Coyotes in 4th Place

The little engine that noone wanted, Team NHL has to be one of the best stories in the NHL this season. The Phoenix Coyotes as of right now sit in 4th place in the Western Conference in the NHL. They are one of only 3 teams with 100 points and if they weren't in the same division as the San Jose Sharks they would be the number 2 overall seed. This is a great thing to see for the NHL. Or is it?

Unfortunately even though the team started the season off hot with sell-outs in back-to-back games and has obviously put a good products on the ice the Coyotes are still dead last in average attendance. Also in early March the NHL sued ex-Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes. The team was bought by the NHL for $140 million after a Phoenix judge blocked the sale of the team to Jerry Balsille. Balsille had a desire to move the team to Hamilton, Ontario just outside of Toronto where a new arena was being built. The Coyotes were previously stationed in Winnipeg as the Jets. The NHL is suing Moyes for $61 million because of his mishandling of the franchise. "According to the complaint, the NHL is seeking $30 million for violations of the agreement, $10 million for aiding and abetting violations of the Coyotes' fiduciary duty to the league, $10 million of punitive damages, and $11.6 million to cover amounts that the NHL paid to Coyotes creditors." That quote comes from an article here.

It really is too bad to see that Phoenix has continued to not support what is an exciting hockey team. While I loved watching the Coyotes in the late 90s with their white outs and Howlng goal horn, I have serious doubts that they still deserve a team. While Balsille may not be going about acquiring an NHL franchise the right way it appears that he may be the best choice for the NHL. I hope the Coyotes can get some support in the playoffs but I just don't trust the community of Phoenix to provide it. Chalk this one up as another Gary Bettman mistake to expand for the sake of just wanting to.