Gretzky Willing To Take Pay Cut To Help Coyotes Stay In Phoenix

Gretzky May Soon Earn Less Than His Current $8M Salary

BID DETAILS: In Hamilton, Ken Peters reports Balsillie "wants to see the details of the Reinsdorf bid," and "more particularly, whether there is a lease pact with the City of Glendale and conditions attached that would permit Reinsdorf to relocate from Phoenix after a set time period." Balsillie spokesperson Bill Walker: "Is there any relocation aspect to Mr. Reinsdorf's bid? If there is, will that be made clear to the judge. And, in that sense, is it no different than a relocation bid?" (HAMILTON SPECTATOR, 6/24). Also in Hamilton, Steve Milton writes, "Forgive the cynicism here, but this Reinsdorf rescue has a fishy echo."  Nobody "in their right financial mind will chain themselves to an irrevocable deal to stay in Glendale for another couple of decades," so there will be "some kind of escape plan behind this bid that will let the NHL regain control of the desert from what, so far, has been Balsillie's schedule." One can "hardly blame the league for wanting to control its decisions, just as you can't blame Balsillie for trying to put those decisions into court, where the NHL, with its sometimes questionable reasoning, doesn't have the steering wheel" (HAMILTON SPECTATOR, 6/24).

PHOENIX RISING: Maple Leafs President & GM Brian Burke yesterday said that he "believes the Coyotes should remain in the desert and be given an opportunity to succeed rather than moving to Hamilton or whatever locale NHL commissioner Gary Bettman may give his blessing." Burke: "For every situation like Phoenix, you have to look at Washington and Pittsburgh. Three years ago, they were saying Pittsburgh was in bankruptcy and would have to move. They were saying Washington was a graveyard. Chicago was empty, Boston was empty and now they are completely sold out" (TORONTO SUN, 6/24).

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