think that's the end of the Coyotes as we know them just yet. "Current focus remains on selling the Coyotes to ownership in Glendale," Bill Daly told Yahoo!'s Nick Cotsonika. "We haven't spent much time on anything else.Adding to that, John Shannon passed on new information Wednesday night regarding another comeback by Ice Edge. According to Shannon, Ice Edge CEO is part of a new group that he leads along with George Gosbee, head of AltaCorp Capital and Vice Chair of AIMCo, a $70 Billion investment Fund. "Word is they are finalizing a proposal with NHL," Shannon said.Basically, nothing is set in stone at all, which means there really isn't anything new here. It's seemed like just about anything could happen in the Glendale ownership kerfuffle for years, and now it just seems slightlymore like that. Still, if the Coyotes do move, where they go could have a big impact on another recent hot topic: realignment. The Coyotes were supposed to be part of the Westernmost grouping in the new setup. A move to Seattle would be ideal from this perspective, since they're even further West than Phoenix. There's little headache there. But a move from Phoenix to, say, Quebec City, which Dreger said was the frontrunner, throws the conferences as the Board of Governors approved them into disarray. Somehow, I suspect Quebec City won't so into that. Would Kansas City? They'd probably be more comfortable in the proposed Conference B, with midwestern teams like the Minnesota Wild, who are almost a straight shot north of them. But if the Coyotes go East, someone is going to have to move West, and as we've seen, pretty much no one wants to move West.

Speaking at the league’s announcement of the 2014 Winter Classic on Sunday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league’s focus is to leave the Coyotes in the desert. “We’re not planning on moving Phoenix as we stand here today,” he said. The Coyotes have been run by the NHL since 2009, when former owner Jerry Moyes took the team into bankruptcy in a bid to sell to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, who would move the franchise to Hamilton, Ontario. The NHL vehemently opposed that plan, and a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge later refused to allow the sale to go through. The Coyotes have had several suitors since then, but haven’t been able to complete a deal. The latest, with former San Jose Sharks CEO Greg Jamison, fell through when his group couldn’t come through with its finances in time to meet a deadline on a 20-year, $308 million lease agreement with the City Glendale for Jobing.com Arena.Despite reports that the league has looked at relocating the franchise, Bettman said it hasn’t looked at that option yet. “We haven’t been exploring the alternatives,” Bettman said. “We are exploring everything we can do to work this out, and there seems to be considerable interest. If you go through the history of this, there have been lots of reasons, not excuses, but lots of reasons,this has taken a lot of time. There seems to be now, in the calm of the moment, a lot more interest than we’ve ever seen.” Canadian businessmen George Gosbee and Anthony LeBlanc submitted a purchase bid last week, and a group led by Buffalo, N.Y. businessman Darin Pastor also put in a proposal. Jamison is still working on a deal, and former suitor Matthew Hulsizer is reportedly interested. Bettman said the league would select an ownership bid before talking with Glendale about a lease agreement for Jobing.com Arena. The city recently hired a company to find a manager to run the arena and handle negotiations with prospective owners. “I’ve been in regular touch with the mayor and we agreed that when we get a framework lined up, then we would come see the city,” Bettman told reporters. “We don’t want the city to have to expend resources and time getting involved until there’s something concrete to present to them.”

