Coyotes to Winnipeg Rumors

[cprice12]

The rumors...they are gaining quite a bit of steam.

While Coyotes focus on hockey, speculation over potential Winnipeg move grows intense


http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2011 ... s-intense/

Life as a Phoenix Coyote is pretty trying. The team has their hands full in dealing with a Detroit Red Wings team in the playoffs that looked all sorts of tough in Game 1 as the Wings took it 4-2. As things go these days for the Coyotes, half of what gets discussed about them comes off of the ice with regard to their in limbo status with ownership. The NHL still owns the team and time is ticking away for potential buyer Matthew Hulsizer to get a deal done to purchase the moribund Coyotes.

While the team is rumored to be getting closer to a decision being made, rumblings out of Winnipeg are growing louder that they’re soon to be in the serious planning stages of preparing to get back the franchise that left them 15 years ago. Winnipeg Free Press columnist Gary Lawless shares that the True North Sports and Entertainment group that would be the buyers for the Coyotes should Hulsizer’s deal fall through is preparing to start a campaign to sell season tickets for the returned NHL franchise.

A Winnipeg franchise is not a guaranteed economic success in the minds of many NHL types and it’s a certainty the league’s board of governors will tell True North, should they get to the point where they are prepared to relocate to Winnipeg, to go to its constituents and ask for a vote of confidence.

Such a cash call could come as early as next week.

True North, in order to satisfy the board of governors, will likely ask Winnipeggers to commit to purchasing season tickets for a minimum of three seasons.

It’s unknown how long the community will have to respond but count on a week to sell the vast majority of the MTS Centre’s 15,000 seats.

Before you get too excited about this, remember that Jim Balsillie also started to sell season tickets in Hamilton, Ontario when he thought he was about to land the Coyotes. Of course, that scenario is a bit different in that Balsillie ignored everything the NHL was trying to do in questioning his attempted purchase of the team. This time around, David Thomson’s True North group would seemingly be still playing by the rules and trying to prove something to the NHL in that Winnipeg is ready to have a team once again.

Ken Campbell of The Hockey News says that a deal is a lot closer to being done with Winnipeg than not. As with all things having to do with reports on sales being imminent, take it with a grain of salt because nothing is ever as clear as it might read and you can never discount the possibility of a last minute Hail Mary coming through for Gary Bettman and the NHL. As it is, Campbell’s report looks like something we’ve read before and says that a potential deal would be announced between the end of the Stanley Cup final and the NHL Draft.

According to the source, the deal calls for the Coyotes to be sold to True North Sports and Entertainment for $140 million. It’s believed the deal will be announced at something north of $200 million, but that includes more than $60 million in renovations to add 2,500 seats to the MTS Centre in Winnipeg.

The source said the deal has not been signed, but there is a memorandum of agreement in place and that the deal will be signed when the NHL’s deal with Hulsizer officially dies.

Sources and insider takes on these things are what they are but with the way the chatter has inconveniently picked up just as the playoffs have started, the flashbacks for how the Winnipeg Jets initially left Canada are starting to become a bit too surreal. In 1996, the Jets final game was played at home in Winnipeg as the Jets were bounced from the playoffs by none other than the Red Wings.

Should things break down the way it’s being said that it will the coincidences and the sadness that will be felt in Phoenix and Glendale will be all too similar and under the circumstances it’s a tragic story not just for the fans but for the city itself. Glendale has invested a lot of money in the area, the team, and the arena and to see it possibly go away for colder climes will be a bitter pill to swallow for the residents of Glendale who will be paying for an empty arena for years to come.

This isn’t the last we’ll hear of all this for sure, but the bell is beginning to toll on the Coyotes days in Arizona.

[STLADOGG]

Too bad for the fans of both cities.

[cprice12]

Apparently the renovations to the MTS center are going to take place.
Rumor has it that the arena is/will be closed for renovations for a month. This is when the apparent renovations would be taking place.

It would be cool to have the Jets back in the league...but rumor also has it that they wouldn't be the Winnipeg Jets...they'd be the Manitoba Moose.

Bah... they should be called the Winnipeg Jets. Anyone else is just wrong.

[cardsfan04]

That would be cool. Agree on Jets>Moose too.

[glen a richter]

Manitoba Moose? doesn't said team already exist?

Jets or bust! And, on top of that, move Carolina back to Hartford. Colorado can stay in Colorado, but move the damn Panthers to Quebec at least.

