Relocation Revisited...Again

In the midst of all the Jarome Iginla craziness, the NHL did the smart thing and snuck a Phoenix Coyotes update in the middle of the whole ruckus. With this announcement, the big thing that Bill Daly actually admitted is that it's almost the time for relocation-- specifically Quebec City, Seattle, and the dark horse to end all dark horses, Kansas City. With the NHL saying they will talk to the players about it before the playoffs, as well as keep the line open to investors-- we could actually be heading towards an end game.

Of course, you have the front runners that are going to be Quebec City, who's arena is planned to be built by opening night of 2014, and Seattle, who will probably get an arena based on what happens with their NBA cohorts. However, the inclusion of Kansas City is an interesting one. Considering the AEG contingency own the Sprint Center and many owners wouldn't want to pay rent on it-- it leads me to believe that if there's some inkling of an ownership, Kansas City could steal this relocation.

The reason I think this is almost geographical. Consider the fact that the NHL probably won't go to Seattle if the NBA doesn't go there because it seems the NBA is the end all be-all for getting a new arena in that area. Also, take the point that Quebec City is out East with the Coyotes out west; the crazy realignment that has taken place already would be ruined. All this mean is that should the Coyotes move to Kansas City, it wouldn't completely break the realignment up and maybe allow Colorado to move to that more west division.

Granted, should Seattle actually get the Sacramento Kings (a decision to come by early to mid-April), then the obvious choice outside of keeping the team in Phoenix would be Seattle because it keeps that division together. One hurdle is whether or not the NHL thinks that the Key Arena is able to hold a hockey team in the meantime. Also should be noted that many believe that Quebec City could and should be the front-runner  thanks to the success that Winnipeg brought back to their area of the hockey world with the Thrashers moving to become the Jets. Even so, that whole realignment thing could really screw Quebec's chances now more than ever. You can't just move the Coyotes out east and realign again without screwing over the Red Wings or Blue Jackets, as well as making the Blue Jackets a target for relocation in the next five years, possibly.

Kansas City has often been a rumored site, especially since Mario Lemieux leveraged a visit to Kansas City in order to get a new arena in Pittsburgh, as well as the Predators being rumored to go to Kansas City during their turmoil in 2007. Yet, like I alluded to earlier, the fact the owner would not own the actual building may be the hurdle that KC has to overcome in order to fill that vacant arena. It is the second smartest move after Seattle if we're looking in terms of realignment, but the lack of the building ownership would be a huge turnoff.

However, this is all just speculation. The NHL is still fielding local ownership ideas first, which means the joy that is Ice Edge Holdings leader Anthony LeBlanc has re-emerged to look at buying the team and is working with Alberta investment banker George Gosbee to work out a deal for the team and then with the City of Glendale for leasing, which won't be an easy task. I wonder if other former suitors will come back into the fold again...but who's to say they will be as welcomed as they were in the past.

In a deal that has gone on two years too long, there's still not a clear finish line up front. For some reason, no one wants to let the Coyotes go to a new destination, but no one is working that hard to keeping them in the place they're at now. It's quite the rock and hard place that the NHL has gotten into; which is almost of their own making. Stalling on things doesn't make them magically disappear-- just get more troublesome with time.

"Disbanding in the Desert" or "Ridding Relocation Rumors"

Is it wrong to think that if the Coyotes in fact move to Winnipeg for next season, as has been widely rumored, that this could be the end of relocation fascination for the next little while?? Are there cities out there that will be as adamant and serious as Winnipeg is to create a stir and "deathwatch" for teams in financial peril??

While you can't exclude the Quebec City flag-wavers, the fact is that unless they get a new facility, there isn't a chance they'd be included in the movement that the Winnipeg area has had in the past three or so years. Of course, we've mentioned Kansas City on this blog for a while, but that's because it has the facility for a team to move right in, but many think it could be the most Northern Sunbelt team out there, with the unknown of the support that could come from the region.

If it all comes to a head and the Coyotes do move, I think teams like the Florida Panthers, Atlanta Thrashers, and a few other teams with some issues in terms of making ends meet could breathe a bit easier when it comes to the relocation news. After Winnipeg and Quebec, there's not many other cities making noise to get a team-- which is really a disadvantage to owners looking to sell the team, not only because they don't have many potential investors to buy it from them, as well as not many destinations to threaten to move to.

Yet, we do need a break from all this talk and speculation. At this point, this whole scenario has gone on for the better part of four years and it's like we couldn't take another one of these situations. Of course, I don't know how vehemently a city would try to keep a team in town like the City of Glendale has been when it comes to the Coyotes; though Glendale does own the arena and the vested interest is definitely there because they don't want to lose their tenant. The Panthers could have Broward County put up some fight when it comes to leaving the BankAtlantic Center, but probably not to the point that Glendale has. Maybe it's for the best, though.

