Coyotes to Winnipeg?

Well the future looks bright for Canada's place in the NHL. The faltering economy, which I'm continuing to look away from, shutting my eyes and ears to the daily bombardment of doomsday news Canada's media outlets subject us to, has finally taken its toll on the NHL. And the first team to go? With any luck Phoenix. Sorry Phoenix fans but hockey is played on ice, not in a desert.

For too long we Canadians have been forced to endure the (forced) migration of our teams to south of the 49. Please, can someone enlighten me: why are there hockey teams in Tampa, Florida, and Phoenix? These cities have an average yearly temperature of 22 degrees! They have palm trees and sand dunes! Why, why, why do Winnipeg (Canada's coldest major city!) and Quebec City not have teams? Why! I'm pulling my hair out here.

How is it good business sense Mr. Bettman do have a team in Phoenix! Please. Does this make sense to anyone? I know that I am reviving an old debate here, one that was played out in 1996 when the Jets were given the boot. But seriously. The NHL is financially supporting the Coyotes! If the team was still in Winnipeg it wouldn't need that financial support. The MTS Centre would be packed to the roof every game! So what? It's too small? It only fits 15,000? Well dear critics, even though Jobing.com can fit 20,000 specatators, how many do they actually get per game? No more than 14,000. I've heard figures as low as 12,000 in fact.

What is wrong with this picture!? Why do (American) NHL governors insist on wrenching our beloved, historical! teams from us and stamping them into the US desert? We are Canadian! We love our hockey!

Buttman, sorry, Bettman, in trying to remap the National Hockey League by spreading the game to the far corners of the United States, has left Canadian hockey fans in the cold. Winnipeg fans only have the Moose to cheer for. Quebec fans only have the Laval Rouge et Or football team to cheer for.

In times of economic uncertainty award franchises to those cities that can support their own teams. If the NHL has to babysit a team then that city no longer deserves to have a team. Winnipeg and Quebec City always held their own. Give us back our teams!