It may be our game, but it is not our Company that runs the NHL. As long as making money is the goal of being in business, Bettman, a yank who knows ^*$@# about Canadian hockey, its origins and experienced the religion of hockey, will be allowed to whatever he pleases. There will be no more Canadian cities with a franchise to call its own.

The time has come for all Canadians to stand together and demand a new and better professional hockey league, run by Canadians, and played by Canadians in Canadian cities> Forget about the remaining yank based teams... let them fend for themselves. Bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada on a permanent basis so that Canadians finally have control over their own treasure.

Mr. Bettman, the writing is on the wall for you. Do the right thing and leave the office of the NHL and go somewhere else to fuck up.

Totally agree with BEER. I am all for an all Canadian Hockey League CHL, then we can install a true commissioner Canadian of course. Bettman, your days are numbered, if not in near future, very soon after that. I hear the circus is looking for new management. Your vision hasn't panned out, so except defeat. Oh hats right, you cannot. Your big fat ego (and ears) are in the way. Go catch some bugs

Dear Hockey Fans,

I am writing to thank you again for your support and update you on the latest in our "full speed ahead" drive to bring a seventh NHL franchise to Canada.

Yesterday, Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes filed documents in court confirming his receipt of our offer to purchase the team for US$212.5 million, that the offer expires June 30, 2009 and that it is conditional upon moving the team to southern Ontario. We learned that the court has moved up its date to hear arguments on the question of relocation to June 9th and Judge Baum has said he will rule on this issue shortly after. If he rules the team can be relocated, the Judge has also indicated he will move the date of the auction we have asked for up to June 22nd.

We have maintained from the beginning that we need to be in control of the team by then to know if we can move it this year, or if we have to keep it in Glendale for another year and then move it to its new home, Copps Coliseum, where we have secured the rights to a long-term lease.

We are moving ahead. In the days ahead, I will have more exciting details to share with you about bringing this team to Canada.

In the meantime, we need our voices to be heard. Currently, we have over 130,000 people signed up www.makeitseven.ca and we need to reach out to hockey lovers throughout Canada and the world to expand our movement. If each of you were able to get one friend to sign up, we could mobilize over a quarter of a million people in an online movement.

Click here or cut and paste this url -- http://action.makeitseven.ca/page/invite/tellafriend -- into your browser if you wish to utilize our "Tell A Friend" tool to reach out to your own circle of influence and let our voice be heard.

Jim Balsillie

Hey Jim,
when you told a judge that Arizona doesn't deserve hockey, you should have been thrown in jail.

The NHL along with the other leagues have made the argument that allowing this hockey team to be relocated would set a dangerous precedent. This is of course a weak and laughable argument made in desperation. There are numerous examples of professional sports teams being relocated by their owners, for example, in baseball, Montreal to Washington, New York to Los Angeles, in football, the Raiders and the team that sneaked out in the middle of the night, what were they called?...and in hockey, we have Quebec to Colorado, Hartford to Carolina, and the most laughable move that was made for economic reasons, Winnepeg to Arizona!!! Are you kidding us Gary? Lets hope the learned judge in this case has a few briefs to read regarding this history and is able to make a decision that is more intelligent than this nonsensical argument!!

Truth be known, I believe Bettman would be singing to the high heavens if all the Canadian teams left the NHL. His dream is an all American league only, period. The NUSHL. He is as anti-Canadian as George Bush Jr. Maybe that was why Bush wanted to become baseball commissioner, so he could get the Jays out of baseball. I mean, the two bums seem to go hand-in-hand in their motives, ideas, and general attitude towards Canada.
Maybe Gary, like Bush, is mad we didn't go to Iraq when the US invading forces moved in and he's holding it against us to this day. Hmmmmm. I think it's all becoming much clearer now with reagards to his motives and driving force to not see another Canadian team. You got my name Mr. Balsallie, and hey, Jim, have you ever considered starting up a new professional hockey league of your own, for no other reason than to show Bettman how a real organizaion should be run, profitably?