[cprice12]

Manitoba Moose? doesn't said team already exist?

Jets or bust! And, on top of that, move Carolina back to Hartford. Colorado can stay in Colorado, but move the damn Panthers to Quebec at least.

Carolina has a strong following and gets strong support, or so I hear. So they wouldn't be going anywhere.

[cprice12]

Apparently if you go on Ticketmaster, nothing is scheduled at MTS arena for the entire month of August.

Telling.

[gaijin]

Sounds like I'm in the minority, but I have absolutely no problem with the Coyotes staying where they are. Is this whole "move the Coyotes back to Winnipeg" movement popular in the US just because that's where the team was when most of us here became hockey fans, and so we are nostalgic for them to go back? Guess I just don't get the impetus behind all this on the US side (I can understand why Canadians want the team back).
Personally, I would rather them stay in Phoenix- being in the Air Force, I would like as many NHL teams in as many US cities as possible, so I have a higher chance of being stationed where there is an NHL team.

[ohio BLUES]

It's inevitable at this point. I will be utterly shocked if they don't move.

[cprice12]

Well, hold on...I'm reading they are saying adding seats isn't possible.
Here's a good FAQ from Winnipeg on the situation...
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/nhl/faq/

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is there enough corporate support in Winnipeg to support a team?
"We're very satisfied that there's a large and strong enough corporate base. Part of what we look at is not just those indices the Chamber of Commerce can produce for you. Just the fact that we have all of our suites sold. They sold out very quickly when we built the building and we have a waiting list currently of about 50. The size of the city is such that you can get a real good sense of what the corporate community's desire and appetite is for a team. It's not something we really have to guess at, we're confident it's there."
- Mark Chipman from TSN interview in Why Not Canada? series

What happens if the Canadian dollar tanks?
"If you go through the analysis very carefully the Canadian dollar is going to have a greater impact on the acquisition than it will on the actual operation. With the current collective bargaining agreement, with the way cost redistribution works, there is a very meaningful way to mitigate the swings of the Canadian dollar... We studied it very carefully and clearly Canadian teams are not nearly at risk to the extent they were when it was down at 65 cents many years ago... If there wasn't, I don't know that we'd be looking at the league as favourably as we are."
- Mark Chipman from TSN interview in Why Not Canada? series

Where would Winnipeg be in the salary range?
"I think we're going to be a team that's right in the middle of the salary range. I think there will be opportunities depending on the strength of the core of your team where you see if you've got a chance to go you've got a very good nucleus of a team there may be a year or two when you spend the dough and you get to the cap. But on a go-forward basis I would say you're going to find us more a mid-cap team. We're not to the point where we've got that carved in stone, but as we've thought about it and as we've worked our numbers that's where I figure we'll land."
- Mark Chipman from TSN interview in Why Not Canada? series

Isn't the MTS Centre too small to host an NHL team?
With a seating capacity of 15,003 for hockey, the MTS Centre would be by far the smallest arena in the NHL. The smallest right now is Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (New York Islanders), which holds 16,234. But True North types have done the math and they believe the smaller seating capacity here fits the market and may actually help more than hurt them. That’s because they believe a smaller capacity will create ‘scarcity’ for tickets that will drive the sale of mini–packs and season ticket packages from fans worried that they will get ‘shut out’ if they wait around for individual tickets to go on sale.
"I think it's very suitable because its suitable for our market. The building's got to fit your market. If there's one thing I've learned in the past 15 years, if your supply far outstrips your demand, it's a slippery slope, it's a very difficult business to be in."
- Mark Chipman from TSN interview in Why Not Canada? series

Could the MTS Centre be expanded for more seating and how long could it take?
Not happening.
"We might even lose a few for camera positions. Adding seats can't be done. It's not physically possible. We can't take the roof off. Any building improvements will not include the addition of any seats. The NHL likes the building. In discussions we've had with the league in the past few years, size has never been a concern. We have always thought the building is the right size for the market. Our ability to add a couple thousand seats would produce revenue that would not be material, given the ticket prices, and moreover, it would make it more difficult to sell commit­ted season-ticket revenue that will ultimately determine the success of any team."
— True North Chairman Mark Chipman

If Ice Edge signs a lease agreement with Glendale is there a chance the NHL can still reject them as owners?
Yes. The NHL Board of Governors must approve the prospective owners.

