Canadian financier George Gosbee emerged Thursday as part of a group of fellow Canadian investors who hope to close a deal to purchase the Coyotes from the NHL for $170M as early as next week, a source told ESPN.com.

The NHL and NHLPA have agreed to change this season's escrow rate to 20 percent, sources confirmed to ESPN.com.

That's up from the 10 percent rate both sides had agreed upon in late January shortly after the season began.

The NHLPA has given a thumbs-up to the league's proposed realignment plan, according to an ESPN.com report.

"After discussions with the Executive Board, the NHLPA has given consent to realignment, to be re-evaluated following the 2014-15 season,'' NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr said Thursday night.