Of course, the same can be said about True North Sports and Entertainment when they pursued the Atlanta Thrashers two-plus seasons ago...
And, eventually, played nice with the National Hockey League, bought the team and moved them to a good home...
Through their Twitter account, which might mean there's a reason to deny, the big wigs in Quebec City at Quebecor Media decided to say something...
The rumour that Quebecor is currently in negotiations with the #NHL to buy a franchise is completely false.
The statement doesn't say they haven't- just that they aren't at this very minute... even as Rejean Tremblay of QMI told 98.5 Sports in Montreal:
"A team is in place to clear the ground, lawyers, accountants to audit the affairs of the Coyotes," said columnist Réjean Tremblay on 98.5 fm with Paul Arcand on Wednesday.
One would lend itself to think that the National Hockey League is trying to figure out if the folks who are currently "negotiating" with the NHL for the Coyotes- the Anthony LeBlanc group- are serious... or just more serious than the Darin Pastor group that got stiff-armed by Bill Daly and everyone else associated with the NHL.
According to FOSG Dan Bickley, from a few weeks ago:
LeBlanc’s group – Renaissance Sports and Entertainment – has raised $240 million, or $70 million more than the NHL’s asking price. It is committed to absorbing $40 million in losses over the first four years, with an out clause if the economics don’t improve.
The group would immediately re-sign Don Maloney and Dave Tippett, arguably the best general manager/coach tandem in the NHL.
But the lease for Jobing.com Arena may be the killer for anyone who wants in on the Coyotes. The Arizona Republic claims that operating costs are around $6-million where LeBlanc is looking to get something in the neighborhood of $15-million. If LeBlanc is out, then would it be the return of Matthew Hulsizer or would Quebecor finally get their chance to make an easy move to Quebec City...???
CEO Pierre Karl Peladeau would love to match Bell and Rogers to get a chance to play with a big boy toy like an NHL franchise. There's only so much work that can be done in and around the Montreal Impact...
Reg Sherren did a piece for CBC's "The National" exploring how the return of the Jets could help the return of Les Nordiques...
Tremblay, who had a one on one with the Bettman last year with QMI, had this quote:
"If ... if ... if ... if ... a franchise was available, there would be three factors to consider. One, the owner. Two, the arena. And three, the market. That is how we must analyze the demands and make a decision."
Check, double check, triple check...
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