Would any returning hockey team be automatically called the Jets, or is there outside trademark issues or NHL pressure to "make a fresh start" that might prevent this?
Nothing is automatic. The NHL owns the trademark. It would be up to the NHL and the ownership group to come to an agreement. If you look at the Coyotes situation, both potential local ownership groups have stated in their Memorandum of Understanding letters that they would change the name of the team.
"No, no. The league owns those. Remember, we did not have proprietary interest in the hockey team. We held it for the people of Winnipeg. If a team comes back to Winnipeg, it will be up to whoever brings a team back to decide on the name."
- Former Jets owner Barry Shenkarow quoted in a story

How long has David Thomson been involved with the Manitoba Moose?
The man who heads up Canada’s richest family — the Thomsons were ranked No. 1 in Canadian Business magazine’s Rich 100 list last year with a net worth of $21.99 billion — has been a partner with True North Sports & Entertainment since MTS Centre opened in November 2004.
He is not directly involved with either the company, the building or the hockey team. In fact, his role has been described as “very silent.” But through Osmington Inc., the family’s private real estate division, Thomson and McGill-Stephenson Co. Ltd, a company owned and run by the Chipman family, are equal partners with TNSE and the Moose.

People talk about filling the MTS Centre if and when the Jets come back, but I don’t remember that many sell outs when I went to games when the Jets were still here. What was the average attendance back then?
The myth persists that during the last years of the Jets’ run in Winnipeg, fans supported them in droves with sell-out after sell-out. That’s simply not true. While there were sell-outs from time to time - say when the Toronto Maple Leafs or Montreal Canadiens came to town - all too often, there were several thousand fans per game disguised as empty chairs.
During the Jets’ last season in 1995-96, albeit a lame-duck year, the average attendance was 11,313, more than 4,200 seats short of a sell-out. It was the worst year for ticket sales in during the Jets’ 17-year run in the NHL.
Attendance for the three previous years, which could be a better gauge of interest because the team wasn’t preparing to move south, were 13,544 (92-93), 13,130 (93-94) and 13,012 (1995 - which was shortened by a strike).
The best year was 1985-86 when an average of 13,694 fans came to each game.

Would any government money be spent to bring a team back, or to cover any potential losses?
TNSE would not require public funds to acquire a team. As the private ownership group would also own the facility, there is no expensive lease to worry about. Will the ownership group work with the province and the city to talk about tax breaks, grants or other incentives? Probably. But a direct ask for taxpayers' dollars to cover ongoing losses would be unpopular among politicians and taxpayers. We won't know definitively until a team is available for relocation and the proposed terms of the move are made public.

If the NHL were to come to winnipeg, would the Moose be forced to leave and if so, where would the Moose go?
It is unlikely that the city can support two professional hockey teams, so the Moose would likely move to another city. Any discussion about a specific potential location is pure speculation at this point.

How much time is really needed to relocate a team here? At what point do we have to wait till next year (2011)?
We’re not trying to be sticks in the mud but technically, the deadline is already passed for 2011-12. The NHL requires application for moving a team by Jan. 1 of the previous year. What’s realistic, especially in a desperation situation? That’s anybody’s guess but many people in the hockey business think that if you don’t have six to eight months of lead time, you are simply asking for disaster. If a move for 20010-11 is actually still possible, and nobody knows that it is, the most difficult things (nearing impossible) to waiting this long are the NHL schedule, which is probably mostly done, and selling an adequate number of season tickets, luxury suites and corporate sponsorships. Whatever the most optimistic of relocation hopefuls thinks, these things do not fall out of the sky.

What was the average ticket price in Winnipeg when the Jets moved to Phoenix in 1996?
The average ticket price at Winnipeg Arena during the 1995-96 NHL season was $23.82. And that was a bargain. The only cheaper average priced tickets that season were in Tampa ($22.37) and Edmonton, who had the cheapest average seats at $20.68. The most expensive average seat that season was in Boston at $52.58.

What would the average ticket price in Winnipeg be if the NHL came back?
We don’t know for sure. But what we do know is what other NHL teams are charging this season. The cheapest average price ticket this season, according to official figures, is in Dallas at $35.66, followed by Tampa at $35.76 and Buffalo at $36.43. (Officially, the average price ticket for Phoenix this year was $37.45, but the club has been selling lower bowl tickets for as little as $30 and upper bowl for as little as $15.) The highest price average ticket was in Toronto this season at $117.49, followed a distant second by Montreal at $72.18 and Vancouver at $62.05.

