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Coyotes Deal Will Keep Them in Phoenix..For Now... More On Isles/Oilers

May 7, 2012, 1:10 PM ET [190 Comments]
Eklund
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Reports are everywhere today that Gary Bettman is heading to Glendale, AZ today to announce the NHL has reached tentative terms to sell the Phoenix Coyotes to an ownership group led by Greg Jamison.

This process has been heading in this positive direction with Jamison for some time ( as we reported last month) and Jamison's group will be a great step towards keeping the Coyotes in Phoenix...for now. It will keep the Yotes short term in Arizona, however I am told the group, who wants to keep the team in Phoenix, will only be required to do so for a set time...to see if it can be made financially viable.

This may sound strange but according to my sources this not the first time the NHL has included such restrictions. "The NHL has been asking for a five-seven year commitment to stay and try to make the situation viable." Many I talk to say the NHL had the same restrictions on Winnipeg and that after 7 years if Winnipeg were to become a market unable to support a franchise the NHL wouldn't stand in the way of relocation.

The same may apply for Phoenix as well but of course will not be publicly discussed. However, I feel the mandate is just fair for the owners and has helped the NHL attract investors who know they aren't trapped.

On the Islanders and Oilers

I keep hearing more regarding this possible deal. The Islanders will try to use their offensive talent to wrangle a d-man from elsewhere (some say St. Louis) to include in the deal with Edmonton. The obvious next question is, "Why would the Islanders not just keep that D-man for themselves?"

My source tells me the Isles are targeting a UFA d-man to fill their void. A very big time UFA d-man.

More to come
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