No matter how many times you repeat to yourself 'Rafael Nadal is missing the French Open', it still seems almost impossible.

Even the fact it is a physical issue that is keeping him out is almost inconceivable when you consider he won the title last year with a completely left numb foot because of multiple pain-killing injections.

In announcing on Thursday that he would be missing his favourite event for the first time in 19 years, he also signalled his intention to retire at the end of the 2024 season.

His plan to take some time out of the game now - he was not sure if it would be two months, four months, whatever - is aimed at ensuring he is in the best shape for a final year of 'goodbyes' at the most important tournaments for him.

Top of that list will be the clay-court Grand Slam, which he - in contrast to many of his fans - described as "Roland Garros with or without me".

"Players stay for a while and they leave, tournaments stay for ever," he told a news conference on Thursday.

But when asked a few weeks ago what a French Open without Nadal would look like, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said it would be "hard" to imagine.

"He's so much part of the history of the tournament for the last almost 20 years - it would be sad," she said.

Never mind imagining it, we are now living it.

So, what does Nadal's absence mean for the French Open and beyond?

A year to plan a retirement party for French Open's greatest player

A statue of Nadal was unveiled at Roland Garros in 2021 but organisers have since admitted that even that will not be enough of a tribute to the tournament's greatest player when he eventually retires.

They will now have a year to plan his send-off, while Nadal himself would like nothing better to celebrate with a 15th title to bookend an extraordinary career.

He won the French Open title on his first appearance there in 2005, going on to triumph another 13 times in the following 17 years.

No player has won as many singles titles at one major tournament as the left-hander has at Roland Garros.

Known as the 'King of Clay', Nadal has won 112 of his 115 matches at the French Open.

Nadal's first loss there was a shock fourth-round defeat by Sweden's Robin Soderling in 2009, before quarter-final losses to Serbia's Novak Djokovic in 2015 and 2021.

Last year, two days after his 36th birthday, Nadal reclaimed the title by beating Norway's Casper Ruud in the final to become the oldest French Open men's singles champion.

Could he yet extend that record?

Who are this year's French Open favourites now?

While it would never have been wise to discount him on the Parisian clay, Nadal was not considered a red-hot favourite for the title this year after four months off the tour since January's Australian Open.

But for anyone who has watched him fight through the pain on so many occasions - including memorably in a five-set win in last year's Wimbledon quarter-finals with an abdominal issue that severely restricted his movement - there had still been hope until now.

A 15th victory here would have given him a record 23rd men's Grand Slam singles title but instead Djokovic will get the chance to reach that mark.

However, Djokovic has been in patchy form on clay, with earlier-than-expected exits in Monte Carlo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and, most recently, in Rome on Wednesday, while he also missed the Madrid tournament through injury.

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz will take over from Djokovic as world number one on Monday and back-to-back titles in Madrid and Barcelona underlined his French Open credentials, but his own preparations suffered a setback with a shock last-32 defeat by Hungarian qualifier Fabian Marozsan at the Italian Open.

It leaves arguably the most open draw in the men's singles at Roland Garros since the 'King of Clay' began his reign.

'New generation is here' as second of 'big three' prepares to retire

Since Swiss great Roger Federer called time on his career last year, there have been the inevitable questions about when Nadal might follow his long-time rival into retirement.

The 'big three' of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have dominated men's tennis for nearly two decades but slowly things have been changing.

There have been new men's champions at Grand Slams in the past three years, although Nadal and Djokovic have still won 16 of the past 19 majors.

This year's Italian Open final will for the first time since 2004 feature neither Djokovic nor Nadal, with the Serb declaring on Wednesday that the "shift of generations" has finally come.

"A new generation is here already," Djokovic told reporters after his Italian Open quarter-final defeat by 20-year-old Danish seventh seed Holger Rune.

"Alcaraz is number one in the world from Monday, obviously he's playing amazing tennis. I think it's also good for our sport that we have new faces, new guys coming up.

"I'm personally still trying to hang in there with all of them. I still have the hunger to keep going. Let's see how far I'm going to play."