Prospective Phoenix Coyotes buyer Darin Pastor met with Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers last week as his group and another led by Canadian investment banker George Gosbee are the latest potential suitors for the hockey franchise.Pastor is also an investment banker and CEO of Irvine, Calif.-based Capstone Affluent Strategies. He met with Weiers last week, according to city spokeswoman Julie Frisoni. The challenge for the city of Glendale and the National Hockey League,which has owned the Coyotes since 2009, is whether the Gosbee or Pastor groups can actually consummate a deal,unlike past unsuccessful bids. Fox Sports Arizona has reported that Gosbee and Ice Edge Holdings LLC have already put in an offer to buy the team.FSAZ’s also reports that Pastor’s potential bid is expected soon to the league office. A Pastor representative confirmed the meeting occurred but declined further comment. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman reiterated this weekend that the league wants to keep the Coyotes in the Phoenix market and is working on selling the team to a buyer here. “We’re not planning on moving Phoenix as we stand here today,” Bettman said in Detroit yesterday, according to the CBC and other reporter.There have been several unsuccessful attempts to sell the Coyotes to ownership groups who will keep the team in Glendale. If a deal is not done by the end of the year, it is expected the Coyotes will be sold and moved to another market. Quebec City is a likely landing spot if the Coyotes move though other markets could also be in the hunt. The current arena lease deal between Glendale and the NHL ends when the Coyotes season is finished. The league could further extend that, but has indicated it will not run the Phoenix franchise another year. Past Coyotes suitors, Matthew Hulsizer, Greg Jamison and members of Ice Edge Holdings,are still interested in the team and could be part of other, or renewed bids. Hulsizer, a Chicago investment executive, now has a house in Scottsdale. The process for keeping the Coyotes in Glendale this time may also be different than past efforts. Those endeavors saw bids hinge on arena management payments or other financial mechanisms from the city of Glendale to subsidize or enable the financing for the purchase.This time the NHL will likely have to strike a deal with an ownership group and then come to the Glendale City Council for an arena deal. Otherwise, the Coyotes maybe headed to a new town at season’s end.

How Phoenix Coyotes Relocation May Pose Huge Realignment Headache for NHL

Time is running out on the Phoenix Coyotes, and if the league-owned franchise is unable to find new ownership in the near future, relocation will be the best option for the club long term.

TSN's Darren Dreger reported late last month that the fate of the struggling franchise might be determined prior to postseason play, which begins on April 30. This drama in Glendale has gone on for far too long, and the league has not been able to find a buyer despite several people/groups expressing interest in owning the team over the last few years. The most recent attempt was made by former San Jose Sharks CEO Greg Jamison, who failed to complete a sale prior to his January 31 deadline. Not only does the league have a tough task in finding someone to buy this financially challenged team, relocating it will also be difficult, especially since the new realignment plan for the 2013-14 season doesn't give the NHL many options to move Phoenix unless it wants to re-do the plan.When the NHL originally came up with the plan for four conferences/divisions, the two with the Eastern clubs had seven teams each, while the other two with Western franchises had eight teams each.This left two spots open in the East for possible relocation and expansion, with three of the most talked-about destinations being Hamilton, Markham/Toronto and Quebec City.When the NHL and NHLPA finally agreed on a final realignment format for next season, the Western divisions had the two open spots with seven teams each and the Eastern ones had eight teams each. Here is what the plan looks like.

The destination for the Coyotes that makes the most sense is Quebec City. The team would be able to play in the Colisée Pepsi (pictured below) until the new arena, which should be a modern work of art, is built.Per the Edmonton Journal on March 26, 2012:

Quebec city council approved recently a $7-million refurbishment of the city’s aging Colisee, built in 1949, if an NHL team is approved before the new arena is built. Sunday’s announcement comes as the future of the Phoenix Coyotes is uncertain. Quebec City, Seattle and Kansas City could be considered as potential homes by the NHL if the league decides to move the team from Arizona.

Since the construction of the Amphithéâtre deQuébec is already underway (per CBC), the league doesn't have to worry about having a new arena for the Coyotes if they are moved to Quebec City.
After seeing the incredible success that the Winnipeg Jets have enjoyed since relocating from Atlanta prior to the 2011-12 season, there should be no concerns about the NHL being able to thrive in a small Canadian market in 2013.Quebec City would be the second-smallest market in the four major North American sports leagues if it got an NHL team (Green Bay of the NFL is the smallest), but there are plenty of hockey fans in the region to help a team thrive on and off the ice. When you look at the approved realignment plan, the logical decision would be to move the Coyotes to Seattle because that would not result in any changes to the new realignment plan since the franchise would stay in Division A. Here's the problem with Seattle. It doesn't have an NHL-ready building for the Coyotes to play in while a new arena is constructed. Key Arena is not fit for an NHL team, so while Seattle might be the ideal spot for the NHL to expand or relocate to in the near future, it's not the best option for relocation in 2013. There is a proposed arena in Seattle, but construction has not started, so there's no way that the city could be a home for the Coyotes during the 2013-14 season.

