It looks like Seattle's roadmap to an NHL franchise just hit a speed bump. The pro-sports starved city was pining for the opportunity to bring the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes into the fold but it looks as if that longshot may have officially missed its target.
According to Mick Sunnucks of Phoenix Business Journal, the NHL and San Jose Sharks CEO Greg Jamison are close to making a deal for Jamison and his group of investors to purchase the team and thus, keep it in Glendale, Az.
"The deal still has to go through final approvals and due diligence as well as through the city of Glendale which owns Jobing.com Arena. But Jamison, the NHL and Glendale are close to a final deal, according to sources familiar with the hockey team."
Seattle, along with another ownership group led by Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Phoenix attorney John Kaites, are the other two viable options if the deal with Jamison falls through at the last minute. But Jamison's track record for turning around franchises bodes well for his purchase and puts another nail in the Seattle fan coffin built mostly by Seattle Sonics green.
Officials with the new arena proposal group will now look to other struggling NHL teams for a possible relocation to the Emerald City.