Alcaraz wrote on social media that it was "painful and sad for everyone" that Nadal would not be there this year.

But if you thought it was hard enough to imagine a French Open without him, try imagining anyone ever matching his French Open records.

Rafael Nadal will miss the French Open for the first time in 19 years after a hip injury ruled out the record 14-time men's singles champion.

"I didn't make the decision, my body made the decision. To play Roland Garros is impossible," he said.

"Next year will probably be my last year, that is my idea. If I keep going now I won't be able to make it happen."

Nadal holds the joint record number of men's major triumphs alongside Serbia's Novak Djokovic. He has won 70 other ATP titles and spent 209 weeks at world number one - the sixth longest amount in ATP history.

Known as the 'King of Clay', Nadal has won 112 of his 115 matches at the French Open.

However, the Mallorcan left-hander has not played since sustaining the hip problem at the Australian Open in January.

Nadal has been practising in recent weeks, but was not fit enough to play a tournament in the run-up to Roland Garros.

The French Open starts in Paris on 28 May and runs until 11 June.

"I was working as much as possible every single day for the past four months and they have been difficult because we were not been able to find the solution to the problems I had in Australia," he added.

"I'm still in the position where I am not able to feel ready to compete at the standards I need to be to play at Roland Garros.

"I am not the guy who will be at Roland Garros just try to be there and in a position where I don't like to be."

Nadal said he needs to stop playing for the foreseeable future in order to make a full recovery and complete a planned farewell season in 2024.

His participation at this year's Wimbledon remains in doubt. The Championships, which Nadal won in 2008 and 2010, start at the All England Club on 3 July and run until 16 July.

"I will stop for a while, maybe one month and a half, maybe two months, maybe three months or maybe four months. I don't know. I do not like to predict the future," he said.

"I will do the right thing for my body and personal happiness.

"My goal and ambition is to try and stop and give myself an opportunity to enjoy the next year.

"That is my idea but I can't say 100% it will be like this. My idea is to try to enjoy and say goodbye to all the tournaments that have been important for me."

Nadal injured his hip during a second-round defeat by American Mackenzie MacDonald in Melbourne and initially expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.

An MRI scan two days after the match showed a tear in his left psoas muscle.

Last month, Nadal announced he would not be able to play the Madrid Open because the injury "still hadn't healed" and was planning a different course of treatment.

Then he withdrew from this month's Italian Open - another important clay-court tournament before the French Open - saying he had still not been able to train at a high level.

On Thursday, he announced he will miss Roland Garros for the first time in his career in a news conference at his academy in Mallorca.

Nadal won the French Open title in his first appearance there in 2005, going on to triumph another 13 times in the following 17 years.

No player has won as many singles titles at one major tournament as the Spaniard has at Roland Garros.

In a message to Nadal, the French Open said it could not "imagine how hard the decision" was for the player.

"We'll definitely miss you at this year's Roland Garros," it said in a statement. "Take care of yourself to come back stronger on courts. Hoping to see you next year in Paris."

'Nadal harbours hopes for more titles' - analysis

Russell Fuller, BBC Tennis Correspondent

By missing the French Open for the first time since 2004, Nadal hopes he might just be in a position to win a 15th title in Paris this time next year.

He very much wants to be in Melbourne, Indian Wells, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Paris, Wimbledon and New York next year to say goodbye. But you just know he will also very much hope he can win these tournaments for one last time.

It is, however, not very encouraging to hear him say no solution has yet been found to his hip problem.

And when he admitted pain has prevented him from enjoying both practice and competition in recent years, it reminded me of Andy Murray: who took his own break from the sport, and surgery in his case, to improve - above all else - his quality of life.

Tennis has been adjusting to the loss of Serena Williams and Roger Federer. And now there will be a Rafael Nadal size hole in the summer schedule.

But if it gives us another year, it will be worth the wait.

Jamison Gibson-Park says last year's dramatic Heineken Champions Cup final defeat by La Rochelle has fuelled Leinster's redemption bid as they prepare to meet the French team again.

