After telling everyone that NCAA Basketball and NHL 2K might be getting passive cancellations, I've been sent this tip from an anonymous reader: According to an ad listing, 2K Sports is seeking artists for an NHL 2K11 soundtrack.

The listing, at Sonicbids - a music gigs site pairing artists with clients - 2K Sports was looking to pay a $3,000 flat fee to bands "who can provide a song to help round out the NHL 2K11 soundtrack. NHL 2K11 is the latest in a series of critically acclaimed hockey games, due out in September 2010."

While the listing is not time stamped (and it expired Jan. 20), the account posting it was initiated Jan. 6, well after the mid-December speculation that the NHL franchise was toast after Take-Two corporate left it off a list of upcoming key releases. At the time, a 2K Sports spokesman said only that the division was evaluating its portfolio of titles and had yet to make any decisions on them.

I've emailed a 2K Sports representative for comment.