As the NHL breaks for Christmas, the talk is getting louder all over the league. Yesterday, as I did sports radio shows from coast to coast in Canada and the United States, the one question that started every conversation was this: “Is Winnipeg ready to get back into the NHL? (check out fan960.com)”
In a number of markets in the league, it’s a complete mess. There was a report in the New York Post Monday morning that the league may already have paid a payroll in both Phoenix and Tampa. ESPN has reported that the Coyotes could lose as much as $40 million this year. The Islanders are bleeding money. Nashville, Florida and Atlanta are virtually giving their tickets away.
The New York Post’s Larry Brooks offered up this little tidbit last week…
Brooks wrote: “Sorry, but does anyone really believe the NHL isn’t going to be required to provide funds to the Coyotes and/or Lightning so that neither team misses payroll this season, and is anyone certain that it hasn’t happened already?
“I know that Bettman told the Board of Governors two weeks ago not to expect a decrease in next season’s salary cap, but I’m betting the 2009-10 cap is no higher than $54 million and could be as low as $52 million. Remember, this season’s $56.7 million cap was based on a projected five-percent increase in league revenues.”
The downturn in the economy is causing real problems in the United States’ newest and most non-traditional hockey markets, but it’s also starting to affect teams in the Northeast.
Amazingly, folks around the league are now legitimately starting to wonder if Winnipeg is in the NHL’s future.
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