One from the New School

So, I don't come by the hockey love quite as genetically as my esteemed colleague and co-author. I was born in Denver, and moved around a bit. My earliest memories of hockey are of watching the North Stars and the Blackhawks beating the hell out of each other when I was a teenager living in Wisconsin. Yes, the Minnesota North Stars. I liked hockey, but I wasn't totally live-or-die with it from birth like some people.

Overall, I'm honestly a winner in the whole relocation wars. I live in Colorado now, and when I first heard that the Nordiques were coming here, I thought that I'd been given a Christmas present. Which, it was even better when my dad told me about the Colorado Rockies franchise, that became the New Jersey Devils. It was a Christmas present that lasted for 8 months, and when we finally carried the Cup to Denver, me and a friend had a sign that we held up that said "Merci, Quebec". Because it was our win, but it was still their team on a certain level.

Now we fast forward a few years, and I'm divided. The NHL honestly doesn't belong in Phoenix. The ice is cruddy, the team is weak, the novelty has honestly worn off, and most importantly for the league as a whole, the team is hemmhoraging money. It's been given a fair shake, and it honestly has been given more chances to succeed than Quebec, or Winnipeg, or several other cities in Canada were given.

Mister Bettman, please. I know you hate admitting defeat as much as anyone, but some places just do not roll well with hockey. Stop taking it personally, and accept that you can win with this. Every Canadian hockey team turns a profit. Every one. The canadian teams are honestly what's keeping the league afloat. You could make so many people happy so easily. With one simple sentence:
"Mr Balsille, move this team to Hamilton."

The fans of Phoenix may never forgive you, but if they're real fans, they'll follow the Coyotes or they'll transfer their love to other teams. Heck, work with the CHL or another league, put a minor league team there. They may love you more, because the seats will be heinously cheaper. Win-win. But don't do what it looks like you're planning on doing because...you'll be cutting off your nose to spite your face again. Not many people can do that more than twice and keep their job. Worst case scenario...the profitable teams fold and reconstitute as the MoneyMaking Hockey League, with you on the outside looking in as someone else (Jim Balsille is a name that springs to mind) makes mad cash and touches the Cup every. Single. Year.

BTW, still mad about the Def Leppard thing.