We all need a break from March Madness odds chatter sometimes, don’t we? Admittedly, the NHL betting world is low on news this week. Low enough that my mind started wandering. i peered at the NHL standings and shook my head when I saw Phoenix wallowing in the bottom of the Western Conference.

What a sorry excuse for a hockey franchise. It flopped after many online betting experts thought the Coyotes would fight for the eighth playoff spot in the West. Given the talent on the team, I can’t help but wonder if Wayne Gretzky is the root of the problem. Just as Scotty Bowman was a great coach despite never playing, maybe Gretzky is a terrible coach despite being arguably the greatest player of all time.

Why not put the Coyotes out of their misery and move them? Would the one NHL betting fan living in Phoenix care? We know Kansas City wants a franchise badly and has a new, state-of-the-art arena. What about Winnipeg or Halifax? Detractors say neither city has a big enough building. Um, Phoenix averages 14,937 fans a game, folks, and probably has to give tickets away. Are you telling me you couldn’t sell tickets in Halifax for double the price with a 15,000 seat arena?

The NHL betting experiment in the desert needs to end. Bring the Coyotes to a city that wants them, Gary Bettman. But I’d bet at the sportsbook that you won’t let them go north again.