The Irish province are hoping to equal Toulouse's haul of five Champions Cup titles with victory on Saturday.

Gibson-Park said the "great teams" use defeats to "spur" themselves on.

"There's probably no doubt that it has [fuelled] us in getting to this point," said the Ireland scrum-half.

"When you work with a collective group to try and get somewhere and you fall at the last hurdle, it's hard, especially when it's like that, a few minutes from the end of the game."

Leinster looked to be heading for their fifth Champions Cup title at Stade Velodrome last year before replacement scrum-half Arthur Retiere's last-gasp try snatched victory for La Rochelle.

"It's tough moments in the dressing room and on the pitch afterwards," added Gibson-Park, a Champions Cup winner with Leinster in 2018.

"You live for those moments where you get to lift trophies and you enjoy those moments in the dressing room with your brothers.

"But the sombre feelings after a defeat stick with you as well."

Having travelled to the south of France for last year's showpiece, Leinster will have home advantage on Saturday at a sold-out Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Leinster's home ground is the RDS Arena but they showed how devastating they can be on Lansdowne Road with an emphatic 41-22 victory over Toulouse in the semi-final.

"Last year was obviously tough, having to go away to France and play a French team," said 31-year-old Gibson-Park.

"The La Rochelle fans were out in force that day, like they always are, so I'm sure there will be a few of them that show up to the Aviva Stadium no doubt.

"It was a pretty big carrot for us at the start of the year, the fact it was going to be here in the Aviva.

"We're looking forward to it, we've got the chance to be in front of our friends and family and hopefully a few home supporters."

Leinster have 'adjusted to life without Sexton'

If Leinster are to add an elusive fifth star to their jersey, they must do so without captain Johnny Sexton, who is sidelined with the groin injury he sustained in Ireland's Grand Slam-clinching Six Nations win over England.

With Sexton out, Ross Byrne is expected to start at fly-half and Gibson-Park believes the 28-year-old has done a "pretty good job" at filling in for the 2018 World Rugby player of the year.

"Ross has played all of our games this year in the Champions Cup so I suppose we've adjusted a little bit to life without him (Sexton)," said Gibson-Park.

"He's been such a big part of Leinster over the last however long it is and he's an unbelievable player so we miss him massively.

"But I think Ross has done a pretty good job up until this point."

Leinster will also be without injured back row Will Connors but Leo Cullen's side have been boosted by the return to fitness of Ireland wing James Lowe and flanker Scott Penny.

Connors sustained a head injury during Saturday's URC semi-final defeat by Munster.

Glasgow Warriors will attempt to claim their first European crown when they take on Toulon in the Challenge Cup final in Dublin on Friday.

Three-times European champions Toulon are also searching for a maiden victory in Europe's second-tier competition, having lost four finals including last season's against Lyon.

Glasgow overcame Bath and Perpignan in the pool stage before registering knockout victories over Dragons, Lions and Scarlets to reach the final.

Toulon also beat the English side and Zebre Parma at the initial stage before wins over Cheetahs, Lyon and Benetton booked their place in Dublin.

Glasgow's United Rugby Championship hopes ended at the hands of Munster at the quarter-final stage, while Toulon have had a disappointing domestic campaign. They currently sit eighth in the Top14 with their hopes of reaching the play-offs all but over.

Brown and Miotti get the nod for Glasgow

With Duncan Weir and Ryan Wilson missing out on the matchday squad, Fraser Brown is the only survivor from Glasgow's Pro12 title-winning squad to feature in the final.

Brown starts at hooker with Johnny Matthews on the bench, which means two hookers who missed out on Scotland's initial World Cup squad get the nod over George Turner, who was selected by Gregor Townsend.

Domingo Miotti is selected at fly-half ahead of Weir to replace Tom Jordan, who misses out through suspension after his red card in the URC quarter-final against Munster.

Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones resume the midfield partnership that led to them being named in the Six Nations team of the tournament. Stafford McDowell will cover the three midfield positions from the bench, where he is joined by Ali Price and Richie Gray.

Galacticos no more but Toulon still boast stars

This may not be the all star Toulon side of the so-called Galacticos era featuring Jonny Wilkinson, Matt Giteau, Bryan Habana and Bakkies Botha that delivered three European Cups on the bounce in 2013, 2014 and 2015 but it is hardly a team short of star quality.

The great Italian number eight Sergio Parisse ends his incredible career in Dublin on Friday night hoping to bow out in style. France star Charles Ollivon is alongside him in the back-row, with former Glasgow lock Brian Alainu'uese also in the pack.

Wales fly-half Dan Bigger will lead a back line full of threats including flying France winger Gabin Villiere and Springboks World Cup winner Cheslin Kolbe at full-back.

Scottish fans will also recall former Edinburgh and Scotland back-row Cornell du Preez, who starts at six. And there is a Scot on the Toulon coaching staff - the former Scotland, South Africa and Fiji breakdown coach Richie Gray.

What they said

Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith: "I'm excited for the boys coming out into this arena and it just underlines the importance of this game and also how far they've come this season. There's a general feel of excitement and now it's to manage that excitement into actions.

"Our main theme is to make Scotland and Glasgow proud and these guys have gone about their business in that way. If we come off the field with a win it will be absolutely fantastic and we'll think about the accolades after that."

Toulon number eight Sergio Parisse: "I am just trying to enjoy every single moment and I am really happy to have the opportunity again to play a cup final with Toulon. For me it is a joy, it is an opportunity and it is a privilege.

"But it is a team sport and it is not about individuals. A final is a 50-50 game. Glasgow are a good team, they deserve to be in the final and in a final it doesn't matter if you play good rugby or not - you must win."

Line-ups

Glasgow: Ollie Smith; Sebastian Cancelliere, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Kyle Steyn; Domingo Miotti, George Horne; Jamie Bhatti, Fraser Brown, Zander Fagerson; JP du Preez, Scott Cummings; Matt Fagerson; Sione Vailanu, Jack Dempsey.

Replacements: Johnny Matthews, Nathan McBeth, Simon Berghan, Richie Gray, Lewis Bean, Rory Darge, Ali Price, Stafford McDowall.

Toulon: Cheslin Kolbe; Jiuta Naqoli Wainiqolo, Waisea Vuidravuwalu, Duncan Paia'aua, Gabin Villiere; Dan Biggar, Baptiste Serin; Dany Priso, Teddy Baubigny, Beka Gigashvili; Mathieu Tanguy, Brian Alainu'uese; Cornell Du Preez, Charles Ollivon, Sergio Parisse.

Replacements: Christopher Tolofua, Jean Baptiste Gros, Kieran Brookes, Facundo Isa, Mathieu Bastareaud, Benoit Paillaugue, Ihaia West, Jeremy Sinzelle.

France centre Gabrielle Vernier has been named the Women's Six Nations player of the championship.

Vernier played every minute of the tournament, scoring five tries and providing two assists.

She said the award was a "huge honour" which belonged to all of her French team-mates.

"I would like to congratulate all the other players named on the shortlist, and there are many more names that could have been added," Vernier said.

Tournament sponsor TikTok has also announced its team of the championship, with Vernier joining her midfield partner Marine Menager and Les Bleues scrum-half Pauline Bourdon in the XV.

Nine players feature for England who won a fifth consecutive title in a Grand Slam decider against France at Twickenham.

Red Roses captain and leading try scorer Packer is included, along with Abby Dow whose solo effort against Wales was voted try of the championship.

Tuipulotu, who made her first Six Nations start this year, is the only Welsh player to be included.

The 19-year-old won back-to-back player of the match awards against Ireland and Scotland and scored four tries.

Full-back Chloe Rollie and hooker Lana Skeldon make up Scotland's representation, while no Irish players feature after a winless campaign.

