Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 16/11/2010 (3606 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

CP Floyd Mayweather Jr. is facing legal battles in Las Vegas.

It appears Winnipeg hockey fans will not be getting an NHL franchise this Christmas as Matthew Hulsizer prepares to play Santa in the desert.

One has to wonder, however, if Hulsizer's largesse will be greeted with blank indifference or an unprecedented surge in hockey love from the good people of Phoenix.

Word on the Coyotes sale is that Hulsizer and Glendale bureaucrats have crafted a lease agreement, which now needs to be approved by city council.

NHL executive commissioner Bill Daly is hopeful the board of governors will have the opportunity to approve Hulsizer as a new owner at league meetings in early December.

Nothing really new here. Hulsizer has appeared intent on buying the troubled franchise for some time and Glendale is out of options, making them a very willing partner in any negotiations.

What remains to be seen is whether the Chicago businessman and former Ivy league hockey player Hulsizer can make the Coyotes a profitable business.

Key to that is getting a larger number of Phoenicians to care about hockey. The Coyotes are averaging 10,625 customers per game through eight openings at Jobing.com Arena this season.

Those numbers are for tickets distributed and not paid attendance. TSN reporter Dave Naylor's recent Why Not Canada feature quoted the average revenue per ticket in Phoenix at $34. Naylor used a formula that combined tickets sold at full price as well as those discounted or given away.

Conversely, the study pegged revenue per ticket at $86 for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Right now they give tickets away in Phoenix but still can't get people in the building. Will Hulsizer owning the team change that? Stay tuned.

-- The jig is up: For a long time hockey folks argued whether Rangers winger Sean Avery was an über-pest or just a punk. We've known for some time it was the latter but his latest spit up has to convince even his most loyal supporters he's more trouble than anything else.

Avery suckered Oilers defenceman Ladislav Smid a few nights ago and a line brawl ensued. It's one thing for Avery to have to answer for his crimes but if you're one of his Rangers teammates you'd have to wonder why you were getting your brains bashed in for his actions. Maybe if he had some added value to the team but Avery doesn't.

-- Manny or Money: Not too long ago Floyd Mayweather Jr. had lots to say about Manny Pacquiao and none of it was good. Mayweather has now ducked two potential fights with Pacquiao and slung no end of mud in the doing. Pacquiao has quietly gone about his business and continued fighting other opponents, all the while leaving the door open for a Mayweather bout. Last Saturday night Pacquiao hospitalized Antonio Margarito and won a title in a record eighth weight class. Mayweather, meanwhile, was getting arrested in Las Vegas for assaulting a security guard. Mayweather also has a January court date in Vegas for unrelated felony coercion, grand larceny and robbery charges following a Sept. 9 dispute with the mother of his children. Prosecutors said he also threatened his sons. One guy wins belts -- the other guy faces prison time. As much as we want to see the two in the same ring, why should Pacquiao agree to a fight with Mayweather now? We'll take Manny over Money anyday.

gary.lawless@freepress.mb.ca