Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - The future of professional hockey in Arizona has always seemed bleak, but the present isnt looking so great either. A change in name from the Phoenix Coyotes to the Arizona Coyotes has done little to spark a franchise that in recent years was able to perform admirably on the ice even when the financial future of the club was far from stable. Currently, the Coyotes are sitting 28th in the overall league standings and they hold the same spot in terms of attendance. At least theyre finally consistent. With a 10-16-3 record through 29 games, Arizona needs to get on track quickly if it wants to avoid missing the playoffs for a third straight season. However, if the Coyotes fail to pick up the pace they are on track to post the franchises lowest point total in a full season since moving from Winnipeg to the desert following the 1995-96 season. None of this should be all that shocking, considering the Coyotes have been operating on a shoestring budget for years now. The club is 27th in the league in payroll and is over $47 million under the salary cap ceiling. General manager Don Maloney and head coach Dave Tippett have previously shown the ability to get the most out of a bad situation, but the formula clearly isnt working in 2014-15. The Coyotes were hardly impressive to start the season, but they seemed in decent shape back in early November while sporting a 6-6-1 record out of the gates. However, the club has gone 4-10-2 since then and has failed to pick up a single home win during that stretch, going 0-6-2 in front of sparse crowds at Gila River Arena to post the longest home skid in franchise history. On top of it all, reports out of the NHL Board of Governors meeting earlier this week in Boca Raton, Florida suggest the deal to sell the franchise to Andrew Barroway may be falling apart. Keeping the Coyotes in Arizona for the long-term seemed like a bad bet when the team was performing well on the ice and the clubs recent poor play is unlikely to push things in a positive direction. While making the playoffs for three straight seasons from 2010-12 -- Tippetts first three seasons as the Coyotes head coach -- the low-scoring club succeeded thanks to strong defense and goaltending. This season, the offense, defense and goaltending are all struggling at the same time, and it seems there is no easy fix for Arizona. The Coyotes are scoring just 2.24 goals per game this season while sporting a team goals against average of 3.24 as franchise goaltender Mike Smith continues to struggle less than two seasons into a lucrative six-year contract. Obviously, that is not a recipe for success. Were frustrated and disappointed, Tippett said after a 5-1 home loss to Nashville on Thursday. There are a lot of guys in that dressing room who care and want to do better. Were not getting the results we want, so the frustration continues to build. But until we turn that frustration into mental resolve to get the job done, it will continue to pile up. Of course, the clubs financial uncertainty is not helping. As Barroways ownership bid sits in limbo while awaiting league approval, the Coyotes are in a holding pattern of sorts when it comes to making deals to improve or shore up their current roster. It does sort of, I dont want to say halt the process, but slow down the process in regards to anybody we might want to talk contractually going forward, Maloney admitted earlier this week to the Arizona Republic. Despite there dire situation, there are few NHL fans who feel sorry for the Coyotes. Commissioner Gary Bettmans quest to prove a hockey team can survive in the Phoenix area has been an unpopular one, especially in places like Quebec City who are champing at the bit for another chance to support an NHL franchise. If the Coyotes continue to add on-ice woes to their fiscal problems, it may not be long until Quebec City, or another locale better suited for an NHL franchise, will swoop in and rescue the franchise. It happened for Winnipeg when the Atlanta Thrashers proved to be a failure, and history could repeat itself in Arizona. Blaming the coach doesnt seem to be an option for the Coyotes either, as Tippett signed a five-year extension following the 2012-13 season. Its hard to argue he didnt earn that deal, as Tippett not only won the Jack Adams Award in his first season with the Coyotes, but also led the club to a Pacific Division crown and a Western Conference finals appearance in 2012. Now it appears that 2011-12 was a high water mark for Tippetts Coyotes and with the franchises money problems still a going concern it will be difficult to get back to that level. Even in Arizona there are repercussions for not performing up to expectations, a fact not lost on the Coyotes GM. If you put a losing product on the ice nobody wants to hear about your financial woes. Were in a results business, not a Kumbaya business, said Maloney. Cheap NBA Jerseys Authentic . Kyle Denbrook, a soccer player from Saint Marys University, took the CIS male athlete of the week honour. Stanley, a fourth-year business administration student from Charlottetown, scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Dalhousie on Friday and tallied again in a 1-0 win over Saint Marys on Sunday. NBA Jerseys Store .com) - The Ottawa Senators will try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive when they face the Chicago Blackhawks who are trying to secure their place in the post-season. https://www.nbachinajerseys.us/. -- Kurt Buschs Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, in some ways, was like his career wrapped into one afternoon. Stitched NBA Jerseys .The other side of the Bruins special teams unit delivered in the end.Gregory Campbell netted the game-winner with less than 10 minutes remaining and the Bruins fended off a late four-minute San Jose power play to earn a wild 5-3 win over the Sharks. Cheap NBA Jerseys . -- Terry Francona likened the atmosphere at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday to a playoff game in October.