CBC: Gary Bettman shoots down NHL expansion talk

#451339220 / gettyimages.com

Of course he did... The NHL doesn't like others to break their news for them. I just don't believe it, the NHL stands to make a lot of money off of adding more teams to the league... I guess we will find out soon, right? Personally, for me, the more the merrier.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman shoots down expansion talk: Commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday a repo... http://t.co/tZzhWwRh1F #NHL
— NHL (@NHLLinks) September 3, 2014

The Canadian Press -- Gary Bettman has vehemently denied the NHL is considering expansion.

But the commissioner said if it ever does, prospective owners may have to pay up big time.

Sports Business News reported via Twitter last week the NHL will expand into Las Vegas, Seattle, and Quebec City while adding a second franchise in Toronto by 2017.

On Wednesday, Bettman called the report a "complete fabrication," and took issue with the franchise fees cited in the story — $1.4 billion US, or $350 million per team.

'Nobody's moving. And speculation to the contrary not only is wrong, it's unfair to the team and their fans who are being speculated about.'

Could the NHL kill the Coyotes

I have seen this idea bandied about the internet the last few days - can you imagine if the NHL decided to just fold the Phoenix Coyotes and hold a dispersal draft?

David Shoalts, the Globe and Mail --- Bettman has long refused to consider moving the Coyotes. Doing so now would be difficult but not impossible. But the only candidate with an arena that could be whipped into NHL shape quickly is Quebec City and Bettman has never shown enthusiasm for that move.

In some NHL circles, a more drastic solution is envisioned. The Coyotes could simply be folded, its 23 players sent to other NHL teams through a dispersal draft and the league would operate with 29 teams next season.

This would allow the NHL to collect expansion fees of $200-million or more each from Seattle and Quebec City, the top candidates for NHL teams, rather than a single relocation fee of $60-million or so for the Coyotes. That is a gain of at least $200-million if a total loss of $200-million is assumed on the NHL's investment in the Coyotes.

However, this would create legal headaches with lenders holding the Coyotes franchise as collateral and probably the NHL Players’ Association. So the NHL’s longest limbo dance will continue for now but a nasty choice could be coming quickly.

It would appear that the NHL and the city of Glendale are running out of options, there are only three options.  1.) Find a buyer that wants to keep the Coyotes in the Phoenix area - they have a potential buyer but there seems to be a few sticking points that could slow up the sale. 2.) move the team out of the Phoenix area to another city that wants to have a NHL team. 3.) Fold the team.  

Coyotes staying in Phoenix?

Phoenix Coyotes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For those that think the Coyotes might end up in Quebec City or somewhere else. Think again, it looks like the Coyotes might be staying in Glendale AZ.

Lisa Halverstadt, AZCENTRAL.COM --- This comes at a time when the city has seen its reserves depleted and faces a $35 million shortfall in next year's operating budget. As fans celebrated the Coyotes' most successful season in Arizona, four of seven Glendale council members directed staff to move forward with a deal that could include the city paying a future Coyotes owner $17 million next year to manage the city-owned arena. Any negotiated deal would have to return to the council for a formal vote. Beasley previously said he expected such a deal by the end of the month. The team's on-ice success and former San Jose Sharks President Greg Jamison's bid to buy the team have buoyed hopes that a deal to keep the team will finally get done. City staff say Jamison's reported 20-year deal would be crucial for Glendale, which counts on hockey visitors to generate sales-tax revenue that helps pay its arena debt. It's not the deal the city originally envisioned.

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