What was the average ticket price in Calgary and Edmonton?
According to the November 2009 Forbes magazine study, Calgary was $56 and Edmonton was $55. Of interest, Phoenix was listed as $37 and Atlanta $45.

Are the Phoenix Coyotes the only relocation possibility for Winnipeg? What about all the rumors about the Atlanta Thrashers from earlier this year?
Atlanta is a possibility. Nashville has also come up as a potential candidate. Major considerations for any relocation? The NHL Board of Governors must approve any move. In most cases, a new ownership group would need to pay relocation fees and or break existing lease deals by paying millions in penalties. For what it's worth, Atlanta is currently promoting a season ticket sale for $999, or $23 per game for next season. Forbes Magazine lists Atlanta 29 out of 30 in terms of franchise value, with Phoenix in the 30 spot.

Are all of the Canadian teams in the top 10 in profits in the NHL?
If you look at Forbes rankings from November 2009, Canadian teams rate well. Not all in the top 10, but only Ottawa and Calgary are seen to be losing money. If you look at their revenue rankings, Canadian teams once again rate high.

What are our chances (serious) of acquiring another NHL team? I was at the Forks rally in 95 and would love to see a team here again.
The chances are very good. It comes down to the availability of a team. As more teams in the U.S. struggle, the odds improve. The ownership group, arena, secondary revenue streams and separate practice facilities are in place. Also worth noting: The Canadian dollar has stabilized and the Collective Bargaining Agreement and salary cap make a major difference.

[glen a richter]

I want them to, in no particular order: return all the teams that relocated since Bettman came into the fold back to their original cities, except Colorado can stay so move someone else to Quebec--and I don't think Minnesota would support two teams, so the Wild can move to Quebec and the Stars move back to Minnesota, get rid of geographical divisions and conferences and return to the old Norris, Smythe, Patrick and Adams, contract a few teams--I don't care if a couple of them have championships to their name--bye bye Ducks, Lightning, Panthers, Thrashers, Predators, Sharks, get rid of the epically stupid shootout, return to 5-5 overtimes and ties, reduce the legal size of the goalie equipment, dramatically reduce the legal curvature on sticks, make helmets optional.

Oh wait, I basically want them to go back to the way it was before they catered to a bunch of Johnny-Come-Lately fans by ruining the game. Real, old time hockey! Did I miss anything?

[STLADOGG]

reduce the legal size of the goalie equipment, dramatically reduce the legal curvature on sticks

sooo..... you want wooden sticks only?? Better sticks=bigger pads....

[Cavallinis]

I want them to, in no particular order: return all the teams that relocated since Bettman came into the fold back to their original cities, except Colorado can stay so move someone else to Quebec--and I don't think Minnesota would support two teams, so the Wild can move to Quebec and the Stars move back to Minnesota, get rid of geographical divisions and conferences and return to the old Norris, Smythe, Patrick and Adams, contract a few teams--I don't care if a couple of them have championships to their name--bye bye Ducks, Lightning, Panthers, Thrashers, Predators, Sharks, get rid of the epically stupid shootout, return to 5-5 overtimes and ties, reduce the legal size of the goalie equipment, dramatically reduce the legal curvature on sticks, make helmets optional.

Oh wait, I basically want them to go back to the way it was before they catered to a bunch of Johnny-Come-Lately fans by ruining the game. Real, old time hockey! Did I miss anything?

You wanna go back to all-white dasher boards (no advertisements) too?

I do kinda miss the red line being in play. When I watch older games now I have to remind myself of the old two-line pass rule. Conversely, when watching games now, when I see a pass go over two lines my mind starts to expect a whistle, even several years after the change. Despite my nostalgia, the new rule should probably stay.

[glen a richter]

I forgot about the two line pass! Yes, bring that back too.

And wooden sticks, sounds great. I guess there's no way to get rid of the ads though. Oh well.

[_Gassoff]

Sounds like I'm in the minority, but I have absolutely no problem with the Coyotes staying where they are. Is this whole "move the Coyotes back to Winnipeg" movement popular in the US just because that's where the team was when most of us here became hockey fans, and so we are nostalgic for them to go back? Guess I just don't get the impetus behind all this on the US side (I can understand why Canadians want the team back).
Personally, I would rather them stay in Phoenix- being in the Air Force, I would like as many NHL teams in as many US cities as possible, so I have a higher chance of being stationed where there is an NHL team.

