Jim Balsillie, co-chief executive officer of BlackBerry manufacturer Research in Motion in Waterloo has bought the Pittsburgh Penguins and immediately the rumour mill began cranking out their fantasy stories of an NHL team coming to Hamilton.
Yes Balsillie's group has exclusive rights to bring an NHL team to Copps Coliseum but has gone on record as stating that he will keep the team in Pittsburgh and has no intention of bringing it to Hamilton.
But that hasn't stopped delusional city councilor's the likes of Ward 8 Hamilton Councilor Terry Whitehead, the city's point man for Copps Coliseum, saying "We are a heck of a lot closer to having an NHL team in Hamilton than we were"
Then we were when? When the Copps was first built back in the '80's. Flashback time. Hamilton hockey nuts where toyed with and goaded in believing Pittsburgh or Buffalo was coming to Steeltown then.
Lets face facts unless something disastrous happens with a purposed casino deal in Pittsburgh, which will see a new arena built their, Hamilton will have to settle for Montreal AHL affiliate(The Bulldogs) that will be more enjoyable and more affordable to watch than Pittsburgh will be. Sidney Crosby excluded.
Later,
Kenaz