This whole Coyotes' mess is something that has been a long time coming, though it's not a definite that we're done with it all. Hopefully, one way or another, it will be ended and soon. It's been ludicrous how long this has taken, how many places it's been supposed to be moving to, and how many owners there have been to save this team. The worse part is that the fans have been dealing with all of the shenanigans and being pained at every twist and turn. If this has been a quick-rip, then it may not be as horrific for them-- but now, it's just too much for them to bear and they have the right to been as pissed off as they have been when it comes to this. Whether it's feeling bullied by outside interests groups or saying everyone is against them, because it's hard to deny either scenario.

Let's just hope if it's coming to an end-- it's soon so we can all go on with our lives and cope with it whatever way a person sees fit.

The Lost City of Kansas City

To paraphrase Scott Levy: "What about us?? What about Kansas City??"

Lost in all the of the uproar of Winnipeg and Quebec City being the destination for the next team on the move in the NHL is Kansas City, Missouri. While the Sprint Center laying in the downtown core collecting dust when it's not arena football season, that city could be a solid location for a NHL team to come and enjoy the state of the art arena and in a city that has a somewhat solid location and is readily recognizable to the casual person.

Granted, the thought of this situation not being any better than the situation a team could be coming out of, as well as the rampant fan-base not being as on top of things like the Canadian counterparts, but it's just odd how they were very high in the bidding when it came to Nashville, Pittsburgh, recently with the Islanders, and mentioned when the Phoenix Coyotes' thing was still new; but now-- they've gone silent. There really hasn't had been much, if any, talk from Paul McGannon and his NHL 21 contingency about the recent developments on the relocating franchises.

Yet, it falls back on whether placing a team in another market that doesn't have the hockey heat as a Canadian site or another US market will always be one that looms over the Kansas City bid, though McGannon and his team are passionate in getting a team into the Sprint Center. Granted, it's an area that's close to the area airport (15 miles) has five Interstate and three US highways going into town, and is 31st in media according to Nielsen ratings system. More over, there's a lot of corporate backing possibilities with it being the home city of not only Sprint, but H&R Block, Applebee's Russell Stover's Candies, and Hallmark-- so it won't be without takers in terms of getting some kind of backing to the team. But...does that mean it'll bring in the people.

Even so, will the people show up for a hockey team in the area?? Sure, the corporations will be there, but is the area hot enough for hockey?? They'll have to deal with the Chiefs during the fall months, but is there a lack of interest in the Royals or college teams for people to clamor to the rink for a game?? That will be the biggest concern, even if there weren't other suitors for relocation. The CHL's Missouri Mavericks, who play in Independence, Missouri-- 13 miles East of downtown KC-- do have a decent amount of heat, as they are 2nd in the CHL in average attendance with 5,406 in a 5,760 venue. However, the ticket prices is drastically less in the CHL than in the NHL, which could be a deterrent to some hockey fans who follow the Mavericks. Then it boils down to is risk worth the reward??

I'm not saying that the Kansas City relocation play is good idea over Winnipeg or Quebec City; but I'm saying it's another alternative if a team doesn't want to move into Canada. They have the building, they could have the backing, but whether the fans will show up is the big unknown and in the end-- could be the deal-breaker should KC be in the fight for relocation. It's just amazing how they have really fallen off the radar in all of this mess.

"Bett and Bals": Living on the Ice Edge

Just when you though the story out of the Glendale, Arizona was going to resolved with Ice Edge Holdings being the knight in shining armor for the Coyotes....this happens. That's right, according to the Arizona Republic, the deal between the Coyotes and Ice Edge could be in trouble. The issue comes with the point that IEH has not submitted the required paperwork, five weeks past the first deadline and rapidly approaching the August 6th deadline for dealing with the arena leasing issues. Despite the claims, both IEH and the NHL say that the deal is going along just fine. Hmmm....even so, what better way to add to the gimmick of the Bett and Bals than with this.

Gary Bettman is in this scene pacing through the room, frantically trying to get some answers on the phone, while Jim Balsillie is chilling on the couch with the remote.

Gary Bettman: WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE OUT OF MONEY?!? Well, get them to get some more. What do you mean it's not that easy?? Legalities, what does that mean?? Look, I don't care how they do it-- I want this problem to go away and I don't care how they do it. (hangs up phone)

Jim Balsillie: Problems again with the Coyotes, Gary??

GB: What?? No, not at all. I was just on the phone with Bill Daly and trying to get him to recharge his Dave & Buster's game card. The Coyotes are just fine, thanks.

JB: That's not what this paper says-- it says that they passed the deadline in the Glendale exclusivity race and could be running out of cash.

GB: First off, who buys a paper anymore; especially you Blackberry boy?? Second, that can't be the case. We had them all ready to go, all ready to buy the team, the arena-- the city, I think was in that deal, too. What did they do with all that money-- party too hard?? This can't be.