[bluenotekidd]

Sounds like I'm in the minority, but I have absolutely no problem with the Coyotes staying where they are. Is this whole "move the Coyotes back to Winnipeg" movement popular in the US just because that's where the team was when most of us here became hockey fans, and so we are nostalgic for them to go back? Guess I just don't get the impetus behind all this on the US side (I can understand why Canadians want the team back).
Personally, I would rather them stay in Phoenix- being in the Air Force, I would like as many NHL teams in as many US cities as possible, so I have a higher chance of being stationed where there is an NHL team.

I too hope the Coyotes stay put. They are within close enough distance to me in Albuquerque where I can actually drive down there to watch a game. this, combined with the close proximity to Denver as well, gives me more chances to see the Blues play.

[WaukeeBlues]

I want them to, in no particular order: return all the teams that relocated since Bettman came into the fold back to their original cities, except Colorado can stay so move someone else to Quebec--and I don't think Minnesota would support two teams, so the Wild can move to Quebec and the Stars move back to Minnesota, get rid of geographical divisions and conferences and return to the old Norris, Smythe, Patrick and Adams, contract a few teams--I don't care if a couple of them have championships to their name--bye bye Ducks, Lightning, Panthers, Thrashers, Predators, Sharks, get rid of the epically stupid shootout, return to 5-5 overtimes and ties, reduce the legal size of the goalie equipment, dramatically reduce the legal curvature on sticks, make helmets optional.

Oh wait, I basically want them to go back to the way it was before they catered to a bunch of Johnny-Come-Lately fans by ruining the game. Real, old time hockey! Did I miss anything?

Carolina is supported pretty well, I don't see them going anywhere either. The other two look like Atlanta and/or Florida to move. I would vastly prefer Florida as I just personally believe it to be one of the most failed sports franchises in the last decade.

Florida to Quebec, ATL to Hartford and Phoenix to Winnipeg, there you go

But in seriousness, this just goes back to what Bettman was brought into the League to do: Americanize it and make it more like the NFL and NBA. There are forceful arguments on both sides as to why this is/is not a good thing but I for one wouldn't mind seeing more franchises in Canada. And I already thought this but even moreso after reading what Curt put up on the FAQ about Winnipeg: if that city can't support an NHL team than just forget it because outside of Quebec, they are the largest city in Canada that doesn't have an NHL franchise of it's own.

And if you drastically reduce the curvature of the sticks you might as well just boot half the League for a year- you're going to force guys to re-invent how they puckhandle and shoot? Even I notice it when I don't have my preferred blade on my stick and I'm not a pro

[Ruutu15]

But in seriousness, this just goes back to what Bettman was brought into the League to do: Americanize it and make it more like the NFL and NBA.

You aren't seriously buying that hype from north of the border, are you? Bettman was brought in to do a job, and he's doing it. He was hired by...the owners. He can be fired by...the owners. He needs the approval of the owners and board of governors in order to do anything substantial. See a trend here? Look, I'm not the biggest fan of Bettman by any stretch, but it's not like he walked in and started changing everything without approval from the team owners. If that were the case, he would have been canned a long time ago.

Bettman isn't the best, but how about Gil Stein? John Zeigler? Neither of those guys knew what the hell they were doing either. Bettman looks like a genius compared to the previous clowns.

Now, to talk specifically about Phoenix. From the previous discussions on this, I know your stance and you know mine. The Coyotes should stay in Phoenix. Yeah, I liked the Jets and I still have a Jets jersey sitting in my closet, but the way that team was ran makes the Coyotes look like a stable franchise. For example, when video review equipment was mandated by the league, they needed an exemption for 2 years in order to install the equipment. It's true, look it up. Second, and more importantly, THE LEASE was ridiculous. If you think Phoenix has a good deal going right now, go back and read through the Jets' lease, which led to their departure. Now, you can go to TSN comments, or wherever, and see that people make fun of the city of Glendale for needing bonds...but the Jets had it in their lease that they were immune to losses. The province of Manitoba reimbursed Jets ownership every dollar that they lost, and they were in the red every year. Finally, the Coyotes previous owner signed a 20 year lease with the city of Glendale under the condition that a new, state of the art arena be built. The city upheld their end and built an arena. The league is well within their rights, and should, do everything under the sun to ensure that the lease is honored, if not by the previous owner who made empty promises, a new owner.

