By Jeff Z. Klein

On Tuesday Jim Balsillie’s proposed $212.5 million purchase of the Coyotes from Jerry Moyes goes to a Phoenix bankruptcy court. The N.H.L. is trying to block the sale to Balsillie; Balsillie is trying to strike down the N.H.L.’s rules governing franchise relocation, in part so he can move the Coyotes to Hamilton without paying the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs for placing a team in their territory.

Under N.H.L. rules, a majority vote of the Board of Governors is needed to approve a move from Phoenix to Hamilton. If the court case and other circumstances work out in such a way that a Coyotes move does come down to a vote, Balsillie may need the Sabres and Leafs to drop their opposition in order to open the way for Hamilton. If Buffalo’s Tom Golisano and Toronto’s MLSE are O.K. with a franchise shift after being indemnified, chances are that other reluctant owners will approve a move.

http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/20...m-in-hamilton/

p.s. You have to love the video in the article if you click on it LOL.


Don