The Rookies

Really? This is by no means anywhere close to a done deal but the fact that the judge in the neverending Phoenix Coyotes case, Redfield Baum, is even considering throwing out both the NHL and Canadian tycoon Jim Balsillie’s bids for the the NHL’s most misplaced franchise is probably the best chance hockey fans have had at seeing this saga end in anything but disaster.

If both sides were to lose out on purchasing the Coyotes, the NHL would seriously have to consider whether or not there’s any merit to keeping Gary Bettman and his Southern Strategy. The NHL’s attitude towards marketing itself might finally take a turn in a positive direction, along with its process for selecting owners. Though there’s little chance he’ll ever give up trying to land an NHL team, Balsillie would have to wait a couple of years before trying to snatch another failing team. These are all big ifs.

But they’re still far more appealing than seeing a Western Conference team yanked into Canada weeks before the start of the season. Or watching the NHL waste billions of dollars trying to keep a franchise in a place where it was rarely welcome to begin with, and won’t be welcome now that everyone knows just how close it is to becoming the first team in its league to fold in over 30 years.