People say that Carolina has good support, and they do, but they've won a cup. The Coyotes/Jets haven't won a playoff series in 25 freakin' years. You can't move a team to somewhere like Phoenix and expect to sell a team that never wins (or has a realistic chance)...you can't build a fan base around that. It takes time, especially in those types of markets. Why do you think Dallas and Carolina have had good support? They've won cups.

It's not that I'm against teams going to Canada. I'm certainly not, although I think Hamilton should never happen. I hated it when the Jets moved, but they're gone now. Let's remember the reasons that places like Quebec City and Winnipeg lost teams...a weak Canadian dollar, dwindling support, and terrible leases/outdated buildings.

[WaukeeBlues]

But in seriousness, this just goes back to what Bettman was brought into the League to do: Americanize it and make it more like the NFL and NBA.

You aren't seriously buying that hype from north of the border, are you? Bettman was brought in to do a job, and he's doing it. He was hired by...the owners. He can be fired by...the owners. He needs the approval of the owners and board of governors in order to do anything substantial. See a trend here? Look, I'm not the biggest fan of Bettman by any stretch, but it's not like he walked in and started changing everything without approval from the team owners. If that were the case, he would have been canned a long time ago.

Bettman isn't the best, but how about Gil Stein? John Zeigler? Neither of those guys knew what the hell they were doing either. Bettman looks like a genius compared to the previous clowns.

He's not solely to blame/praise; I know. Part of the growth of all sports leagues, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, whoever is to get teams where there are markets that support them. Pre-lockout in the old NHL, that did not include Winnipeg, Quebec and Hartford. Fine. But the game has changed. And personally I believe that Bettman (and probably the owners, governors, etc) wants to keep it as the American-based product that it's always been and probably views any franchises going from non-traditional hockey markets (such as Phoenix) to Canada as a failure.

[Ruutu15]

But in seriousness, this just goes back to what Bettman was brought into the League to do: Americanize it and make it more like the NFL and NBA.

You aren't seriously buying that hype from north of the border, are you? Bettman was brought in to do a job, and he's doing it. He was hired by...the owners. He can be fired by...the owners. He needs the approval of the owners and board of governors in order to do anything substantial. See a trend here? Look, I'm not the biggest fan of Bettman by any stretch, but it's not like he walked in and started changing everything without approval from the team owners. If that were the case, he would have been canned a long time ago.

Bettman isn't the best, but how about Gil Stein? John Zeigler? Neither of those guys knew what the hell they were doing either. Bettman looks like a genius compared to the previous clowns.

He's not solely to blame/praise; I know. Part of the growth of all sports leagues, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, whoever is to get teams where there are markets that support them. Pre-lockout in the old NHL, that did not include Winnipeg, Quebec and Hartford. Fine. But the game has changed. And personally I believe that Bettman (and probably the owners, governors, etc) wants to keep it as the American-based product that it's always been and probably views any franchises going from non-traditional hockey markets (such as Phoenix) to Canada as a failure.

But at what expense? We have the salary cap now because of teams like Edmonton and Calgary. Yeah, it would be a shame to see them move, and I hope that never ever happens. However, for Canadian fans to point the finger at teams like Phoenix and talk about how it's their game...please. The league (including big bad Bettman) threw the Canadian teams (except for MTL and TOR) one hell of a bone when they demanded a salary cap. So they can stand up on their soap box and talk about how Bettman ruined the game and all of that, but the fact is, if it wasn't for the owners and Bettman, it's a good chance that the Oilers, Flames, and Senators would either be long gone or making reservations with the moving company.

At what expense? Now when you develop a player, or a group of players, don't buy their jerseys because they're going to be gone in a couple years (if you have any other talent on the books, which you need). Hell, free up some money and just fire the scouting staff...just wait until those guys are at RFA/UFA status and throw the money at them then. Yeah, I'm clearly bitter about the cap and getting slightly off topic, but it all comes back to the same thing. The "new" NHL is receptive to those former markets being sustainable at the expense of other markets who CAN afford to have a team. This isn't sports...at the NHL level, it's not about sport anymore, it's about private business. Damn...now I'm even sounding like a republican.