The Copper & Blue, an Edmonton Oilers community

Given $550 million, how could Edmonton remake the city if it didn't involve a downtown arena?

Since nobody bought the relocation threat, Daryl Katz decided that an apology might be a good idea. Make no mistake the apology was a calculated as the threat to relocate was.

The Katz Group is using relocation to try and leverage a better arena deal. Unfortunately for them that leverage isn't worth a damn and now I think Edmonton City Council should yank the whole deal right off the table.

The Katz Group has asked the City of Edmonton to sweeten an already very sweet deal for the proposed downtown arena. But it's a bluff and Council needs to call that bluff.

I've always thought that, sooner or later, the arena deal would get done. With the latest developments now I'm not so sure.

Last week Gary Bettman, Daryl Katz, and Stephen Mandel got together and wouldn't you know it, things got decided and the deal got worse for the City of Edmonton. Consider me shocked.

As the Oilers continue their pursuit of public funding for a downtown arena, Gary Bettman has called Daryl Katz and Mayor Mandel to New York for a meeting. And the process keeps getting stranger.

Recently Edmonton city councilor Ben Henderson wrote a letter explaining why he supports the downtown arena project. I am however concerned that Mr. Henderson doesn't understand what a CRL is.

With a last place club on the ice, the Oilers have to do a fantastic job away from the ice to provide the fans with good entertainment value for their money. And this is why I was so disappointed to see the Oilers unveil their The Time Is Now... video at the game last Tuesday.

The Oilers' management group is on the prowl for nine figures without a hitch. He's a way to make everyone happy.