Meaning no disrespect to Coyote fans, I’d rather like to see Baum award the team to Balsillie, with rights to relocate. The drama that would create would be unbelievable, because I think you can virtually guarantee that such a decision would be appealed right up to the Supreme Court of the US, and hell, probably up the ladder in the Canadian legal system as well, given his desire to move to Hamilton.

Also, and regardless of how it happens, I want to see a second team in the GTA, or in Hamilton, simply to see how much it would upset the apple cart in the area. This would all make for the most entertaining resolution.

Realistically, however, I doubt Baum wants anything to do with the legal hornets nest that he would stir up by siding with Balsillie. He’s got to keep Jim around, but I think there is very little doubt that he desperately wants to see a bidder come forward with an offer that satisfies the creditors and avoids the relocation controversy. Whether Reinsdorf’s bid is that one, nobody but the NHL seems to be certain, and hell, the bid itself is far from certain at this point.

1) The NHL announces an expansion of the league to 32 teams that will take place before the 2012-13 season. The league stipulates that one team will be in the USA and one in Canada, and that one will be in the Eastern Time zone and one in the Central, Mountain or Pacific time zone.

2) If a team leaves an area without NHL hockey by relocating before 2012, then that city that has been abandoned will be moved to the front of the line for an expansion team. The team’s nickname and history will become property of the NHL so that if the expansion puts a team in that location, they will pick up the history. This way, if Phoenix relocates, the NHL would put a new team in 2012-13 into the Phoenix area and they could reuse the Coyotes logos, colors, etc. If the Islanders relocate, though, there’s no guarantee of replacement since the NY metro area has two other teams.

This is a “win-win” for a lot of reasons. It gets the 30 current owners some extra $$ from the two expansion fees. It guarantees that there if the current Coyotes leave, they will be reborn from the ashes (like a Phoenix, heh). It also tightens up some of the requirements in that if a group takes the Coyotes and moves them to KC, then the NHL would bring back Phoenix and could add Winnipeg or Hamilton. If the Islanders relocate to Kansas City, then the NHL can add Las Vegas and Hamilton. If the current 30 teams remain as they are, then Hamilton/Kansas City would be the natural additions. Winnipeg would be considered if there is no other acceptable eastern Canada bid.