The city Glendale, Arizona has bought the Phoenix Coyotes a stay of 
execution, at least for another year.
According to Dave Naylor of TSN.ca, the city of Glendale voted 5-2 to commit $25 million to the Phoenix Coyotes losses. This is on the premise that the team can find an owner for the 2011-12 season.
This is the same exact thing that Glendale did last season as the NHL and the city are trying to finalize a deal to sell the team to Matthew Hulsizer.
This however is no time for Coyotes fans to rejoice.
Why?
The Phoenix Coyotes, the NHL and the city of Glendale are in no better of a position now then they were a year ago when trying to find an owner. Nayor writes that the team has lost nearly $37 million dollars this past season and when you add that to the $170 million dollar price tag, prospective owners aren’t exactly jumping at the opportunity to sink their own money into the team.
As far as Winnipeg fans hope is not lost in once again acquiring an NHL team. First the Coyotes may be back in the same position next year as they are in this year and second the Atlanta Thrashers may be that team moving to the hockey starved city. The Thrashers have been for sale remain for sale and like the Coyotes the Thrashers have accumulated millions of dollars in loses these past few seasons. The current owners of the Thrashers have also made no promises that the team would return to Atlanta next season.
There is however a drawback.
True North, the group trying to bring hockey back to Winnipeg, will have to strike a deal relatively soon with the Atlanta ownership group in order for there to be NHL hockey played in Winnipeg next season.
At this point hope for the NHL remains alive in both Phoenix/Glendale and Winnipeg. Atlanta unfortunately may be the odd city out.
Source: TSN.ca
