By Paul Giblin | The Arizona Republic
The National Hockey League completed the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes to investors headed by Canadian businessmen George Gosbee and Anthony LeBlanc on Monday, ending a four-year saga during which the league owned and operated the team.
“The Coyotes are here to stay and we will continue to work hard on and off the ice and have a strong presence in our community,” LeBlanc said in a statement.
“Our ultimate goal is to bring a Stanley Cup championship to our tremendously resilient, passionate and dedicated fan base here in the Valley. We have a lot of work to do and we can’t wait to get started,” he said.
The new owners previously reached a 15-year agreement with Glendale to keep the team at Jobing.com Arena, where the team has played since 2003.
The sale, which was approved by the League’s Board of Governors, brought to conclusion a fluctuating story line that featured an ever-changing list of potential owners, financial proposals and threats of relocation to cities across North America.
The sale provides certainty, said Commissioner Gary Bettman.