Complicating matters is the fact that there are no other traditional hockey markets in the Western United States or Western Canada that are a strong fit for a team right now. Kansas City has an arena fit for an NBA and NHL franchise, but that's not a traditional hockey market and doesn't deserve to get a team before Seattle, Quebec or Southern Ontario. Portland is one possible relocation option if the NHL wants to keep the Coyotes in the West, but it's not a large market and it's uncertain if there are any owners willing to bring a team to the city. It was puzzling that the NHL would go ahead and complete realignment before the Coyotes situation for next season was finalized. If the team needs to be relocated for next season and Quebec City is the only quality option, the league and the NHLPAare going to have to sit down and adjust the new conference format, which would be a difficult process. A Quebec City team would need to go into Division C (in the above picture) because it would be the best fit geographically, and it would allow Quebec to renew divisional rivalries with the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins.If that were to happen, Division C would have nine teams, which means one team in that division has to go to the West or a team in Division D would need to go to the West and be replaced by a club from Division C.
There are probably only a few possible scenarios for the NHL to consider if the Coyotes went to Quebec City and were placed in Division C:

• Detroit Red Wings move from Division C to Division B, Colorado Avalanche move to Division A
• Columbus Blue Jackets move from Division D to Division B, Detroit moves to Division D, Colorado Avalanche move to Division A
• Move Coyotes to Kansas City, put them in Division B, move Colorado Avalanche to Division A

Other than Detroit and Columbus, there are no other teams that the league could justify putting in Division B, which is made up of mostly Central time zone teams.
One of the main goals of realignment was to put the Red Wings and Blue Jackets in the Eastern divisions, so it would be surprising if either franchise moved to a West division in the event that Quebec City gets a team for the 2013-14 season.Despite being in the Eastern time zone, the Red Wings have been in the Western Conference since the NHL realigned in the 1993-94 season, which has forced the Original Six club to travel a lot more than anyone else in the Eastern time zone. Detroit helped the league in 1994 by going to the West, and it was time for the NHL to repay the favor.

The Blue Jackets have struggled as a franchise since entering the league for the 2000-01 season, and to help the team thrive financially and on the ice, moving it to the East so it could form rivalries with the current Atlantic Division teams was a decision that had to be made. When a team is being relocated, the No. 1 goal is finding a market that allows the franchise to succeed financially long term, not the one that fits into the current alignment of the league. With that said, it's very difficult to find a scenario where the Coyotes could be relocated this summer and the NHL would not have to change its realignment plan.The issue for the NHL is that it has too many teams that need to be in the Eastern divisions for rivalry, geography and financial reasons. One way to fix this would be to expand, but for a league that had 13 teams lose money during the 2011-12 season (per Forbes) and has gone through three lockouts since 1990, expanding isn't the best plan for the NHL. Unless the NHL finds a market in the Western United States that's a good fit for the Coyotes and has an arena that meets the league's standards, relocating this franchise could create a huge realignment headache for the league and the NHLPA this summer.

