How Coyotes Sale Could Close Tuesday

Tuesday will be a big day in Glendale. I can see it unfolding something like this:

1:29 pm -- Council votes "aye" on the new lease.

1:31 pm -- Council goes into Executive Session. With the public gone, Beasley walks into back room where Hulsizer is waiting and the docs are signed.

1:34 pm -- Beasley gets on the red phone to conference with Bettman and the BOG and MH is approved.

1:40 pm -- The call is placed to sell the bonds.

1:45 pm -- Bonds are all sold.

1:46 pm -- Beasley is back on the red phone and tells Bettman, "The Pack is safe in its Den; I repeat, "the Pack is safe in its Den."

1:48 pm -- Bettman hastily schedules a news conference.

1:50 pm -- Reporters scramble to find out why.

1:51 pm -- David Shoalts gets call from an NHL source, who tells him significant new information has come to light regarding Ice Edge Holdings, and that Commissioner will announce the sales effort in Phoenix is over.

1:53 pm -- Shoalts files an "EXCLUSIVE" that sources confirm sale is dead, Ice Edge the cause, and the Jets are coming back to Winnipeg.

1:55 pm -- Media across Canada pick up the story.

2:01 pm -- A National Holiday is called in Winnipeg. Employers tell employees to take to the streets and celebrate, like Egyptians did.

2:05 pm -- Every bar in Winnipeg is filled. Streets are empty.

2:10 pm -- Canadian television interrupts all broadcasts with BREAKING NEWS, and goes live to New York for the announcement.

2:12 pm -- Bettman steps to the mike and announces Coyotes sale to MH has been completed. Coyotes will remain in Phoenix.

2:12:24 pm -- Deafening silence in the room until a voice in the back shouts, "Mr Beelzebub, Mr Beelzebub, what about Ice Edge? Sources in your office confirmed not 20 minutes ago new information had come to light about Ice Edge and it is the reason the sale effort ended."

2:13 pm -- Bettman announces clients of Ice Edge's Wall Street business bought the bonds.

2:14 pm -- Globe announces Shoalts has been named its new Bureau Chief in Winnipeg.

2:15 pm -- Globe's Winnipeg bureau reports a sale of the Atlanta Thrashers to TNSE is imminent.

2:18 pm -- GWI gets a call the sale is completed. Responds, "Curses, foiled again." Returns to its top case, fighting for direct taxpayer subsidies to private schools owned by business executives and tax-exempt religious organizations.

Book it!