The NHL appears to have a genius master plan for the Coyotes.

Things looked very bad for a while after the City of Glendale voted 5-2 to terminate their arena deal with the Coyotes but the situation has made a complete 180. Not only did the Arizona Coyotes have a judge rule in their favor today granting them a restraining order against the City of Glendale but it appears they may have an option if they are indeed forced to move. During an interview on the Doug & Wolf show on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, Phoenix mayor Greg Stanton came out and publicly offered his support for the Coyotes franchise.

"It’s really important that this team, the Coyotes, stay in our valley.”

Stanton isn't just blowing hot air either, he's already engaged in conversations with the Phoenix Suns about the possibility of constructing a new modern arena and he has also discussed the possibility of making it a joint venture between the Coyotes and the Suns.

“I’m sure those conversations are going to continue and enter a more earnest period over the next few months.”

If the Coyotes were to return to their old arena for a single season, perhaps two at most while the construction of a new arena was completed it would be an unmitigated disaster for the City of Glendale who would find itself facing a lawsuit for ~$200 million in damages and would left with an empty arena. Image courtesy Key Stone Press.