I hate to burst Winnipeg's bubble, but if they eventually get another NHL "Jets" team, it will either be from Atlanta or through expansion. The Coyotes aren't going anywhere.

The Coyotes should be leaving town. They lose so much money, and residents of the city couldn't give a fig about them. Hey, it's Phoenix. If you were in Phoenix, would you be thinking more about hockey (a game played on ice) or golfing (a game played on grass, outdoors, where it is 90F)?

Ilya Bryzgalov's comments about not being willing to play in Winnipeg explained precisely why the team will be staying put. He was a jerk to make those comments, but the problem is, everyone else in the league feels the same way. They just know well enough to keep their thoughts to themselves. If you think players don't want to play in Edmonton, wait till Winnipeg is back in the NHL.

I am not pointing this out to be mean to The 'Peg. I've actually never been there, so there is no way I could offer an opinion on if it's a nice city. If you ask an average schmuck like me if I would be willing to move to Winnipeg for a job that paid a million+ per season, I'd go. Most normal people would go, even if winter seems to last forever. But we aren't talking about "normal" people here. We're talking about professional athletes, team management, league officials and owners, all people with more money than the rest of us combined. At the end of the day, the league is not going to put themselves in a place that all their employees, players included, hate. Phoenix might be the favorite in-season vacation destination of teams, and you better believe Bettman is not alone in wanting to fight to protect it.

I could see the Atlanta Thrashers moving to Winnipeg, not the Coyotes. Why? Because Atlanta is not thought of a desired place to visit. Sure, it is big, but the game hasn't caught on there, and it's been tried a few times now. There won't ever be a line-up of people in Atlanta trying to buy the team to keep it there. Eventually there will come a point where the league allows for a quick solution to the Thrasher's mess (i.e. an immediate move to Winnipeg instead of waiting to see if a more desirable untapped market city has a new potential owner step forward). But in saying this, I still find myself feeling doubtful because I simply don't trust the league when it comes to their willingness to locate more teams in Canada. I could see places like Seattle, Portland or Houston getting a look long before Winnipeg or Quebec City do.

Over the last two weeks, the reality that time might be up in Phoenix sunk across the league. What has the reaction been? Renewed efforts at the Gary Bettman/league level to get a Phoenix ownership solution. Bettman also said publicly that he thinks a solution will be found and the team will be staying. Players have gotten into the act...I heard tonight talk of the Coyotes giving Shane Doan an out to be traded to an LA team should he decide he doesn't want to go to Winnipeg. Talk about a disturbing side-note to go public: Certain players inside the Coyotes organization may get the opportunity to jump ship. It's sort of like the "women and children first" clause on a sinking ship. The young, fit, single men will go down with the Good Ship Coyote when it sinks to the depths of Lake Winnipeg. Sacred cows, on the other hand, will be given the chance to get out alive.

Here's some random thoughts after last night's games...

- Finally, we have a quality playoff game: Boston and Montreal, Game 5. Now that's what playoff hockey is suppose to look like. None of this 8 - 2 business. The Bruins/Habs has turned into a war. It's about time. This one is goin' seven.

- LA won a game, thanks to a 51 save effort by Jonathan Quick. Either I am missing something, or San Jose just isn't as good as some people think they are. The Sharks should have won this series tonight.

- Nice to see Washington get it done against the Rangers. The rest of the league should be very afraid, as it appears Alexander Ovechkin is getting his game back. Poor Mike Green though, with the slapshot to his head. Maybe he should do like Johnny Knoxville did on the episode of Jackass where he was testing out hockey cups: Tape a bunch of pillows to the top of his helmet.

- Will the Sabres close out the Flyers on Sunday? Oddly enough, I get the feeling they will. Philly is playing hurt and their goaltending stinks.

- What about Nashville/Anaheim and Vancouver/Chicago? I will go with Anaheim to tie the series up, setting up an amazing Game 7. I will go with Chicago as well to win. I am not convinced they will win the series, but the crowd in the Windy City will be mind-blowing tomorrow, and the Hawks will be fired up. It might take the brink of death to make the Canucks wake up and start playing like themselves again.

Enjoy your Easter, my friends.

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