Is what the NHL is saying to Jim Balsillie. If you don’t know who that is Jim B. Is the CEO of Research in Motion the creators of Blackberry. Jim is worth billions of dollars and is in his third attempted to purchase a NHL team, but NHL commissioner Gary Bettman keeps rejecting him even though Jim is constantly waving his well padded wallet around. Why you ask? Because Jim B. is a proud Canadian and is devoted to bring a seventh NHL team to Canada. Gary is a proud American and is devoted to keep any team in the US whether it’s bankrupt or not.
Jim’s attempts:
1 – Jimmy tried to purchase the new Stanley Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins a few years back but was rejected because there were rumours that he wanted to move them to Canada.
2- Jimmy tried to purchase the financially hurting Nashville Predators but was rejected because he made his intentions known (about moving the team to Hamilton, Ontario) and began selling season tickets to the people of Hamilton before the sale ever went through.
3 – Jimmy puts a $220 million conditional offer to purchase the “bankrupt” Phoenix Coyotes. Condition being that he’s allowed to move the team out of the F%$KING desert to a more suitable hockey market.
I said “bankrupt” because the team’s current owner filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after the league gave him a payout to help through this past season. After the NHL handed over something like $30 million to him to pay off some creditors the league felt that he was no longer in control of the team therefore he was in no position to file for bankruptcy or make a deal with Jim B.
The league has said that they will take the money to keep the team in Phoenix because they feel that the team can still exist there. Phoenix Coyotes use to be the Winnipeg Jets and this hockey team hasn’t made a profit since moving from Canada in 1996. But hey maybe the 14th season in Phoenix, Arizona is the charm. Now why would the NHL ignore a billionaire wanting desperately to own a team and would pay any price to get one? Beats me. You’d think they would want what’s best for the league, and what’s best for the league is to consider allowing more team move to Canada (i.e. Atlanta Thrashers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators) because people are crazy about it, the thing I hate about summer is that there is no hockey to watch.
The NHL board of governors I feel needs to evaluate Gary Bettman’s position and track record. This man needs to get off his high horse and realize that moving the team from Winnipeg to Phoenix was a shitty idea, and leaving the team there is an even shittier idea. Wake up Gary! Canada is calling and willing to pay to see more hockey...
Or you can continue being ridiculously stupid and put a team in Las Vegas like you’ve always wanted.
There’s my rant for the day,
R
Oh and to support another team in Canada Balsillie put up a site called "make it seven"...
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