The NHL released the Conference Finals schedule Friday, though the entire schedule hinges on the outcome of Game 7 of Bruins vs. Flyers.  Here's a look at the schedule:

If the Bruins advance:

No. 6 Boston Bruins vs. No. 8 Montreal Canadiens

Game 1 - Sunday, May 16 at Boston, 7 p.m. (Versus, CBC, RDS)

Game 2 - Wednesday, May 19 at Boston, 7 p.m. (Versus, CBC, RDS)

Game 3 - Friday, May 21 at Montreal, 7 p.m. (Versus, CBC, RDS)

Game 4 - Sunday, May 23 at Montreal, 3 p.m. (NBC, CBC, RDS)

*Game 5 - Tuesday, May 25 at Boston, 7 p.m. (Versus, CBC, RDS)

*Game 6 - Thursday, May 27 at Montreal, 7 p.m. (Versus, CBC, RDS)

*Game 7 - Saturday, May 29 at Boston, TBD (Versus, CBC, RDS)

No. 1 San Jose Sharks vs. No. 2 Chicago Blackhawks

Game 1 - Sunday, May 16 at San Jose, 3 p.m. (NBC, TSN, RDS)

Game 2 - Tuesday, May 18 at San Jose, 9 p.m. (Versus, TSN, RDS)

Game 3 - Thursday, May 20 at Chicago, 8 p.m. (Versus, TSN, RDS)

Game 4 - Saturday, May 22 at Chicago, 3 pm (NBC, TSN, RDS)

*Game 5 - Monday, May 24 at San Jose, 9 p.m.  (Versus, TSN, RDS)

*Game 6 - Wednesday, May 26 at Chicago, 8 p.m. (Versus, TSN, RDS)

*Game 7 - Saturday, May 29 at San Jose, TBD (Versus, TSN, RDS)

If the Flyers advance:

No. 7 Philadelphia Flyers vs. No. 8 Montreal Canadiens

Game 1 - Sunday, May 16 at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. (Versus, CBC, RDS)

Game 2 - Tuesday, May 18 at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. (Versus, CBC, RDS)

Game 3 - Thursday, May 20 at Montreal, 7 p.m. (Versus, CBC, RDS)

Game 4 - Saturday, May 22 at Montreal, 3 p.m. (NBC, CBC, RDS)

*Game 5 - Monday, May 24 at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. (Versus, CBC, RDS)

*Game 6 - Wednesday, May 26 at Montreal, 7 p.m. (Versus, CBC, RDS)

*Game 7 -Friday, May 28 at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. (Versus, CBC, RDS)

No. 1 San Jose Sharks vs. No. 2 Chicago Blackhawks

Game 1 - Sunday, May 16 at San Jose, 3 p.m. (NBC, TSN, RDS)

Game 2 - Tuesday, May 18 at San Jose, 10 p.m. (Versus, TSN, RDS)

Game 3 - Friday, May 21 at Chicago, 8 p.m. (Versus, TSN, RDS)

Game 4 - Sunday, May 23 at Chicago, 3 p.m. (NBC, TSN, RDS)

*Game 5 -Tuesday, May 25 at San Jose, 9 p.m. (Versus, TSN, RDS)

*Game 6 - Thursday, May 27 at Chicago, 8 p.m. (Versus, TSN, RDS)

*Game 7 - Saturday, May 29 at San Jose, 8 p.m. (Versus, TSN, RDS)

Matthew Coller is a staff member of the Business of Sports Network, and is a freelance writer. He can be followed on Twitter

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Since Friday of last week, Jerry Reinsdorf backed out, and then Ice Edge Holdings followed suit, in backing out of efforts to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes. But, late Tuesday, the Glendale City Council voted to guarantee the NHL $25 million that will allow the Phoenix Coyotes to stay in Jobing.com Arena. As reported by the East Valley Tribune:

But city manager Ed Beasley and NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly both told the council that the sale of the Coyotes is still expected to close by the end of June and the payments may never be needed.

Beasley also said that both Ice Edge Holdings and a group headed by Chicago sports mogul Jerry Reinsdorf are still talking about buying the Phoenix Coyotes. Reports have had Reinsdorf's group dropping out in recent days.

A member of the Reinsdorf group, Phoenix attorney John Kaites, said it still stands behind the agreement it made with the city in April.

The council vote was unanimous and allows Beasley to sign agreements with the NHL and “set up a Community Facilities District that would collect fees, possibly including ticket surcharges and parking charges, in the area around the arena.”

According to Scott Morrison of Hockey Night in Canada (via Twitter), NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told reporters, “the team will be not moving.” Morrison’s tweet does not make it clear whether Daly’s comments are in regard to the upcoming season, or beyond.

While both Reinsdorf and Ice Edge Holdings have backed out in recent days, Beasley said that the league is still working with bother groups. Daly told the council that the NHL is looking to close the sale of the Coyotes by the end of June, and that payments by Glendale may never be needed.

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Soap opera writers take note.

After months of battling to convince the City of Glendale to accept its proposal, the investment group Ice Edge Holdings has backed out of their deal with the city to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes.  Just days after rejecting the Reinsdorf Group, headed by Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, the city now stands alone with no agreement and no buyer for the Coyotes.

Ice Edge was expected to agree to terms with the city today and complete the sale of the team in around eight weeks.  Instead, the city and group failed to reach an agreement and Ice Edge backed out.

"We were adamant about needing exclusivity in these negotiations and they haven't provided it,” Ice Edge chief operating officer Daryl Jones told the Winnipeg Free Press.  “I'm not totally surprised. We've been dealing with this for a while. We thought we had agreed to certain things and expected them in writing. That didn't materialize."

ProHockeyTalk’s Brandon Worley reported that a major hold up is the NHL’s desire for insurance from the city that any deal would cover the losses for the team next season.

According to the Free Press, Glendale city council is still expected to vote on a request to satisfy a number of NHL demands, including one that the city would put together a financial guarantee to cover any losses incurred by the Coyotes for the 2010-11 season if the NHL is forced to operate the team for a second season.

The only remaining option may be finalizing a sale with David Thompson and True North Sports & Entertainment Ltd. and moving the team back to Winnipeg.

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Gary Bettman's favored suitor for the Phoenix Coyotes bowed out leaving the sale of the club in turmoil. As Matt Coller reported Wednesday, Jerry Reinsdorf had emerged as the preferred buyer of the beleaguered team, due in large part to his successful ownership of both the NBA's Chicago Bulls and MLB's Chicago White Sox.

While the league clearly saw advantages with Reinsdorf's proposal for both the NHL and the Phoenix franchise, questions raised by watchdog groups cast doubts on how beneficial the deal would be for Glendale and Arizona. The deal put forward by the new presumptive frontrunner Ice Edge Holdings is far from complete, but is perceived as more likely to keep the team in Glendale.

ESPN.com's Scott Burnside is reporting that a number of hurdles remain including the guarantee of certain conditions to the league regarding who gets to pay for operating losses in the 2010-2011 season.

Looming in the background are the deep pockets of Canadian billionaire David Thomson who would return the team to Winnipeg. The Coyotes were established in Winnipeg as a WHA franchise in 1972. The team played there until 1996.

Unlike Thomson, whose intent is to relocate the franchise, and Reinsdorf who wanted the option to either flip or move the team after five years, Ice Edge appears committed to remain in Glendale for the remainder of the team's lease with Glendale.

The most daunting obstacle to Ice Edge's proposal will be finding investors to pay the estimated $150 million price tag the league has placed on the team.

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