Blackhawks celebrate their Stanley Cup championship, Lightning return to Tampa Bay, an update on Ryan McDonagh and much more.
CSNCHICAGO.COM: The city of Chicago will honor the Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks with a parade and rally on Thursday, June 18.
Chicago Blackhawks pose with the Stanley Cup at Wrigley Field prior to the start of the Chicago Cubs game against the Cleveland Indians..
YAHOO! SPORTS: Game 6 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final pulled in the highest NHL ratings in Chicago ever for NBC.
CHICAGO BUSINESS: The Blackhawks have finally reached their financial goal, as they no longer need money from their owner’s other businesses to cover its player payroll.
THE TAMPA TRIBUNE: The Lightning returned to Tampa Bay following their heartbreaking end to their Stanley Cup Final to an adoring, grateful crowd of 500 fans.
ESPN.COM: Craig Custance lists the Los Angeles Kings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, New York Rangers and Nashville Predators as his top-five contenders for the 2016 Stanley Cup.
THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC: The Glendale City Council will continue its legal efforts to terminate its 15-year, $225 million lease with the Arizona Coyotes in hopes of striking a better deal with the club.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ignore all the blather about how the city of Glendale doesn’t care about the Coyotes or the NHL. Their stance isn’t about driving away the Coyotes, as that would leave them without an anchor tenant for the Gila River Arena. This is all about trying to garner a better deal so they’re not losing money as they currently are under the existing agreement. In the past two fiscal years, the city council lost over $16 million. Though there’s a risk the council’s efforts could still force the departure of the Coyotes, it’s better than sticking with the current deal, as the club’s ownership could exercise its out-clause if losses reach $50 million by 2018. In other words, better to risk losing the Coyotes now and not lose as much money than stick with the current lease agreement, lose more money and risk the club’s departure in three years time.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh won’t require surgery on his broken right foot.
PITTSBURGHPENGUINS.COM: Jacques Martin has been hired as a special assistant to Penguins head coach Mike Johnston.
NBC SPORTS: Former NHL forward Sergei Kostitsyn is reportedly close to signing with an NHL team. Kostitsyn, 28, spent the past two seasons in the KHL.
NURNBERG ICE TIGERS: announced yesterday former NHL forward Colin Fraser will join their roster next season. Fraser, 30, played on Stanley Cup winners with Chicago (2010) and Los Angeles (2012 and 2014). He spent last season with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.
Lyle, you forgot the other option. For the city of Glendale to honor their contract, assist in helping the Coyotes to be successful which would aid in the development of the west side and bring in an increase of additional revenue and not from just the on ice product but by increasing venues. Losing the anchor tenant, which the city of Glendale just helped perpetuate, will stagnate the growth of businesses around Westgate, decrease the number of additional venues for the arena.
Saying that the city of Glendale “lost $16 million” without specifying that the number doesn’t include how much additional revenue the city takes in indirectly this sounds too much like the city of Glendale is using the Canadian media once again to further their agenda!
In hind sight, the city should have never built the arena. They need an anchor tenant. The Coyotes will be better off moving to a new stadium in downtown Phoenix, which would be a better sell to the city of Phoenix if they can get both the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Coyotes to play there.
While the downtown US Airways arena was an interesting idea, next season is too soon to reasonably plan for the Coyotes to play there. Events and bookings have already been made at US Airways which would make it almost impossible for the Coyotes to play there. Coyotes will likely stay in Glendale next season.
The court has already issued a TRO against the city and that ruling will stand as well as extend into a full on RO. The city has no juice here. If they cannot afford the current deal as signed, who thinks they can afford the Attorneys they will need to fight the ones the NHL will provide? In AZ, the loser of this case will pay the legal fees.
Add to that moving the team costs the owners (NHL and team) an expansion fee. That’s too much $ for them to pass up. Relocation to Phoenix will not cost them as much and they can likely get the City of Glendale to pay for that with what the courts will hit the city for damages.
Every legal expert in the media down here has said the same thing, they would never have recommended this action by the city council because it is a lost cause. The council should thank their lucky stars that the team has not yet filed for damages. Because they caused irreparable financial harm to the team and those businesses they can be held personally liable as well as the city being held liable. Their office does not protect them from this.
Shame it had to come to this.