The dream of desert hockey might finally be dead. Greg Jamison, the man trying to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix was able to guarantee a $300-odd million, 20-year lease with the city of Glendale, if he could agree to buy the team by last Thursday. He missed that deadline. So now, as we have time and time again over the last few years, we will discuss What's To Be Done With The Phoenix Coyotes.
The general feeling seems to now be to cut the cord entirely, move the team to another city, chalk the whole thing up as one big, giant (sort of) loss, and one day look back fondly on the days of the White Out and Jeremy Roenick wearing that hideous jersey (though we will not look back fondly at the jersey itself). At least one of the reasons everyone seems to think it's just time to pack it in is that the city doesn't even seem willing to extend the same deal it was to give Jamison to anyone else, even if anyone else was interested. There are other things to worry about, after all.
From the Arizona Republic:

[Glendale city Mayor, Jerry] Weiers, who was sworn in last month along with three other City Council members, said the deal was too costly for the city that is considering layoffs of police, fire and other employees. "When someone calls 911, they don't want a Zamboni to show up; they want a firetruck or a police car to show up,"he said.

OK, well arguably, that depends on what kind of emergency they're having, but Weiers' point is duly noted. Things like police and firefighters cost a lot of money, and when times are tight it's difficult to justify, especially as a new legislator,pouring copious vats of cash straight into a financially cratering hockey franchise. All of which means the questions are again coming in about where the team would (will) go when the time is right. On CBC over the weekend, Elliotte Friedman (who points out in a column here that there are only nine events scheduled for all of 2013 at Glendale's Jobing.com Arena), was adamant that the team will not end up in the Toronto area. Yet. "If, and I stress if, this team has to move... to Canada, it's not going to Toronto next year," Friedman said. "There will not be a second team in Toronto next year, I'm hearing. And if it has to go to Canada, that is, there's only one more place it could go." That place is Quebec City, which is in the process of a $7 million renovation of a rather large arena that, by virtue of being the home rink for the QMJHL's Quebec Ramparts, seems just about perfectly designed for an NHL team. But Quebec City is not the only name on the list of potential homes for the Coyotes. Seattle, also potentially the next home of the Sacramento Kings, is a possible spot. That's certainly the speculation from Forbes.com, anyway, where Mike Ozanian tells us that two sports teams occupying a new arena in Seattle is "better economics" than just one. But over at the Seattle Times, Geoff Baker disputes the idea for two reasons: First, that NBA sale would have to go through, and second, Quebec City is just better equipped."It's doubtful the NHL would give the go-ahead for the Coyotes to relocate to Seattle without assurances that an NBA team is, in fact, coming and that construction on the new arena can begin...the 15,177-seat (for hockey) KeyArena has never been used for NHL games and hasn't played host to hockey of any kind since the WHL Thunderbirds left after 2009. That's an obstacle that could be overcome, but the reality is, there still is not any firmly established ownership group in Seattle that appears ready to take over a hockey team right away." But could there be another option in the Pacific Northwest? Maybe. Last week, as the Phoenix deal fell through, the Toronto Sun reported that Bill Gallacher, owner of the WHL's Portland Winter Hawks, might be interested in bringing the team there and setting them up at the Rose Garden Arena, currently home to the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers and which can seat just over 18,000 for a hockey game, not to mention owned by billionaire Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen who came close to grabbing the Penguins when things were looking rough in Pittsburgh a few years ago. Gallacher, man of a massive corporate resume,was also for a time rumoured to be part of the bid Jamison was assembling in Phoenix. So, is this for real? It sounds real enough. But then again, in the ongoing saga of the Phoenix Coyotes, everything sounds real enough,particularly money. At the Orgenonian (or OregonLive.com), the whole thing is deemed totally bunk for one simple fact: Allen has a "longstanding view that bringing in another professional team that would compete for dollars with his basketball team makes no sense." Nobody from Microsoft has ever made a poor competitive decision. Any of these cities would probably prove to be a more lucrative spot for an NHL franchise in the long run than Phoenix really ever had the chance of being. They could even relocate and get expansion money too, Ken Campbell at the Hockey News says. It's unlikely that Commissioner Gary Bettman would very seriously enjoy moving another franchise to Canada, rather than somewhere else in the U.S. based on potential TV revenue alone, but there's a guaranteed market in Quebec. You can't beat that. It's,what's the phrase? good economics.