JB: You know, had you let this go through last year and let the team be sold to me, we wouldn't be in this mess. You know that this will interfere with the whole Kovalchuk issue, which should be your crowning achievement this season; actually standing up for yourself. Now, they're screwing the pooch.

GB: No, no, no, no-- they're still good, just a little hiccup. You see, they have to be the best-- we told Jerry Reinsdorf he wasn't needed as a name anymore and he could go enjoy the White Sox. No way we can get him back with the Sox in the AL Central race now. This mess can't happen-- we had the Coyotes Summer last year, it was the Kovalf*ck summer this year-- we mapped it all out.

JB: Look, this could be an oversight-- maybe they overdrew just a bit and couldn't come up with some handling fees. Oh, wait-- they've had months to get their stuff in order. What is it with finding the right partner with this Gary. But, it could be a blessing in disguise; if you didn't know about this-- then you could be in the same situation in a year or two.

GB: Sure, rub that in-- but that's the CBA summer in two years, sir; it's all planned out. Plus, who knows if what the City of Glendale is pumping out is true or not. They're a city who is definitely an antagonist in this process. They want the lease to their liking, the owners to their liking-- if we went extreme; it'd be the pen and paper to their liking, too. They'll do anything to keep their name out there and to keep their city out there for people to see who's really in control. It's a bitter pill to swallow.

JB: But you talk about teams signing long-term, outrageous deals with players; why not deal with the leasing that way?? Sure, it's not the same thing as trying to get away with cap fraud, but it would definitely prevent this sort of silliness in dealing with 30 year leases for already financially strapped teams. Plus, the city is way out in the sticks; how do they believe that this will help people show up.

GB: Well, if you build it they will come. And you know-- the owners and building know what they're doing. I mean, they had to get the lease for that long because of the other teams out there looking to use that building for stuff.

JB: Name two.

GB:.......that's not important right now. What is important is to calm this all over. This is still a good deal that will be going through. They'll find the money, even if they have to scrap through the sofa to get it. If not, my name isn't Casey McCall.

JB: That's not your name, that's the name of a fictional character from the TV show "Sports Night." The fact of the matter is that, sure, the city would have an arena but no tenant if I were to have bought them-- but it seems to be doing pretty well for Kansas City. They have a big, fancy arena-- but no one there to play, aside from the occasional concert or circus. And they aren't talking too much about a team.

GB: Right now they aren't, but just wait until they realize their not an island and have to change the name all around when they move there.

JB: Huh??

GB: What??

JB: Does that mean there's no light at the house??

GB: No matter, the point in all of his is that we'd be bizonkers if we though Ice Edge was going to run out of money. Sure, it's good to know now rather than actually finding out later, but we have all the faith they'll turn it around. They'll find a way to get the money, they'll come through with this alledged missing paper work that's not on file. It's just a chance for Glendale to get their name and the Coyotes name back in the fold and make things work out for their benefit and to put themselves over. The Ice Edge folks aren't the kind of guys who would lead us on to let us down-- they aren't Lou Lamoriello.

JB: Ouch-- big shot there. Speaking of which-- I looked into an arbitrator for you and he's going to come over soon. I think you'll like him because he'll definitely be on your side and not against you at all. (Doorbell rings) There he is right now.

GB: Wow, just when I think you're a guy who I may loathe, you do something redeem yourself. You're not as harsh as you look and I think that I'll talk to the Board about you. (Opens door)

Judge Redfield T. Baum: T-BOMBED!!!

GB: (falling backward) You sonuva....ahhhh

JB: And that's how you keep a running gag going, though we all saw it coming.

Why Not US??

For those who are following the TSN's summer series this week of "Why Not Canada??", their series of why couldn't there be another team in Canada; then you'll know that it's a bit of the same stuff people spout off most the time when it comes to relocation or expansion-- the normal cities come up: Winnipeg, Quebec City, Hamilton, and Toronto. We all know these cities would be able to sustain; but in reality, the act of it happening seem to be slim.

