Will Phoenix Coyotes Become the Hamilton Blackberries?

A few years ago, Research in Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie was rumored to be buying the Pittsburgh Penguins and moving the team to Hamilton. Sidney Crosby would be playing his home games in Canada.

Two years ago, he made an offer to buy the Nashville Predators. Jason Arnott, their team captain, would be playing his home games in Canada, not too far from his home town of Collingwood, Ontario.

There are thirteen Canadians with the Predators right now, including 4 from Ontario.

Last year, rumor had it that Balsillie wanted to buy the Buffalo Sabres and move that team to Hamilton. The Sabres rejected the offer and doubted the NHL would ever go for it.

Now there are reports that the Phoenix Coyotes are in such financial difficulty they are claiming Chapter 11 and Balsillie is pouring money into the team with the idea of moving them to Hamilton.

Wayne Gretzky could be coaching close to the town where he grew up. It's just 24 miles or a half hour drive from Hamilton to Brantford, Ontario.

In April, it was revealed that the NHL had loaned the Coyotes an unknown sum of money in order to cover past due expenses including the team's payroll and rent at Jobing.com arena in Glendale, Arizona. Now, apparently, Balsillie will help them out if he can move them to hockey-mad Canada.

Hamilton is the home of the Hamilton Bulldogs in the American Hockey League. They play at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed "The Dog Pound."

The Bulldogs are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. The team won the Calder Cup in 2007.

Blackberry billionaire Jim Balsillie has extended an offer to buy the financially-strapped Phoenix Coyotes, contingent on moving the franchise to Southern Ontario, according to ESPN.com.

Balsillie has offered $212.5 million for the franchise, which has spent the past 12 seasons in the desert since leaving Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The Winnipeg Jets are wanted back in Winnipeg but a number of groups have been trying to get another NHL team in southern Ontario.