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		NHL future so bright, Bettman wearing shades By Daniel Dullum December 5, 2009

	GLENDALE, Ariz. – Thanks, in large part to the strong Canadian dollar, National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman is so enthused about his league’s future that he’s even hinting at future expansion to the Great White North. Merely talking about adding a couple of Canadian teams won’t relieve Bettman of his ongoing status as the most hated man north of the 49th Parallel, but it won’t hurt, either. Speaking at a forum in New York earlier this week, Bettman said he could see the possibility of expanding to Winnipeg, Quebec City and/or southern Ontario down the road, but offering no specific timetable. If nothing else, this is good news for those fans of the former Jets and Nordiques. To his credit, Bettman didn’t specifically name Hamilton, Ont., which lies in between the designated market areas of both Toronto and Buffalo. Yet a team in Hamilton would satisfy the fans who can’t get Maple Leafs tickets, and it would provide another natural rival for the Sabres. With the Canadian dollar now at 96 cents, it’s become easier for the current Canadian clubs to pay their players in American dollars and pay down their debt. Thus, adding a couple of teams in Canada becomes more feasible. The league is “intrigued” and “interested,” according to the commissioner. At the same time, Bettman must address the woes of the existing teams currently struggling, like Nashville, Florida, Atlanta, Columbus, and Phoenix. It would make sense to take two of those teams, like Atlanta and Florida, and move them north, rather than adding two more teams and further diluting the talent pool. And don’t be surprised if the Predators become available for a transfer, especially since their principal owner has a tax lien on his home. Here in the desert, the Coyotes are treading water as far as attendance goes. Phoenix is averaging between 9,000 and 11,000 per home game, which is remarkable in light of the franchise’s ongoing drama in the offseason. After an opening night sellout of 17,532 for visiting Columbus, reaching five digits has been a challenge, even when Original Six teams like Montreal visit. But the Coyotes aren’t going anywhere, as the NHL continues to run the club until local or regional ownership is found. At least for this year, there are still too many empty luxury boxes at Jobing.com Arena, and unless Phoenix remains in the playoff hunt (they’re tied with Dallas for the No. 7 slot at this writing), peak crowds of around 12,000 will be the norm. On the ice, things are going much better for the Desert Dogs. Their 3-2 win Saturday over Ottawa was their fifth in a row, though Phoenix had to hang on after the Senators popped in a couple of late goals to make things interesting.. The attendance wasn’t announced, but it appeared to be better than, say, an Oakland Seals crowd. Habs turn 100 With 24 Stanley Cup championship banners, 14 retired numbers and 42 Hall of Famers, the Montreal Canadiens remain the NHL’s version of the New York Yankees. The Habs celebrated their 100th anniversary recently and though they’ve been less than dominant in the last decade or so – 16 years to be precise – they’re still the league’s gold standard. Even an operation like the NHL that often survives in spite of itself has its royalty. Even though Canadiens fans have had nothing to gloat about for nearly 20 years, their Cup drought is nothing compared to their nearest rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who claimed the last Stanley Cup title of the Original Six era in 1967 and haven’t won one since. And judging by their early struggles this season, Toronto needn’t worry about a return to the finals, or the playoffs, for the immediate future. Sharks notes Torrey Mitchell, who has sat out 108 consecutive games while recovering from a broken leg, returned to the ice recently, playing just under eight minutes last Thursday against St. Louis. For now, Mitchell is centering the Sharks’ fourth line, one notch below the level of his rookie season in 2007-08, when he scored 10 goals and picked up 20 assists. … Defenseman Jay Leach, obtained in a trade with Montreal, is expected to see spot duty. … Center Ryan Vesce was recalled from Worchester of the AHL. … Joe Thornton has amassed 18 points during a 10-game scoring streak.