[transplant99]

The owners in Winnipeg are not fools and are making a profit without the NHL.

Good for them. Making money in that arena with an NHL team is a whole different ball of wx though. Not sure what you are trying to imply with that.

The purchase price of Phoenix has to be dropping every day as Atlanta and other owners start to look at getting some money back on their investment by selling their team to Winnipeg.

Except the purchase price in Phoenix just went UP a couple days ago.

Team officials also point to positive signs in ticket sales. But as it stands, the losses have pushed up Hulsizer's purchase price to $210 million. The National Hockey League, owner of the orphan team, intends to lose no money on the team sale.
The NHL tacked on team and arena losses to the $140 million purchase price, which is what the league paid to take the team out of bankruptcy in late 2009. The team lost about $30 million last season

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepu...#ixzz1G1tPtELj

The NHL BOG has to be looking at minimizing their loses and keep 30 franchises even if one sell for a below "Bettman market price". A contraction would knock a considerable amount off the value of their asset. Depending on how it is being financed they may have to actually put in more cash to secure their current loans if their equity drops.

Possibly...or they could just remain where they are until they get things figured out.

Winnipeg is in a buyers market right now.

That doesn't mean that the NHL is going aquiesce to just any sale though.

I really don't see contraction happening, the reprecussions of that could be huge. It's just something that doesn't happen in modern day professional sports in North America, and taking that step would certainly be a massive blow to a number of revenue streams such as television contracts. A league that's contracting teams is not a league that you're going to see broadcasters and advertisers looking to work worth, the red flags are just too scary to risk it.

I'd expect that if it came right down to it the league would either operate the team in Atlanta as they did in Phoenix, or they'd make the move to KC and waive any issues with AEG having interests in two markets.

I agree that contraction is a last resort, but not because of TV deals or anything like that.

I also think that your last paragraph is the most likely though IIRC the NHL would have to change their own charter to make it happen, and Phoenix would have to be staying where they are.