The rumors continue to swirl regarding the potential of Seattle obtaining an NHL team. The Phoenix Coyotes seemed like the most likely team to relocate until recently, and it appears they may stay in Arizona following the sale of the franchise. The latest name to pop up as a relocation candidate is that of the New York Islanders, although it's uncertain how likely that scenario would be.
On the Coyotes front, the Sporting News reports that Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is once again bidding for ownership of the franchise, along with partner John Kaites, a former executive for the Dallas Stars. It appears the city of Glendale is attempting to make things easy for potential buyers who intend to keep the Coyotes in Arizona.
Jon Humbert at KATU.com reports that the NHL has a contractual right to explore relocation options prior to a team's sale, but has not yet done so in the case of the Coyotes. He notes that officials have remained adamant about wanting the team to remain in the Phoenix area. Humbert also notes that the continued draw and success of the Everett Silvertips is a good indicator that hockey is a viable option in the Puget Sound region.
It appears there is no shortage of potential team owners who find Seattle an attractive option. Chris Daniels at KING 5 News recently spoke with Don Levin, who owns the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League and has designs on acquiring an NHL franchise at some point. Levin says "time is of the essence" regarding a relocation city and that Seattle should do everything possible to position themselves as a city committed to the NHL.
No one knows how this will all shake out, but for now it seems that the NHL and Seattle are plenty interested in one another. It just seems unlikely that the Coyotes will be the team that ultimately comes to town.
For complete coverage of the NHL situation in Seattle, please stay tuned to this StoryStream.