They have to have this done soon to start on the schedule for next season ... When was it known on the inside (Atlanta I'm asking about you) that there were rumors about it being the last season in Atlanta ? ... It was about this time of year correct ?
Publicly, more than just a few Thrashers' fans suspected the jig was up as early as 2009/10 (some a lot earlier) when it became apparent that ASG was proving impossible to work with in terms of facilitating a local sale, pretty clear they simply wanted the team gone. There was no "long goodbye", ASG maintaining the charade that they hoped to sell locally right through the 2010/11 season. Some first class digging & reporting by the Atlanta Journal Constitution throughout 2010/11 (and earlier) however did expose ASG's duplicity so though suspected what was to come, never publicly confirmed by ASG, the NHL, the season over for the Thrashers by the time any of it really hit the fan (literally & figuratively).
Privately, we dont know exactly when Chipman of TNSE engaged in informal discussions with Atlanta, but I suspect it was a lot earlier than anyone ever knew. A few Winnipeg posters here have a lot more knowledge on that back story than I & can fill in the blanks, but yes, even with the infrastructure administratively with the AHL Moose, TNSE was pushed to the max in getting up to speed & game ready over the summer after the sale was formally announced on May 31st, 2011. They had commenced upgrade of the MTS Centre over a year before theyd actually acquired a team, the building more than ready, but the other "stuff", getting hockey personnel in place & ready for the draft, player contracts, suite sales & sponsorships, broadcasting, merchandising etc etc etc, pretty much 24-7 from June through October.
Theres absolutely no way such an undertaking could be accomplished in Seattle if the NHL just leaves this thing hanging in limbo until the end of May or into June. Upgrades & updates to Key Arena would have to start like yesterday, and theres just no way you could possibly keep it secret. Absolute insanity to even think about it really. Brand new market, huge purchase price, retro-fit & reno fee's & so on & so forth. Youd likely lose more playing out of Key than you would Glendale. There are also a number of other obstacles, not the least of which being whether or not Hansen is actually involved in the franchises ownership etc etc etc... now Quebec, well, they completed upgrades & updates to the Colisee', have a more than willing ownership group, but to put them in the position of a full-on race to get ready for October 2013 in May or June? Could be done, but still, seems to me the NHL should at the very least telegraph their intentions in February should Jamison fail to close and put an end to the misery for one and all.