May 2010… Winnipeg, True North, and the NHL was ready to move the Phoenix Coyotes to Winnipeg if Glendale could not cover the season losses. This would mark the return of the original team that had left Winnipeg in 1996.
But with only 10 minutes left till the 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time deadline, the City of Glendale was able to wire $25 million to the NHL’s offices to cover the season losses.
That is how close we were to having an NHL team last year! True North chairman Mark Chipman revealed all this juicy information at a Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Thursday.
He also mentioned how NHL commissioner Gary Bettman had a big role in getting a team in Winnipeg, and that he hopes we welcome him with a better greeting than the NHL fans did in Vancouver.
Image coyo Originally uploaded by AccessWinnipeg
