ARIZONA COYOTES

Bettman: “the Goldwater Institute killed the deal”

Apr 20, 2011, 4:40 PM | Updated: 5:47 pm

The Goldwater Institute and the City of Glendale will finally sit down and discuss the future of the Phoenix Coyotes. The question is, is it too little, too late?

According to the Phoenix Business Journal, the two sides have agreed to meet this Thursday. They hope to try and iron out their differences on the issue of the city selling $100 million worth of bonds to fund the sale of the Coyotes to Chicago business man Matthew Hulsizer.

The news comes at about the same time as NHL commissioner Gary Bettman appeared on the Fan 590 in Toronto and discussed the Coyotes ownership situation and had some interesting words about the Goldwater Institutes’s involvement in the entire process.

“It’s not really a fair question,” he said. “And the speculation that we’ve been holding some announcement waiting for them to stop playing is absolutely wrong. We’re still focused on trying to make it work in Phoenix.

“And I hope we’re successful. Obviously when the Goldwater Institute killed the deal, it was a huge setback. Nobody expected them to do that. We didn’t think it was right that they did it, but the focus is still on making it work.”

Wait, what was that? The Goldwater Institute ‘killed the deal’? It was probably a slip of the tongue, but it may prove to be a telling one.

If the commissioner of the league, the man who has kept the team in Glendale the past two years, says that the institute has killed the deal that doesn’t exactly leave much hope for the negotiations on Thursday.

Can the Coyotes hope for continued life in the Valley be revived or is Bettman and the NHL just waiting to call the time of death for the franchise? We’ll probably know a lot more after Thursday’s meeting.

Arizona Coyotes

Matias Maccelli #63 of the Arizona Coyotes skates with the puck during an NHL game at Mullett Arena...

Associated Press

Josh Doan nets twice in NHL debut, Coyotes score 4 goals in 3rd and beat Blue Jackets

Josh Doan had two goals including the go-ahead score in his first NHL game and the Arizona Coyotes beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-2.

2 days ago

ASU hockey player Josh Doan and father Shane Doan wave to fans before the ceremonial first puck to ...

David Veenstra

Arizona Coyotes forward Josh Doan scores twice in NHL debut

Coyotes forward Josh Doan scored twice in his NHL debut on Tuesday. Doan had goals in the second and third period against Columbus. 

2 days ago

Josh Doan...

Damon Allred

Arizona Coyotes recall forward Josh Doan from Tucson Roadrunners

The Arizona Coyotes recalled former second-round pick Josh Doan, son of former captain Shane Doan, from the Tucson Roadrunners.

3 days ago

Miro Heiskanen #4 of the Dallas Stars skates with the puck while being defended by Alex Kerfoot #15...

Associated Press

Arizona Coyotes fall to Dallas Stars for 2nd time in last 3 games

Miro Heiskanen broke a tie with 5:28 left and the Stars won their fourth consecutive game, beating the Coyotes on Sunday night.

4 days ago

Dylan Guenther...

Associated Press

Coyotes’ Dylan Guenther scores overtime game-winner vs. Kraken

Dylan Guenther scored in overtime to give the Arizona Coyotes a win over Seattle on Friday night.

6 days ago

Arizona Coyotes center Liam O'Brien...

Associated Press

Coyotes’ struggles in Dallas continue despite Clayton Keller stacking goals

The Dallas Stars extended their home points streak against the Coyotes to 19 games with a victory on Wednesday night.

8 days ago

Bettman: “the Goldwater Institute killed the deal”