Balsillie still optimistic about deal

Whoa, aren't you supposed to take a seat after strike three?

Usually, yes, but this batter is Jim Balsillie and he says he's going to keep swinging away for the home team.

Bankruptcy Judge Redfield T. Baum clearly chose the NHL's clock over the time-keeping of Balsillie, who wanted the sale and relocation of the Phoenix Coyotes approved by the end of this month, so he could get the team up and running in Hamilton.

"Simply put, the court does not think there is sufficient time (14 days) for all of these issues to be fairly presented to the court, given that deadline," Baum wrote in last night's decision which ruled against Coyotes' owner Jerry Moyes in his bid to sell the team to Balsillie, so it could be moved to Copps Coliseum.

But, in the Balsillie camp's interpretation that doesn't mean the team won't eventually be sold to Balsillie's hockey company, PSE, or that he is walking back to the dugout.

"The court did not approve either our approach or the NHL's," said Balsillie spokesperson Bill Walker in a mass e-mail late last night. "We still think there is enough time for the NHL to approve Mr. Balsillie's application and move the team to Hamilton by September. The court invited mediation on these issues and Mr. Balsillie is willing to participate in such mediation if the NHL is also willing to do so."