Team of the tournament: Chloe Rollie (Scotland); Jessica Breach (England), Marine Menager (France), Gabrielle Vernier (France), Abby Dow (England); Holly Aitchison (England), Pauline Bourdon (France); Hannah Botterman (England), Lana Skeldon (Scotland), Sisilia Tuipulotu (Wales), Zoe Aldcroft (England), Sarah Beckett (England), Sadia Kabeya (England), Marlie Packer (England) Alex Matthews (England).

The Rugby Football Union has withdrawn its offer to Wasps of a place in the Championship for 2023-24.

The former Premiership side will now be placed "at the bottom of the playing pyramid" in English rugby.

The current bottom level in the English pyramid is the 10th tier.

Assuming twice former European champions Wasps, originally a north-west London side, are still considered to be based in the Midlands that would put them in either Counties 4 Midlands West (North) or Counties 4 Midlands West (South).

Wasps' application to return to professional rugby for the 2023-24 season in the Championship was given approval by the RFU on 16 December, the same day that fellow Midlands side Worcester's was rejected.

But the offer made to Wasps was subject to a number of conditions being met.

An RFU statement said: "These included evidencing payment to rugby creditors and putting in place suitable governance structures including a majority independent board and a process for managing risk.

"The RFU was also concerned about the lack of progress engaging coaching staff and players.

"The club stated that it could not meet these commitments, recommit to participating in the Championship in 2023-24 or engage staff of players until further finance was secured. "

More to follow.

The Arizona Coyotes won't quit. They're the NHL equivalent of a 1980s horror movie monster, snapping back into consciousness after being electrocuted for the 10th time, shambling along in defiance of its assumed mortality while everyone runs away screaming.

Consider, if you will, their history:

• The Coyotes have changed owners several times.

• They've gone bankrupt, and as a result were owned by the NHL for a time.

• They found the one thing at which Wayne Gretzky wasn't great: coaching.

• They almost relocated to Hamilton, Ontario, and Seattle, among other destinations.

• They've missed the Stanley Cup playoffs in 10 of the past 11 seasons, interrupted only by a brief appearance in the 24-team pandemic postseason of 2020.

• They were evicted from their arena in Glendale only to move into a 5,000-seat college hockey arena on the campus of Arizona State for potentially four seasons.

• It's called Mullett Arena. You can't make this stuff up.

On Tuesday, the "monster" received its latest death blow: Voters in Tempe emphatically rejected a ballot initiative for a $2.1 billion entertainment district that would have included a new Coyotes arena. It was a vote that crushed fans' hopes and gutted the team's management.

"There's no Plan B at this point," one team source said.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement: "The NHL is terribly disappointed by the results of the public referenda regarding the Coyotes' arena project in Tempe. We are going to review with the Coyotes what the options might be going forward."

Notice what Bettman didn't say there: Anything that resembled his emphatic past support of the franchise remaining in Arizona. Like two years ago, when the Coyotes' financial disputes with Glendale were being publicly discussed and he said, "The Coyotes aren't going anywhere."

Perhaps it's because without an arena or a Plan B, they are finally going somewhere else.

The Coyotes thought they were winning this vote. Internally, there were estimates of a 10-point advantage in the polling. The team had booked president and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez to do rounds of media on Wednesday in anticipation of a victory lap. Instead, he went radio silent when the initiative was defeated.

The team thought it had made its case, from the private funding to the benefits of the project to the community. It had endorsements from politicians past and present, all noting that this unusable landfill was going to be put to good use.

I don't know if it was overconfidence or hubris, but the Coyotes clearly miscalculated on some aspects of the vote.

The opposition was better funded and controlled the messaging early. A lot of what was being said about the bid was misinformation about taxes, public funding and owner Alex Meruelo's messy breakup with Glendale. The Coyotes spent less, were playing catch-up on messaging and couldn't reframe the argument for enough voters. They also couldn't get out the vote. One factor I heard: Some difficulties in their relationships with local labor unions that would have worked on building the entertainment district. As is often the case in local elections, they could have helped swing that vote.

