The Phoenix Coyotes believe Arizona is a strong hockey market and are convinced this NHL team isn't going anywhere.
However, the Coyotes are in a deep financial crisis, propped up by the National Hockey League with short-term financing protection and operating loans helping Phoenix manage cash flow to sustain their business for the remainder of the season.
It's unclear how long the league will continue to carry this team, although league sources say contraction or a dispersal draft haven't been discussed or considered.
Sources say the team is expected to be sold within the next two months with current owner Jerry Moyes retaining as much as 20 percent.
One of the many issues the Coyotes face is its agreement with the city of Glendale, which controls most of the revenue generated at Jobing.com Arena. It's an agreement that team executives have been negotiating to change for months.
The Coyotes receive nothing for parking and pay the city a percentage of every game ticket sold.
The average ticket price in Phoenix is about $34, the second lowest in the NHL and far below the league average of nearly $57.
The short-term expectation for the Coyotes is to minimize expenses and inch towards break-even. Lofty goals, considering the Coyotes will lose more than $30 million dollars this season, for a fourth straight year.
There are no further plans for layoffs and both the team and the league believe this franchise has the capacity to improve financially with a new lease, a playoff drive, and enhanced corporate support.
Hope for the franchise comes from the recent success of other teams, such as the Chicago Blackhawks, who one year ago had a dismal season ticket base of 3,500. The revitalized Hawks now boast over 14,000 season ticket holders.
Granted, Chicago is a traditional and much larger hockey market, however the Blackhawks are proof a quick turnaround is possible in the NHL.
The survival of the Coyotes may depend on it.