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills president Russ Brandon opened 2013 vowing to transform what he called the franchises "tarnished" reputation. On Monday, Brandon closed the year with the job still incomplete. Though pleased with the direction the team has taken under first-year general manager Doug Whaley and first-year coach Doug Marrone, Brandon expressed disappointment with a 6-10 finish and the Bills extending the NFLs longest active playoff drought to 14 seasons. "I have all the faith and belief in (Marrone) and (Whaley) to keep continuing to get this ship pointed in the right direction and see significant progress as we enter 2014," Brandon said. "What we dont feel good about is sitting here and talking to you at 6-10. And that needs to change." Change was the operative word last off-season, when the Bills went through a near top-to-bottom overhaul. Buffalo purged much of its roster, and began a rebuilding plan that included drafting quarterback EJ Manuel with the 16th pick out of Florida State. The transition has yet to start paying dividends. In closing the season with a 34-20 loss at New England on Sunday, Buffalo finished with six wins for a third consecutive year, ended fourth in the AFC East for a sixth consecutive year, and extended its string of losing seasons to nine dating to a 9-7 finish in 2004. "With youth comes inconsistency," Whaley said. "So all those guys that contributed this year, we expect them to take a bigger step next year, play more consistent and be more productive." And that includes Manuel, who struggled with his consistency, and had his development stunted by injuries to both knees since August. Manuel missed the final two preseason games with a left knee injury. He missed four regular-season games after spraining his right knee in a 37-24 loss at Cleveland. And he then closed the year missing the final two games after tearing a ligament in his left knee. Manuel finished with a 4-6 record, completed just 58.8 per cent of his attempts (180 of 306 for 1,972 yards) and finished with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Marrone maintains confidence in Manuel, and has already informed the quarterback hell be the teams starter entering next season. Dismissing his critics, Manuel called his rookie season a learning process. "Obviously, youre going to have ups and downs as a rookie," Manuel said. "Ive hhad some good games, and theres a lot I can take and build from.dddddddddddd I dont really know whos questioning things. But as far as me, Im just continuing to get better." Marrone announced hes already made one change to his staff by firing receivers coach Ike Hilliard because of "a difference in philosophy." Hilliard, who spent 12 seasons in the NFL playing receiver, was responsible for overseeing a young group that included rookies Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin. On the personnel front, Whaley intends to make an offer in a bid to re-sign three-time Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd. And Whaley didnt rule out the possibility of using the franchise designation for a second consecutive year to retain the players rights even if it risks the possibility of having the player miss the entire off-season as he did this past year. Byrd is open to re-signing, and also braced for possibility of the Bills retaining his rights once again. "Im at peace with everything. I know what to expect," Byrd said. "Ive gone through it once. And itll be good. However it works, itll be good." Statistically, the Bills showed improvement on several fronts. Their defence, though inconsistent in stopping the run, finished second in the NFL with a franchise-record 57 sacks. The defence ranked 10th in the NFL in yards allowed -- the units best finish since placing second in 2004. Byrd, defensive tackle Kyle Williams and defensive end Mario Williams all earned Pro Bowl selections this year. The defence also featured linebacker Kiko Alonso, a second-round pick, who is regarded an NFL defensive rookie of the year candidate. On offence, the Bills running attack finished second in the NFL with 2,307 yards -- the most since 1992. Running back Fred Jackson was among numerous veterans who expressed confidence the team might finally be turning the corner. "If you watched us play this year, youll know that were not the same team that weve been," Jackson said. "But theres no moral victories. We know that. We know that for us to be relevant, we have to win more football games." ---- NOTES: The Bills retained the rights to seven practice squad players: QB Dennis Dixon, DB Mario Butler, OTs Edawn Coughman and Jamaal Johnson-Webb, DE Ikponmwosa Igbinosun, WR Brandon Kaufman and LB Jacquies Smith. ... Whaley said hes open to re-signing PK Dan Carpenter and P Brian Moorman. ' ' '