Gary Bettman, NHL to announce Phoenix Coyotes ownership deal with Greg Jamison, say reports

The Phoenix Coyotes have a chance to make franchise history on Monday, advancing to the conference finals for the first time should they eliminate the Nashville Predators in Game 5.

But according to several reports, there could be another, even more significant moment for the Coyotes' franchise on the same day: The National Hockey League announcing that it has reached a tentative deal to sell the team to a group led by Greg Jamison, former CEO of the San Jose Sharks.

According to Mike Sunnucks of Phoenix Business Journal, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will be in Glendale to announce that "the Coyotes are no longer on the market and the league is finalizing a sale with Jamison."

Via the Journal:

The NHL announcement signals the league is comfortable with investment money and any financing involved with Jamsion's bid. It also sets the stage for a city of Glendale vote on payments to the Jamison group to facilitate the sale and help the group absorb some short-term financial losses. The Coyotes lose $20 million to $25 million per season. The city will pay new Coyotes owners to run Jobing.com Arena.

FOX 10 in Phoenix also reported on the NHL's announcement, while Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period confirmed it. The NHL has owned the team since 2009; Jamison, who helped turned the Sharks profitable, has been in the mix for this team since last August.

For months, Coyotes COO Mike Nealy had predicted the sale would happen, and he told ESPN.com on May 3 that "I wouldn't be shocked if we saw something next week."

From Pierre LeBrun:

"As far as the City of Glendale, they certainly are shooting to be able to do something early next week. They have a council meeting scheduled for Tuesday and they'd like to do that. Certainly the NHL wouldn't have anything against that. So if those three pieces can come together and that's all in the mix, it could happen.''

Councilmember Joyce Clark tweeted on Sunday night: "There will be NO hockey deal presented to the Glendale City Council this Tuesday night despite rumors." But reporter Lisa Halverstad reported earlier via a source that "Jamison is shooting to get an item on the Tuesday Glendale City Council agenda."

From LeBrun:

Another potential obstacle could be provided by the Goldwater Institute, a nonprofit watchdog organization that helped sink Matthew Hulsizer's bid to buy the Coyotes a year ago. Goldwater threatened litigation because it felt the proposed lease agreement violated state laws concerning subsidies for private business.

Goldwater has already indicated it will scrutinize any deal between the city and a new ownership group.

This isn't over yet; but the news is certainly good for the long-suffering Coyotes fans and the NHL, which not only can stop pouring money into this franchise as its steward but can also look forward to massive expansion fees from Quebec City in a few years …