Why didn't the Coyotes fans show up to support the initiative?

I think they would have if this wasn't a city ballot initiative. If it was a Maricopa County ballot measure, that brings in the majority of the Coyotes' fan base in places like Scottsdale. Asking why hockey fans in Tempe didn't turn out for the arena vote is paradoxical. The new arena was intended to create new fans. How could one expect those fans to vote for that arena before they themselves are created?

In the wake of the vote, there was immediate speculation about where the Coyotes might relocate. But as I first reported on Wednesday, the team will spend the 2023-24 season in Mullett Arena.

That makes a lot of sense. Yes, it's true that teams can relocate rather quickly. The Atlanta Thrashers' relocation was approved in mid-May in 2011 and their sale to True North to become the Winnipeg Jets was announced on May 31. But outside of perhaps Quebec, there's no plug-and-play relocation destination for the Coyotes. The last thing the NHL wants to do is botch the entry into a new market due to a hasty move.

So if the Coyotes are relocating, the process will be more meticulous, including finding the right new owner -- it's my understanding that Meruelo won't own the team outside of Arizona.

And finding the right city. As you can see here, there are plenty of options:

Houston

When the arena vote failed, attention immediately turned to Houston as a potential new home. The Coyotes were previously linked to the city in 2021, when Forbes reported that they were "for sale again with idea of buyer eventually moving team to a new arena in Houston." Bettman said at the time that report was "completely false."

Houston is the fourth-most populous city in the U.S., and the Toyota Center is an NHL-ready building. Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta controls that building, and he said in 2017 that he would "put an NHL team here tomorrow" if he could. In 2018, Boston Bruins owner and board of governors chairman Jeremy Jacobs said in a radio interview that, "Clearly the one area that is missing is Houston because that's a great city."

Bettman told The Associated Press in 2019 that "if there were ever to be a team there, unless there's a new arena, Mr. Fertitta would control the entry point." It's been reported by Sportsnet that the number the NHL had in mind for the acquisition of an NHL franchise wasn't the number that Fertitta had in mind. Which could be a problem.

ESPN's John Buccigross told ABC 13 in Houston that he expects the city to have a team in the next decade.

"It's likely over in Arizona unless somebody steps up big time. Houston's right there at the very top of the list," he said. "That would be a very creative, attractive place for the NHL. Plus, the league is trying to be more diverse and look more like America. So that's another secret sauce of Houston: it gives you that other flavor."

Frankly, it would be a surprise if the NHL didn't leverage the fertile Houston market for an expansion fee rather than for a relocation. But without question, it's the best option on the board.

Salt Lake City

Like Fertitta in Houston, 45-year-old Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith also runs the Delta Center, the team's arena. He recently told a fan on Twitter that plans to bring an NHL team to Salt Lake City were "in motion" and he's met with Bettman.

Last summer, Smith added private equity firm Arctos Sports Partners as a minority investor in Smith Entertainment Group with the expressed intent to bring another pro sports team to the city. If that name sounds familiar it's because Arctos was the private equity investor permitted by the NHL under a Dec. 2021 change in league bylaws. Arctos Sports Partners closed investments in the Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning the following month.

The Delta Center was built in 1991. It's not exactly an ideal hockey arena, but can seat around 14,000 fans for the sport. The real appeal for the NHL in Salt Lake City is what comes next. The city is bidding on the 2030 and 2034 Winter Olympics, and there's been speculation that a new arena could accompany either bid.

This one to watch, for sure. One request: In honor of the classic 1990s indie film, they must call the team SLC Puck.

Kansas City, Missouri

There's nothing the NHL likes more than a very famous person weighing in positively about the league. You had Deadpool and Snoop Dogg circling ownership of the Ottawa Senators. Now you've got no less a celebrity than Patrick Mahomes tweeting about how the "KC Coyotes has a nice ring to it!" and encouraging the team to move to T-Mobile Center. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas doubled down on the sentiment.

The Kansas City arena has been open since 2007. It's operated by NHL ally Anschutz Entertainment Group and can seat well over 17,000 fans for hockey.

