There appears to be another potential suitor for the Phoenix Coyotes from southern Ontario, but it's not Jim Balsillie.
According to the Globe and Mail, current Toronto Argonauts co-owners Howard Sokolowski and David Cynamon plan to meet with Glendale city officials next week with an eye toward putting a bid together for the financially-troubled NHL franchise.
Earlier this month, TSN CFL Insider Dave Naylor of the Globe and Mail reported that Sokolowski and Cynamon were considering selling the Argonauts because the losing on the field combined with the league's lukewarm reponse to their revenue sharing concepts led them to refocus their energies toward securing an NHL franchise.
Sokolowski and Cynamon were part of the Ice Edge Holdings group that pursued the club when owner Jerry Moyes filed for bankruptcy in the summer. But Cynamon confirmed to the Globe and Mail they are longer part of that group and sources tell the newspaper they have put together their own collection of about 12 investors.
The report indicates an Arizona bankruptcy court is expected to grant approval to the NHL's $140 million US bid to buy the Coyotes from Moyes on Monday, the same day Sokolowski is planning to meet with Glendale officials.
Should Sokolowski and Cynamon put together a bid, it would have to include a new lease for the Jobing.com arena in Glendale.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has said the league would prefer an owner who would keep the franchise in Phoenix.
Keith McCullough of Ice Edge Holdings appeared on the Business New Network on Thursday and said their group is prepared to bid on the Coyotes as well.
"We have submitted a letter of intent to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes if, in fact, the NHL is successful in buying the team out of bankruptcy," McCullough told BNN. "We were a little bit more comfortable with the local Arizona partner that we came to terms with most recently."
McCullough's group would like to see the team stay in Phoenix but has not strayed from their initial idea to play some games in Canada.
"We've had a cyclical depression that hit Arizona very, very hard but I do believe in the Phoenix market and Arizona in general," McCullough added. "We also have some ideas about trying different games in Canada. We think Canada needs more hockey and we have that in supply which we can deliver."