11:58

The Pittsburgh Penguins have not been able to reach a deal for a new arena anywhere in the city, so relocation looms as a more likely proposition.

Again, don't expect the NHL to mediate in this matter. Remember, the league's position is one for the overall health of all 30 teams, so whether the Pens stay in Pittsburgh, go to the ready-made situation in Kansas City, or end up in a totally different locale is of no consequence as long as the franchise itself is on stable footing.

The only true variable in the situation is how Mario Lemieux will be perceived. Will he be viewed in the same light as William Irsay, Art Modell, Donald Stirling, Jeffrey Loria - all renegade owners who tried to either strongarm a city to force a move, or unexpectedly yank one to a new city - or will he get a pass from a business perspective as a former franchise savior who was forced into drastic measures?

Update: According to the king of all incognito hockey bloggers, "Eklund" reports that the measure might have been prompted by Governor Ed Rendell himself as a way to spur a deal to get done and keep the Pens in Pittsburgh. Now Fast Eddie is going to petition the NHL to step in and block the move.

1) Since when does reverse psychology work with men who have more money than the person trying to use said psychology?

2) Good luck on that one, Monsieur Governor. Maybe you think you can sit eyeball-to-eyeball with The Commish and persuade him because of your mutual legal and cultural backgrounds, but if Bettman has presided over this issue like a passive king on his throne, there's not much you can do.

3) I know we fans and readers can spot when a beat writer is a shill for the team he covers, but since when can a mere blogger write something like "Penguins likely to stay in Pittsburgh" with any degree of certainty, even with his supposed network of sources?