It's housed NHL exhibition games. Teams have flirted with relocating to K.C., including the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders -- although, ultimately, that was probably just for leverage.

The problem, as always, has been finding local ownership willing to acquire an NHL team. A relocation, rather than paying an elephantine expansion fee, would be the best path. And goodness, wouldn't that rivalry with St. Louis be something else?

Sacramento, California

Sac Town is worth mentioning here for two seasons. First, it's a top-20 TV market nationally, in a state already populated by three NHL teams. Second, it has Vivek Ranadive. The Sacramento Kings owner is hotly pursuing ownership of the Ottawa Senators. If that falls short, could he turn to the Coyotes?

It would require some work on Golden 1 Center, where the Kings play, to make it hockey-friendly.

Hartford

I'm not sure I could show my face in the ESPN campus café if I didn't at least address the Whale in the room.

Hartford lost its NHL team in 1997 to Raleigh, which still honors the legacy of the Whalers (and an iconic logo's revenue potential) by wearing those jerseys every season for at least one home game. Connecticut's capital city has made inquiries over the years to Bettman and to other teams about the NHL's return to Hartford. In 2017, Hartford's mayor and Connecticut's governor sent a letter to the New York Islanders about having the team move north.

There are several issues with Hartford as an NHL destination. There would need to be a new arena. While it's a market rich with hockey fans, it's also saturated with teams -- three in the New York metro area and the behemoth that are the Boston Bruins, whose existence will always reduce Whalers 2.0 to second-tier status.

And as we'll see in our next candidate, the NHL isn't about reinforcing the fans it already has when it comes to expansion and relocation.

Quebec City

One of the true joys of Gary Bettman news conferences over the past 20 years has been hearing the divine accent of one the French-Canadian journalists begin to ask the inevitable question about when the NHL will ever bring a team back to Quebec City.

Usually, his answer would include something about the NHL not being in an expansion mode ... until it was in one back in 2016. Quebecor made a bid to revive the Quebec Nordiques at Videotron Centre, which seats over 18,000 fans. The NHL denied it, and awarded only one expansion franchise to Las Vegas. Quebec was also on the outside when Seattle was granted the Kraken.

Bettman was asked about Quebec City again in January. "I know there's been constant speculation about that. We're not in an expansion mode. If we decide to participate or have the possibility of expansion we'll let the people of Quebec City know. Those who might want to own a team," he said, adding that Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson would not block a second team in the Canadian province.

The problem for Quebec City -- besides not being a natural fit within the NHL's current alignment, lest they play in the Central Division -- is that that the league is all about expanding its fan base. A return to Quebec would no doubt be financially beneficial based on the volume of interest. But it would cater to fans that already consume hockey rather than reaching new audiences in a place like Houston. There's a reason the NHL opted for Vegas and Seattle. Frankly, it's hard to argue that they didn't make the right calls.

Toronto

Influential NHL agent Allan Walsh made the case in the wake of the Coyotes vote that "there is no better place to relocate a team other than Ontario."

A second NHL team in Toronto has always made sense to me. In fact, I've argued it should be a Western Conference team -- having both conferences come through the "Centre of the Hockey Universe" with frequency.

"It would immediately be among the top 3 revenue teams in the League," Walsh wrote. "We have a 50/50 salary cap and the League has a moral obligation to players to maximize Hockey-Related Revenues. A 2nd team in Ontario would be a revenue generating monster. If the NHL is willing to get rid of the cap, it can keep or place franchises wherever it wants."

OK, that turned into a luxury tax argument in the end, but you catch his point: Toronto could support a second team. And with the market turning heel on the Maple Leafs (again), there's probably a lane open for an alternative. I will reiterate my stance: If a team enters the market as competition for that Original Six franchise, they must be called the Rakes or the Blowers, a.k.a. the sworn enemies of the Leafs.

But the idea that the NHL would ever, ever allow for a relocation fee vs. an expansion free from a second Toronto owner is about a far-fetched as the Leafs winning two playoff rounds.

