Why is it that these older teams get a free pass while the newer markets are seemingly given a short leash? It's tough for anyone to defend Phoenix because that seems to be a lost cause to everyone except the NHL. However, locations like Atlanta and Columbus (both of which have shown that they can fill seats and turn a profit) are quickly deemed as "not hockey towns" despite having similar problems to these established teams. Pittsburgh lucked (more like, the NHL rigged the 'random draft order') into getting Sidney Crosby, and Chicago got lucky in that their cheap owner died. Meanwhile, the Islanders haven't won crap in a generation (and have been arguably the worst NHL franchise the last 20 years), and they only get a pass because they won Cups 30 years ago. Buffalo, Ottawa, and Pittsburgh all had filed for bankruptcy within the past decade, yet still got a pass because they see snow on a regular basis. Atlanta wasn't given much a chance (and no, 11 years is not a fair shake) to work out their issues, and it looks like the same is happening in Columbus. Neither team filed for bankruptcy, if memory serves me correctly. To me, it sounds like traditional hockey fans get selective in their assessment of determining which cities can support hockey and which ones can't. Older teams are given a longer leash while the newer markets must shape up immediately or else move them. Well did the Red Wings, when they sucked and drew flies, losse over $400 million in 16 years? Did they ever ask the Detroit city government or Michigan state government for a bailout? No. That's the difference between markets like Phoenix & Columbus and markets like Chicago & Detroit. When the traditional teams suck long enough to the point that they draw flies they still have the economic stability to survive without losing obscene amounts of money or asking local governments for tax payer handouts. That's why fans in traditional markets are so critical of how things are being done in Columbus and Glendale. As for Atlanta? No, perhaps they weren't given a fair shake. Rather then laying the blame at the feet of True North, Winnipeg, Canada, or "traditional hockey fans" though, blame Mr. Bettman and the NHL. You, me, and everyone else who's not part of the NHL's collective leadership knows that the team to go to True North and Winnipeg should have been Phoenix. Your Thrashers got offered up as a sacrifice by the same people you were defending in those "should the Coyotes move?" discussions to save a Coyotes team that is beyond saving in its current location.