TSN this week broke the news that the NHL and the City of Glendale (COG) have reached a one year operating agreement including the bailout of losses provision, up to $25 million. The Globe & Mail added commentary to the story ( http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/winnipegs-hopes-for-nhl-team-alive-once-again/article1578321/ ) as well as proving a copy of the deal itself found here:http://beta.images.theglobeandmail.com/archive/00660/Glendaledocs_pdf_660002a.pdfhttp://beta.images.theglobeandmail.com/archive/00660/Escrowdocs_pdf_660001a.pdfSeveral local supporters have questioned if this deal kills chances for the Coyotes moving to Winnipeg for the fall of 2010. Most suggest that a clause relating to severability does allow the NHL to opt out of this latest agreement should the bailout provision be nixed by the court. This keeps the door slightly open for Winnipeg and 2010.However, that doesn't address the timing of such a court ruling and the implications to the NHL and the Coyotes.If the NHL keeps the team in Arizona past its own point of no return and the bailout is ruled invalid by the courts, the NHL has stuck its' neck out from really little to gain. NHL stakeholders would be OFFside to believe that the NHL would so easily and effectively paint itself into a corner of the Arizona desert. more »

It was suggested by Astronut, a local NHL fan, that "if the minutes from (Glendale City Council's) tuesdays meeting get published today or tomorrow, and Goldwater does step in and take action, would it be resonable for the NHL to throw their hands up and say 'we just cant risk it. We cant risk this getting drawn out in court, and be on the hook for next years losses...we have no choice but to relocate?'"The implication has the NHL risking another year of losses given that those losses may be bigger than the current season as it could easily become a lame duck season. Needless to say in this situation the courts and not the NHL would be in control of the process just like last summer's tour through the bankruptcy halls of justice. One would be OFFside to suggest that Gary Bettman is willing to roll the dice or give control from his hand to any other. more »

While we sit anticipating the next surprise in the Phoenix Coyotes off-ice saga, there has been some thought that the Atlanta Thrashers may be the next club looking to jet out of town.Some media and fans have suggested that if Gary Bettman went to such lengths to fasten the Coyotes to the Arizona desert, we can be assured that he will do likewise to keep the Thrashers in Georgia especially given the size of the city’s television footprint nationally.Those same NHL stakeholders may be OFFside upon further review. And the potentially nasty lessons found in Atlanta should be well understood by NHL fans in Manitoba who dearly want another home team to support. more »