Jim Balsillie

[POJO_Risin]

I haven't been paying much attention to this, and generally ignore most of the preseason hockey mutterings, but Balsillie has caught my attention because he's received another strike with regards to gaining a team.

Of course, Balsillie was in the mix for the Penguins, back when Lemeuix was trying to sell the team...or move the team...if he couldn't get a new arena.

There was a lot of scuttlebutt about Balsillie eventually moving the team to Hamilton, which of course, nobody wanted.

Now, Balsillie essentially stated that he was moving the Coyotes out of Phoenix and to Hamilton...

1. Would he have moved the Pens?

2. Why the fuck does the NHL still consider Phoenix to be a cash cow for hockey?

I know the ownership and management (sorry Gretz) has for the most part, sucked...but to try and turn it around now seems a bit farfetched...

What the fuck is Balsillie's deal? I know he's loaded...but is this "untrustworthy" tag based on his willingness to bring hockey back to Canada?

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Yeah, it's pretty clear at this point that if Mario would have pulled the trigger, he would have eventually moved them...

Balsillie's #1 fuckup is that he pissed off the NHL in how he tries to buy these teams, which include now Pittsburgh, Nashville and Phoenix....

The NHL may be the biggest old boys club in the major pro sports....

The other thing is that Hamilton is damn close to Toronto, and Toronto wields a shitload of power in the NHL....