Tone Changes, Times May Soon Follow Oct 7, 2010

Having closely listened for years to Gary Bettman's words, tone of voice and especially choice of words, one can learn a lot about what his message is really saying; more likely what the message is ruling out as opposed to the message itself.

As expected from a senior leader in most organizations, using unique quantifiers is a trademark of politicians and lawyers that allows them a loophole later. However, there has been a noticeable change in his speech over the past few months when talking about Phoenix, Winnipeg and Quebec City. He has used less and less quantifiers, allowing for clearer messages to come through.

So on that basis, it seems to me that since summer his tone has changed from a "we're doing everything we can to save this team" to "By December 31st or else, Glendale needs to find an owner, come to a lease agreement and then the NHL will get involved to review the lease, the quality of ownership and finally sit down to work out a purchase price". It is as if the NHL has shifted from 4th gear to almost neutral ever since the $25 million "insurance policy" came into effect.

This is not to suggest that his priority of keeping the Coyotes in Glendale has changed. However, the question is now raised when the pendulum shifts from how much the NHL has emotionally invested to try to keep the team there to how much of that effort may be running out of gas. No one, not even the fans, can accuse the NHL of not doing their best to keep the team in Arizona. This is simply the state of the situation, after almost 2 years of this saga, plus what many people forget, many additional years before dealing with this team's issues before it went bankrupt.

Further to the point on purchase price, the "negotiations" over a price is a very short one for Gary Bettman and the NHL BOG. By publicly declaring Winnipeg's TNSE "bona fide offer" of $170 million, Gary Bettman gave himself the strength and leverage for any upcoming purchase price discussion. He will get at least $170 million for this team because he has publicly declared TNSE's offer. Thus that becomes the bar that all bidders must come to. Otherwise Bettman risks embarrassment both publicly and within the NHL boardroom if he should take a Craig-Leipold-style haircut on sale price. This is why he has been saying for some time now that the NHL will be square on any deal to sell the team and to cover its' expenses throughout.

Anyone who thinks different about sale price is OFFside.

In the next 3 months, the only thing clear is that the NHL will sell this team, if even secretly to limit losses, for $170 million or more. To whom and when the signed deal will actually be publicly announced are the only questions that remain.

For Glendale, it is best hoped that the announcement comes before New Years Eve, because the tone has changed from the very man that controls the fate of this and most of the other 29 franchises.

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Chris
President, www.myNHLincludesWinnipeg.com
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