Phoenix

One of the Hail Marys to keep the Coyotes in Arizona is that new Phoenix Suns owner and noted Nikola Jokic antagonist Mat Ishbia would welcome the franchise to share the Footprint Center, aka America West Arena, aka the place the Coyotes originally played after relocating from Winnipeg.

Yeah, about that: It's not built for hockey. There would be about 4,500 obstructed view seats behind one of the nets that offer the kind of rink-reduced views not seen since the halcyon days of the Islanders at Barclays Center.

The arena just had a renovation that totaled over $230 million. It didn't include anything that would have made it more hockey-friendly, despite having an NHL team down the road whose arena situation was tenuous at best. They don't want to split sponsorship money or naming rights or anything else with an NHL tenant. Like most HGTV shows, the renovation tells the story.

Back to Glendale, Arizona

[Laughs uncontrollably]

That's not even mentioning Atlanta (third time's a charm!), Portland, Oklahoma City and Milwaukee, all of whom had been mentioned as being on the NHL's radar.

While we were all arguing about where the Coyotes should relocate, a hand shot up through the dirt on the team's grave.

Goonies never say die pic.twitter.com/xtlRwv8rYQ

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) May 18, 2023

Gutierrez sent a letter to the team's fans confirming they'd play at Mullett next season. But in addition, he said: "We remain committed to Arizona and have already started re-engaging with local officials and sites to solidify a new permanent home in the Valley."

So maybe the Coyotes will once again have stared in the abyss of NHL relocation and walked back from it. On to the next unused parcel of land. On to the next city council and voter block to be convince.

Color me skeptical. This one felt different, like the end of something. Like they took their last, best shot and missed the net high and wide. I respect the defiant tone, which might sell a few more Kachina jerseys before next season. But I sort of think the Coyotes' run has finally gone the distance.

Don't misread me: I'm not OK with Arizona no longer having the NHL. Not with a media market that large. Not with the intense dedication of the fans who have followed the Coyotes through all of this. Not with the burgeoning local hockey programs that could produce the next Auston Matthews, currently pressing his face against the glass to watch Clayton Keller skate.

But maybe the NHL team in Arizona can't be the Coyotes anymore. Maybe the voters are telling us that the baggage the Coyotes dragged with them from Glendale was too much to ignore. Maybe the market needs a reset and a clean slate.

As we said earlier, the franchise has been through a lot. Maybe too much. Maybe they need to break from it too.

But the important thing is that the end of the Coyotes is not the end of hockey in Arizona, nor should it be.

Like any great 1980s horror movie, there's always a sequel.

A Florida judge has ruled that Tiger Woods’ unlawful-eviction dispute with his former girlfriend, Erica Herman, must be decided in arbitration, which is required by the nondisclosure agreement both parties signed.

In the 11-page ruling that was issued late Wednesday, Judge Elizabeth Metzger held that Herman’s claims of authenticity of the NDA were not enough to force an evidentiary hearing. Herman sued Woods and the trust that owns his South Florida mansion for $30 million, the amount of rent she said she would have to pay for a similar piece of beachfront property for six years.

Herman, who moved in with Woods in 2016, claimed that Woods had promised to allow her to live in the mansion for 11 years but the two ended their romantic relationship last October.

In a May 9 hearing before Metzger, Herman’s lawyers questioned the authenticity of the NDA. Her attorney, Benjamin Hodas, said during the hearing that his client did "not recall signing” an NDA, but he acknowledged that Herman did sign an NDA.

Herman’s attorneys also claimed the NDA and its forced arbitration clause was unenforceable under a federal statute that bars arbitration when there are allegations of sexual abuse or sexual harassment.

Metzger dismissed both claims. “[Herman] does not deny that the signature on the NDA is hers or that she agreed to arbitrate,” Metzger ruled. The ruling continued that Herman has “made vague and threadbare references to behaviors or actions she contends constitute sexual harassment” and that her claims were “implausibly pled.”