Well, yeah. Goalie Nikolai Khabibulin's absence has reached 17 months; the defense lacks toughness, and Keith Tkachuk and Jeremy Roenick are another year older.

Good luck (or should we say Great luck?).

What must happen

The purchase of the franchise by Gretzky and partner Steve Ellman from current owner Richard Burke must take place ASAP. The transfer of power likely will signal the end of Khabibulin's absence, and it will prevent the Coyotes from spinning in no particular direction.

Once that happens, Khabibulin must recover the form that made him one of the league's top goalies in 1998-99. Khabibulin was 32-23-7 with a .923 save percentage and a 2.13 goals-against average that season. But last season, he played for Long Beach in the IHL. Los Angeles aside, Long Beach is a long way from the NHL.

Tkachuk also must regain the form that made him one of the league's most feared players two seasons ago. Injuries and trade rumors took their toll on Tkachuk last season, and he responded with 22 goals and 43 points, his worst full season ever.

What can't happen

Burke can't stand in the way as the franchise tries to move ahead. Already, he's rescinded his authorization for new ownership to reach a new pact with Khabibulin and instructed GM Bobby Smith to re-sign veteran Sean Burke. Such tactics have a way of pervading the dressing room.

On the ice, Phoenix's power play can't continue to be impotent. The Coyotes had an 11.9 percent success rate last season, slightly worse than the 12 percent efficiency of the previous year. Both figures rated second-to-last in the NHL.

One other disturbing trend: Softness at the blue line. Big, physical offensive teams have had success against the Coyotes, and it won't be easy for Phoenix to correct that problem after the departure of Lyle Odelin to Columbus.

The mental approach

The Coyotes have lost 10 consecutive playoff series over 13 seasons, dating back to their days in Winnipeg. Gretzky's arrival signals a greater expectation of success.

But Gretzky has said he won't tear the Coyotes down and start over. After all, Phoenix finished with 90 points last season and with a little luck could make a run at home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. That the Khabibulin saga is almost at an end is a good thing, too. Now the Coyotes can simply concentrate on their on-ice doings.

Noteworthy

THE SOAP OPERA: The Arizona Republic reported that Burke has written assurances from the NHL that he won't be responsible for any financial losses should the sale of the team not go through. Thus, he'd be free to sign Khabibulin at any price and not be liable for it.

"Nik offered to Wayne he'd go to training camp without a contract, but Burke said no to that," Khabibulin's agent, Jay Grossman, told The Republic. "He also offered to work out daily with the team's goalie coach (Benoit Allaire), but Burke said no to that. At this point, despite his public comments saying he's disappointed he couldn't get Nik signed, he's tried to get in the way of us having any contact at all with the new people. And in addition to that, he made his thoughts pretty clear in the letter he sent to us on August 22."

During an interview with The Republic last week, Burke initially denied he ever penned such a letter, twice calling it "a bald-faced lie." Later, after an excerpt was read to him, Burke recanted and acknowledged he sent it. "Everything that Richard Burke says is, how you say, untrue," Khabibulin said. "He's not giving correct information to the fans about this."

THE GREAT ONE, PART II: Gretzky is being considered strongly for the general manager's position with Team Canada for the 2002 Winter Olympics. And Gretzky told the Toronto Sun he'd accept the position if its offered to him.

The Sun reported that Bob Nicholson, president of Canadian Hockey, is targeting Gretzky. As GM, Gretzky would have the final say in the selection process of the Canadian Olympic roster and would have some say in the selection of the team's head coach.

The top two coaching candidates are Pat Quinn, the head coach and GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Dallas coach Ken Hitchcock.

GOING ALL OUT: Tkachuk played in three of the Coyotes' four preseason games and had 11 of the team's 34 shots in last Sunday's 3-2 win over Colorado "I'm healthy and I feel good. I wanted to play all them," said Tkachuk, who dominated at times playing alongside running mate Jeremy Roenick for the first time in this preseason. "Last year, I missed so many games, I feel like I need all the work I can possibly get."

The Coyotes still haven't decided who will play alongside Tkachuk and Roenick on the No. 1 line. The candidates are Shane Doan, Joe Juneau and Mika Alatalo.

INJURY REPORT: Third-line center Juha Ylonen will be out two to three weeks because of a badly bruised left shoulder sustained last Monday during an exhibition game against Anaheim. Ylonen was checked hard into the boards by Mighty Ducks defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski. He's expected to miss the first three games of the regular season.

The Coyotes already are without No. 2 center, Travis Green, who has a broken hand.