The NHL needs to commit to Seattle if they want to be first in the MOU. They’ve been here twice in recent times and both times they used Seattle for their own purposes in getting new arena deals elsewhere. Fool me once, you know?

Chris Hansen holds the cards in the arena deal and he has no interest in an NHL team. Bettman has NBA connections as does Alan Rothenberg. They need to get the NBA to play ball with Seattle. If the NHL moves in fast and hard and the NBA continues to drag its feet but the NHL gets them to cooperate that could get the city to think at least.