Without knowing a lot of the details, obviously I'm out in Anaheim ... my take on it is that the league has been working with the Phoenix franchise all year pretty much with Mr. Moyes trying to resolve a very, very tough problem. Jim Balsillie has obviously been involved before, but it never seems he's very cooperative with the league and it creates some times some tough situations for the league. The owners like to do these things on a quiet basis and get things done properly. Gary Bettman wants to hockey to work in Phoenix and I for one think it can work in Phoenix.
— Red Wings alternate governor Jim Devellano on The Fan 590 in Toronto
6 months ago
James Mirtle
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Yes, Balsillie doesn’t play ball with the rest of you but he obviously will keep trying until you give in so why not now?
The population of Pominville keeps rising!
by Blackcapricorn on May 6, 2009 2:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
It’d be funny if a secret ballot ended up 29-0 in Ball Silly’s favour, after every governor publicly backed the Bet Man.
by TD O'Dell on May 6, 2009 2:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ahhh, strong arm tactics and capitulation, the cornerstones of running a successful business, whether it’s a major sports league or a meth lab.
2008-2009 Colorado Avalanche: Dry Humping Mediocrity
by Mike @ MHH on May 6, 2009 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Moyes angle
No matter how this turns out, this is going to be one interesting drama. The Moyes angle is really intriguing. Surely the league feels they’ve bent over to help him, yet he turns to a guy whose methods the NHL feels “became … unsound.” Meanwhile, I wonder if Moyes feels the league has done enough to help him? Or he doesn’t care — he’s out of the club either way and he just wants to get paid as his fortune crumbles?
Sure wish they waited on this drama until after the playoffs. The summer will feel so boring by comparison.
Lighthouse Hockey: Side effects may include Weight gain and frequent game loss.
by Dominik on May 6, 2009 3:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Bettman was out to screw Moyes by selling the team to a buyer for a price where all the creditors of the Coyotes would not be paid.
Bettman was bringing in a favoured stalking horse who would get the team at a bargain price, leaving many creditors, including Moyes, as bagholders.
So Moyes went out an got a stalking horse of his own, Balsillie, and a level playing field with a referee, Chapter 11 and a bankruptcy judge, where an auction of the franchise can take place in a transparent fashion.
by godot10 on May 6, 2009 5:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bettman was bringing in a favoured stalking horse who would get the team at a bargain price, leaving many creditors, including Moyes, as bagholders.
Exactly. Moreover, Moyes is the Coyotes largest unsecured creditor, to the tune of 103M dollars. If the team is sold at a ‘bargain’ price, he’s about certain to get the shaft. Can anyone blame him for trying to arrange things more in his favor?
by Habs on May 6, 2009 6:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
What a shock ...
Balsillie has gone about this the wrong way from day one, and continues to not get the message.
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PLAYOFFS!!!!1
by eyebleaf on May 6, 2009 3:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
The old boy’s club is annoyed with the upstart are they? The NHL has been run like a personal fiefdom for perhaps too long. Let’s get some new blood, more transparency and some real imagination into the mix. Bring it on Jim!
by hockeycountry on May 6, 2009 4:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I never thought I would ever have anything nice to say about someone with the Red WIngs but… Very nice. He’s right Hockey CAN work in Phoenix.
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Five For Howling
by OdinMercer on May 6, 2009 6:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Sorry, but anyone -- even the godlike Jimmy Devellano -- who says "...The owners like to do these things on a quiet basis and get things done properly..."
has apparently not heard of Boots or The Cowboys in Tampa or the Anaheim Duck owners. Quiet? That’s 10% of NHL owners all over the front pages this season.
Jim Balsillie may just turn out to be Gary Bettman’s [man from] Waterloo.
by Bob Roberts on May 7, 2009 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Siding with Bettman?
I wondered if the Wings were in the pro-Bettman camp. I’d hoped they weren’t because I think he’s been bad for the NHL and hockey.
Devellano must have been drunk if he’s sincere about hockey working in Phoenix. Or he’s toeing the company line. Long-term (hell, medium-term) I don’t think that human habitation can work in Phoenix, let alone ice hockey.
by voline on May 7, 2009 4:44 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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