The Phoenix Coyotes have been sold.

How many times have we heard that phrase since 2009? To me, it seems like a decade since the club declared bankruptcy and the NHL stepped in and took over.

But today, the Commish, Gary Bettman, made it official but announcing the NHL has completed the agreement with IceArizona AcquisitionCo., LLC. Renaissance Sports and Entertainment, LLC is the managing partner of IceArizona.

The league Board of Governors signed off, as well, allowing Bettman to relinquish control of the team to IceArizona.

None of this would have happened were it not for Global Spectrum's last-minute - literally - involvement on July 2 during a Glendale City Council meeting that stretched into the wee hours of July 3 before City Council approved the deal to keep the team in Arizona.

The new principal owners are George Gosbee and Anthony LeBlanc.

"The National Hockey League believes in Arizona as an NHL market and that these new owners can provide the Coyotes the opportunity to secure a stable, long-term future in Glendale," Bettman said in a statement.

"We thank Mike Nealy, Don Maloney, Dave Tippett, team captain Shane Doan and all the players and staff for consistently going 'above and beyond' on behalf of the franchise during this long and complex process.

“We thank the Coyotes' devoted fans for their patient, perseverant support. We are extremely pleased that a positive resolution has been achieved for the fans, the city, the Coyotes and the League."

Let's hope this is the very last time we hear the words "the Coyotes have been sold."

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