Got a Bridge in Brooklyn...

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman had an interesting exchange with “Hockey Night in Canada” host Ron McLean the other day. McLean was doing his standard heavyweight tête-à-tête with him ((as he always does)) and the subject of William “Boots” Del Biaggio came up.

For those of you behind the curve a little bit, Del Biaggio is the third in a current list of NHL owners or minority partners that have run afoul of the American government in the last month or so. Henry Samueli of the Anaheim Ducks and Eugene Melnyk of the Ottawa Senators are now joined by “Boots.”

And it ain’t pretty...

But if you take The Bettman at his word, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. All that is missing is your standard Kevin Bacon-Dressed in military garb-on a street corner screaming;

“STAY CALM! ALL IS WELL!!!”

Got A Bridge In Brooklyn Up For Sale...

Del Biaggio is now under investigation for allegedly working $17-million in loans with fake paperwork. Did he slide someone else’s finances in so he could get three separate loans for his own workings...? It’s being looked into...

Bettman told McLean that if you were a Nashville Predators fan, you had nothing to worry about. I call “B--- S---!” at this very moment. But that’s just me and my Chicken Little mentality where the fastest sport on ice is concerned.

Del Biaggio, apparently, put in close to $30-million to be a minority investor in the Preds since he couldn’t secure ten times that amount to buy the team and move them to a new arena in Kansas City that is screaming for a primary tenant. Everything’s fine, right...?

Right…??? Stay calm…??? All is well…???

If memory serves, the Preds barely made their self-imposed quota for an attendance figure to keep the team afloat in town. If they didn’t make it, the owners ((in whatever shape or form they’re in currently)) could bail on the agreement with the city and seek another fortune elsewhere. They haven’t done that...

Yet...

And you’d think that if the confidence the rest of the group is showing were to amount into something, they’d already have someone ready to take over in Del Biaggio’s slot. But I haven’t seen Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Kenny Chesney, or Garth Brooks’ names mentioned as suitors- potential or otherwise. Little Jimmy Dickens...??? Anyone...???

Or no one...

The Bettman hasn’t flinched in Anaheim, Ottawa, or Nashville.
I think he needs to...
But I know he won’t unless it’s kicking and screaming...

dot...dot...dot...

But I do know someone who could be on the table if the commissioner could take some ego ((probably more like super ego)) off the table, and think about what’s best for the league.

Enter Jim Balsillie...
Again...

A report came out in the Toronto Star newspaper that, according to Balsillie spokesman Richard Rodier, the genius that invented the Crackberry has had contact from as many as eight different teams about becoming their owner- future location be damned.

The roster includes, but is not limited to, the Atlanta Thrashers, the Carolina Hurricanes, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Dallas Stars. I would venture to guess the Florida Panthers and the Phoenix Coyotes are in there. For the sake of argument, let’s throw in Columbus and Nashville. Balsillie wants no part of moving a current-Canadian franchise to move them to a Hamilton/Waterloo location.

We’ve been through this dance before, but the dynamic is a little different now. To no one’s surprise a report has come to light claiming that the franchises north of the border are carrying the league’s profit margin these days. If they weren’t around, growth would be in the neighborhood of only three percent- the standard rate of inflation.

With the strength of the Loonie and Toonie against uncle Sam these days, it would be silly not to consider one of the world’s richest men ((and hockey fans)) if he wants to continue the potential growth in a potential growth market. Balsillie offered $175-million US to buy the Penguins, and $238-million US to take control of the Predators.

He’s proven that he’s more than willing to overpay for a product to get a starved area another outlet for entertainment- and for Balsillie fun and profit.

Analyzing for a second...

• Atlanta’s ownership group hasn’t shown a willingness in the current marketplace to spend the necessary money to succeed.
• Peter Karmanos won’t sell a majority stake…unless seats continue to stay empty.
• Tampa might be a contender if the new owners can’t get their act straight.
• Tom Hicks won’t sell a majority stake, either.
• Wayne Huizenga uses the Panthers as a write-off for the Dolphins.
• Phoenix is hemorrhaging $30-million a year in the middle of nowhere...
• Columbus putters along...
• Nashville is Nashville...

So, then, the contenders would be Atlanta, Nashville, and Phoenix...

Each ready for the owners to exit through the tunnel…and each franchise south of the Mason-Dixon line...

Send the guy in Ontario a text message...
I’m sure he’ll answer...

Play it safe, everyone... I’ll talk to you soon...

--Jon Nelson