Judge aims to quickly settle Coyotes relocation

PHOENIX – Reacting to the real possibility that billionaire Jim Balsillie might withdraw his $212.5 million offer for the Phoenix Coyotes, bankruptcy court judge Redfield Baum acted today to speed up court hearings.

The judge ordered all parties to file their legal arguments on relocation by June 5 with a hearing set for June 9 – 13 days sooner than the June 22 date he'd previously set.

The judge interrupted arguments over when the Coyotes auction might be held, calling the relocation issue "the 10,000 pound elephant in the room."

The judge said going with a sale date of June 24 – as called for by Balsillie and Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes would be pointless if he were to rule that the team could not be moved.

And going with the NHL's date of August 27 would be dangerous if he ruled the team could be moved.