The NHL has denied a report that the Phoenix Coyotes are ready to be sold to a group led by Greg Jamison, the former CEO of the San Jose Sharks who's been rumored to be in the ownership mix for the team since August.
NHL Denies Phoenix Coyotes Sale Report, Seattle Sports Fans Keeping Watchful Eye
Dave Zorn, a reporter for Metro Networks Arizona who’s covered the Coyotes for years, shared the initial report Friday evening on Twitter.
Just to clarify..Jamison has been approved to by the NHL as an owner, and his money..still a little work to finish on it. #Coyotes
— Dave Zorn (@dave_zorn) February 18, 2012
Via KING5 in Seattle, where fans are suddenly watching the Coyotes’ ownership saga with an interested eye following a new arena proposal there that’s contingent on relocation of an NHL and NBA teams, the NHL says that report is false. Zorn expected as much, however, and you’ll recall that the league also denied first reports that True North Sports had purchased the Atlanta Thrashers. It’s safe to say they shouldn’t necessarily be trusted when it comes to this stuff.
A sale of the Coyotes to Jamison would be fantastic news for Coyotes fans, who could realistically lose their team at the end of this NHL season if a new ownership situation isn’t figured out. The NHL still operates the club, and that’s a situation that’s expected to come to a head before next season.
Jamison's group reportedly includes former Coyotes star Jeremy Roenick, who said in his Coyotes' Ring of Honor induction speech last weekend that he'd do his part to keep the hockey team in Arizona.
For Seattle fans, it’s not the best news. The new arena proposal requires both an NHL team and an NBA team to be on board -- whether through relocation or expansion -- and the Coyotes certainly seem like the most likely option. If they’re sold, Seattle fans will have to look elsewhere, or hope Gary Bettman’s interest in the city is real and that expansion is a possibility.
For more on the potential return of hockey to Seattle, check in with SB Nation Seattle. For more on hockey that’s currently being played in Phoenix, check in with Coyotes blog Five For Howling.
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