So, whilst we worry about what's going on with Ilya Kovalchuk and then where Marty Turco will back up; it's time to go off and wonder the semi-yearly thoughts about what US cities could be a destination of expansion or relocation. If nothing more, much like TSN putting this on-- this all filler and no killer.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: The arena is build, state-of-the-art (pictured above), and already hoped to have a team for the time it opened. Yet, it is now almost three years old and there's only been assorted concerts, NCAA basketball tournaments, and arena football. Hell of a way to use the $276M spent on this arena. And yes, they have had the same issue where they had a team before and it didn't work out; but so did Denver and Atlanta and they got teams back. Sure, this could be another Atlanta issue, but don't know if you don't try-- especially if you move Atlanta to Kansas City-- then it's a push. The KC area is somewhere that seem like it could get the exposure based on their media rankage at 31st in the entire US; but even with the new arena-- is the area ready for a team. Granted, it'd be something new outside of the Chiefs and Royals, both whom get menial support; yet would it be something people would come out to make work?? Doubtful, but always worth a try.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST: There's always been a big push for either Seattle, Washington or Portland, Oregon to get a pro hockey team, being close enough to Vancouver to have some kind of rivalry based on territorial right and being one of the markets that the NHL has really never represented, unless you count the old PCHA....which I don't. The Pacific Northwest does have quite the hockey heritage with the Portland Rosebuds being the first US team to compete for the Stanley Cup (1916) and the Seattle Metropolitans being the first US team to win the Stanley Cup (1917). However, since then-- pro hockey hasn't been the hot topic. While both areas are very solid with major junior hockey teams; I don't know how well the pro game would be accepted. While the arenas in both arenas are under 20-years old, whether they'd be filled if a team got there (even if an owner stepped forward) is another story entirely.

HOUSTON, TEXAS: While it may be a wild-shot in the dark, but Houston had been mentioned in early expansion and relocation issues in the late '90s and early '00s and with the Toyota Center there, it could be a solid place to get a team into there. Granted, they get 6,000 for the AHL's Houston Aeros; the argument of whether or not they'd be able to get big numbers for the big clubs that happen there. Plus, they'd displace the Aeros, who have a decent history there from the WHA to the IHL to now in the AHL. I'm sure the NHL could take over the name and keep the tradition going, but if they'd have the clout to work it out for the best will always remain to be seen.

There's plenty others, but these three are the big places that a team could possibly work. Sure, the conversation about whether or not they'd be able to draw the big crowd if they moved there will always be there. You'll always get the debate of if these places are better or worse than another, if they deserved a team in the first place, and this, that and the other. The whole debate about relocation and expansion is silly until the NHL is actually serious about doing it. However, it's always a topic of great fun, great debate, and probably war amongst other factions that'll make the internet worth having. That said-- this is what summer is all about because you'll surely get these debates through and through, as it is always the Summer of Relocation.

Entry Draft Site Fight

As I mentioned on last night's FOHS, the NHL Media site showed that the NHL has yet to pick the site of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, which is a hinderance to the media people and some fans who want to plan their summer vacations in tune with the Entry Draft, since it really is a big event for fans to congress.

Of course, the delay could be due to the whole Phoenix fiasco and since they don't know where the team will be from week-to-week, you can't really make the commitment to having something there in June. There's been other rumors abound with the location such as Chicago, Minnesota, Anaheim, and Philadelphia. Yet, while they are places many would like to go to-- I'd want to throw out my idea for places for the NHL Draft for 2010 or future years.

1. Las Vegas, Nevada: While it's a hackney concept, Vegas makes sense in this instance. This is due to the Awards show being held there (date TBA, of course) and it'll cut down on the trips that are needed to be made from Vegas to one of these out places that are not Vegas. Granted, the Draft should be right after the Awards or else you'll have plenty of players, GMs, and executives losing their salaries and cap space on the craps table.

2. The NHL Store, New York: What a better way to mix commerce and new ideals than to hold it in the NHL's own store and introduce the kids to a big swarm of people in the media capital of the USA. Plus, in addition to that-- you bring about a new concept to the player, where as they are picked by their team; they go on a shopping spree with their family to get the merchandise of their new team. Fantastic idea, if I say so myself.

3. Kansas City, Missouri: They have a big, beautiful arena that's probably not going to have anything else there in June, and it'll expose fans from other places to the allure of the Kansas City. Some people may not think it's a hockeytown, but when the Draft comes around, it'll show people why there is such a buzz when it comes to relocating a franchise there over a Canadian city.

4. Jim Balsillie's Backyard: We mentioned this on FOHS, where Jim Balsillie has enough cash to hold this big NHL event in his literal backyard, because god knows his compound is probably big enough to hold 20,000 people, including prospects and their family. And be honest, your Blackberry reception is probably the best it'll ever be in your life time.

5. Washington, DC: If nothing else-- I'd like to go back home and use a vacation week to make a big deal out of this.

While this is all just me, something has to be done in order for people to get their flight information, hotel information, and bar-crawl maps set-up-- we need to know where to be in order to get all prepared for it. Since it's a big deal with people coming from all over North America (and some cases Europe), needing to know this information is vital, especially with putting in for days off....and then making up excuses for why you're just trashed come that Monday.

Regardless of what's going to happen with this, god knows that the FOHS crew will have a story. Whether it be random, psycho hotels or telling someone to play in traffic or making reservations 12 hours before arriving to the location or even blacking out on the shore of the Ottawa River-- there's always a story to tell.....even if we have to piece it together.