((HT: TSN))
During his state of the union prior to the Stanley Cup final, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman explained that the situation with the Phoenix Coyotes was not about personal issues and was instead about following the rules as put forward by the National Hockey League.
"From my standpoint, it's not personal," said Bettman on Saturday. "It's about league rules and it's about doing the right thing in terms of the stability of this game and this league."
Balsillie spokesman Bill Walker says the BlackBerry billionaire is not trying to circumvent the NHL's rules.
"We look forward to submitting our application for relocation," said Balsillie spokesman Bill Walker. "Jim Balsillie has always set out to meet NHL rules and regulations in seeking a franchise and he looks forward to working in partnership with the league and Board of Governors as a potential owner.
"NHL bylaws lay out a three-part criteria that needs to be met: owner, market and arena. We think this bid exceeds all three criteria with a proven business leader as owner, the best unserved hockey market in North American and a state-of-the-art arena renovation. It adds up to an NHL franchise poised to succeed for many years to come," added Walker.
Balsillie is expected to officially file an application for relocation with the NHL on Monday.
The NHL, Coyotes majority owner Jerry Moyes and Balsillie are currently involved in bankruptcy court proceedings in Arizona to determine the future of the franchise.
Balsillie has made an offer to purchase the club as long as he can move the team to Hamilton, Ontario.
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