Saw the following headline on the TSN.ca website last Monday:
REPORT: KANE CONSIDERING SIX-YEAR, $29 MILLION DEAL FROM JETS
What a different world it must be to be “considering” a $4.5 million a year salary, eh? My only “consideration” after hearing $29 million would be whether I was embarrassed about crapping my pants or if I was too rich to care anymore…
Did Carolina just blow a load of cash on Semin? Remains to be seen I suppose. Some feel they have, inheriting a player with attitude problems on an early downslide. Others feel that GM Jim Rutherford has made a calculated gamble here, paying extra for the luxury of the one year contract escape should he no perform, but with the upside of getting a great year out of a player who has certainly shown the potential to be a legitimate offensive threat.
Me? I guess I’m more on the latter end of things, and am especially intrigued by the possibility of what a coach like Kirk Muller, who as a player was a solid two way player with legit leadership qualities, can draw out of a player like Semin. Like, oh, I don’t know…how to actually scrap on those rare occasions he needs to!!!
Should Captain Kirk fail in this manner, at least the Hurricanes team band will have their virtuoso bongo player:
But on a serious note, how great would it be to be a fly on the wall in that moment where Alex felt it necessary to make sure there were no hard feelings between him and the Staal brothers:
Alex: Look, I hope we can put the past behind us and work together as team mates for the betterment of the team…
Eric: Uhhh Alex? What past?
Alex: You know, that time I lay a beating on Marc…
Jordan: When was that?
Alex: Come on, you know what I’m talking about. You don’t have to play dumb to keep things cool with me. I’m a real man. I can take it…
Eric: So what you’re saying is that you guys had a scrap AFTER that time you went slap-happy on Marc?
Alex: Same thing for you Eric, you really don’t have to downplay the incident for my sake. Let’s just get any hard feelings out there and deal with it from the get go…
Jordan: (Muttering to Eric) Oh my……Eric, he’s actually referring to….
Eric: …oh boys…
HBO and the 24/7 crew: get down to Carolina for this, PLEASE!!!
So there are now rumblings that the NHL may opt for a more radical move with regard to the Phoenix situation, and it may not be one that serves those waiting for an admission from Bettman that keeping the Coyotes on life support was a bad business decision.
According to Ken Campbell of The Hockey News, there are those who believe that while the NHL would not fold the Coyotes franchise, the possibility of suspending operations until a suitable owner can be found, or the franchise can be relocated, is being floated. While on the surface this may seem to be an admission of failure by the league in terms of the Phoenix experiment, the reported intent of a move such as this, were it to take place, is thought to be both PR in terms of current CBA negotiations (i.e., This is what happens when owners cannot get their fair shake revenue-wise, as well as linking said lack of revenue to scaring off potential owners) as well as a shot across the bow of the NHLPA with regard to potential loss of union jobs. Note that this scuttlebutt is occurring following reports that even though the city of Glendale has stated they are ready to pick up a significant chunk of the arena lease over a 20 year period (over $300 million), potential Coyotes buyer of the day Greg Jamison may be, according to various reports: a) having difficulties convincing his investors about the viability of this venture; b) $20 million short of the asking price (as per CSNPhilly.com); or c) according to Mr. Campbell’s article, lost all his investors already.
While there is ultimately no way to separate the Coyotes situation from league finances, and subsequently the current CBA negotiations, and while the league will spin the situation irrespective of how it turns out, as is their right one would suppose, the current angling of the situation as ammunition against the NHLPA and revenue sharing seemingly directs the survival of the franchise away from what are more fundamentally applicable issues. These include: 1) Is Phoenix an economically viable hockey market; 2) Is there adequate fan support (their small core fan base not withstanding); 3) Does the arena location seriously impede franchise growth given the difficulty accessing it (if you’ve ever attended a game there coming from Phoenix proper you know what I mean); and 4) Are current efforts just delaying an inevitable relocation at the expense of current public funds?
But here I am wasting my breath on talking points that have been discussed at length numerous times over the years. No amount of discourse is going to result in the league admitting that the Coyotes are, despite the best efforts of the NHL owners, players and devoted fans, not in a position to succeed. In fact their whole approach reminds me of something I saw on TV once…
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