NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says the league?s franchise situation is stable, and that the ?market is not flooded with teams? for sale, according to an Associated Press report. Bettman said Friday that the NHL is ?not now dealing with any franchise going out of business or moving? and that he hopes such speculation will stop.

Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos Jr. says he has hired an investment bank to help him find a minority partner, according to an Associated Press report. Karmanos issued a statement Monday confirming the hiring of Allen & Co. but said ?the intent is in no way to sell the team.?

Thrashers prospect Patrice Cormier is facing criminal charges for a hit to an opposing player in a junior hockey league game, according to an Associated Press report. Annie-Claude Bergeron, a spokesman for the Crown prosecutor?s office in Rouyn-Noranda, said on Tuesday that Cormier has been charged with assault causing injury.

The Glendale City Council late Tuesday guaranteed the NHL up to $25M to keep the Phoenix Coyotes in Jobing.com Arena for the 2010-2011 season, according to an Associated Press report.

Ice Edge Holdings? plans to purchase the Coyotes appear to be in trouble, according to an Associated Press report. Ice Edge chief operating officer Daryl Jones told the Winnipeg Free Press late Monday night that talks have broken off. Ice Edge didn?t get an exclusivity agreement with Glendale, which the group required to continue negotiations. The city had been given a Monday deadline to grant Ice Edge exclusivity.

The bid by Jerry Reinsdorf to buy the Phoenix Coyotes is dead and the city of Glendale has returned to the previously shunned Ice Edge Holdings group. The Glendale City Council is expected to file documents Friday morning accepting a new lease proposal from Ice Edge and agreeing to work exclusively with the group moving forward, sources close to the deal told ESPN.com.