Hey you know that's not a bad idea,an all Canadian League. They could play against the U.S. based teams for the finals or not. They could even invite the original six teams to join the fold or anyone else that wants to play in our league. You know this idea is going down the tubes however it's a great plan if it gets rid of Bettman. And you you what, the directors and owners of the NHL teams better start listening to the fans or they will guaranteed suffer the consequences. And they are coming. Wake up! Hockey were hockey belongs. Anywere that does not have a frozen pond, or snow and howling winds, and rabbid fans need not apply. I mean what sense does it make to put a team where you have a hard time making ice, were it never snows, were hockey is viewed as a pussy sport, were baseball is viewed as the best and toughest and greatest game ever played. There are a few sports that meet my citeria for great games, football, lacrose, rugby, these are tough nail bitting games, Not duck or deer hunting, fishing dressed in camo and yes even ping pong, Hey don't get me wrong I enjoy some of the latter, but everything has it's place but none of these are played on a frozen pond or on a rink that dad made.

Why do NHL teams have owners anyway? Have you ever seen any hockey leagues rules, they are all the same, will gladly take your money for ownership but...... we get to tell you how you will do everything with your money and team. They all have contracts that treat them like the leagues children. "Be Seen but not heard"
Do what I say but not as I do! I hope the Coyotes move but I am sure if they do, Bett(er)man will make the teams life a living hell.

Bring on the Hamilton Coyotes.. I agree with everybody, Bettman could care less about the Canadian teams in the NHL. How the hell did he get to be in charge of the league, the guys an asshole

While I agree that Bettman is an arrogant little prick, I don't believe that he is necessarily anit-Canadian. He introduced a revenue sharing policy which was aimed at helping the Canadian teams deal with the then weak Canadian dollar...remember the 62 cent dollar?...which probably saved Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary.

Instead of a Canadian hockey league maybe we should follow the football (soccer) model and allow only so many import players per team...say 4 or 5...except American teams have to use American born players and Canadian teams Canadian born players. The balance of power would obviously switch back to Canada and there would be more demand for Canadian teams due to the higher number of quality Canadian players.

Just a thought.....

June 9th, 1993, Momtreal Canadens win there 24 th stanley Cup (Stanley Cup centenial year)

In this whole tug of war over Phoenix has anyone considered what happens in that city if Balsile is permitted to move the Coyotes???? There is a considerable amount of debt that this organization is responsible for and frankly I don't see that the 212 plus milion is enought to cover that debt. Who is going to pay for it. Certainly not Balsile.

I don't think that it is such a bad idea to have the team be sold but have to stay there. Mr. Balsile you are openly bragging about all the things you are going to do to Cops in order to make it suitable for an NHL team so why not take the money and spend it where the team already exists. Big money does in no way give you the right to leave someone debt ridden to suit your own desires. It is time big money started being aware of the affects their actions have on others. Besides that, because of the teams financial state their owner may not even be legally able to sell the team.

I do respect the need for another Canadian team but why Hamiltion, trying to capitalize on the ever loyal fan support that Toronto has always had even in their worse years??? Why not the City of Winnipeg or is this going to be another situation like the Penguins, you don't get what you want so you stamp your feet and withdraw the offer or someone else steps in, plays by the rules and the team stays where it belongs.. If you really wanted an NHL team, you would be willing to play by the same rules as everyone else and thus far you don't seem to want to.

Someone should nuke pheonix already!
an maybe ill put a shirt on: electricbrains.com/whoisstupidnow.php

Or maybe Not>>>>>> GO BALLZY GO!

Jim, perhaps you should set your sights a bit higher then one team
do u all a favor... BUY THE FILLPIN NHL and Bring that home! :P
I'm sure there are other weathly folks out there that would lov to toss there hat in to do that. :P

People, if you want your comments to be taken seriously by anyone, learn how to utilize the english language properly. Sir Richard, your spelling atrocious...look it up you troglydyte! Actually, after reading all of your posts, you should ALL be ashamed of your spelling.

Kelbox, you shouldn't capitalize letters in mid-sentence unless to indicate a name or proper noun. "ALL" is incorrect. You should be ashamed of your sentence-level grammar.