Guest Writer: Coyotes thoughts

Welcome board! Nice piece.

Interesting read, hopefully hockey fans in Arizona will get to cheer a winning team on in the not to distant future.

Welcome board! Nice piece.
- PuckPix

Thanks, PuckPix!

Interesting read, hopefully hockey fans in Arizona will get to cheer a winning team on in the not to distant future.
- theguvna

Appreciate it, theguvna. It runs a bit long, but I was trying to just get some thoughts down. Haha.

Some could argue that the Yotes were “doomed” pretty much from the get-go. There have been teams who have relocated from Canada to the States, but I can’t think of an organization (at least off the top of my head) that left a hockey town like Winnipeg to settle in the non-traditional market of the American Southwest.

- Matt Ross

Minnesota North Stars to Dallas?

Minnesota North Stars to Dallas?
- Atomic Wedgie

Good call! Dallas has really made it work and Minnesota eventually got their team back.

Worked out for everyone (minus Dallas winning a Cup with pieces from the MIN team). Haha.

Good call! Dallas has really made it work and Minnesota eventually got their team back.

Worked out for everyone (minus Dallas winning a Cup with pieces from the MIN team). Haha.
- Matt Ross

He was in the crease!

You could argue that Minnesota moving to Dallas is a pretty apt analogy to Winnipeg moving to Arizona. Both are hot, southern, non-traditional hockey markets where the fanbase would need to be won over.

I think the main difference is that the American Airlines center is smack in the middle of Dallas and pretty easy for fans to get to, making it a good event for a casual fan to attend. Putting Gila River Arena in Glendale means it's a full on excursion getting from Phoenix/Scottsdale for a game. You have to REALLY want to go if you're going to make that drive.

Because of that reason, Dallas had more success. They're arenas are both empty when the team is bad, but when the team is good, casual fans from Dallas are more likely to turn up. When Arizona made it to the Conference finals in 2012, I was able to buy tickets to Game 5 of the Conference finals in the lower bowl the day before the game for like $100. If you can't sell playoff tickets even when your team is good, something is wrong.

As a selfish Habs fan, what I would like to see from the Coyotes is a couple of wins that would vault them past the Habs in the standings. Geez what more does Mtl have to do? Half their lineup is AHL players. My only question? Is Shane Wright worth it? Something tells me they'll be in the running for Connor Bedard also. Now were talkin

He was in the crease!
- ChrisMS

Haha!

You could argue that Minnesota moving to Dallas is a pretty apt analogy to Winnipeg moving to Arizona. Both are hot, southern, non-traditional hockey markets where the fanbase would need to be won over.

I think the main difference is that the American Airlines center is smack in the middle of Dallas and pretty easy for fans to get to, making it a good event for a casual fan to attend. Putting Gila River Arena in Glendale means it's a full on excursion getting from Phoenix/Scottsdale for a game. You have to REALLY want to go if you're going to make that drive.

Because of that reason, Dallas had more success. They're arenas are both empty when the team is bad, but when the team is good, casual fans from Dallas are more likely to turn up. When Arizona made it to the Conference finals in 2012, I was able to buy tickets to Game 5 of the Conference finals in the lower bowl the day before the game for like $100. If you can't sell playoff tickets even when your team is good, something is wrong.
- tkecanuck341

Great insight and thoughts, tkecanuck341.

As a selfish Habs fan, what I would like to see from the Coyotes is a couple of wins that would vault them past the Habs in the standings. Geez what more does Mtl have to do? Half their lineup is AHL players. My only question? Is Shane Wright worth it? Something tells me they'll be in the running for Connor Bedard also. Now were talkin
- Hardbalz

I have to look into who the big fish are for the upcoming draft.

I’m not implying that AZ or MTL is tanking, but have you ever seen the mini-documentary on the Penguins tanking for Mario? It’s a really interesting watch - especially the contrast between the front office and players when they talk to them about all the things that were done to ensure a tank.

Basically the front office denies the tanking, but did a lot of questionable moves, and the players never wanted to tank and were confused/angry.

I think looking at it historically, there is no getting around the fact that hockey at multiple levels has just not really worked well in this market. I get it is the NHL but the market itself hasn't had the best of luck with hockey in general. Add in the mismanagement and all the off ice issues, and then piling on more with arena issues that really sapped the fanbase that they did have and were attempting to grow and it is just an overall recipe for disaster there. Bettman doesn't want to give up and give in on the tv rights there but in all honesty I think if things continue to spiral, the tax issues the latest, I would not be surprised to see the team winding up going to Houston, or even winding up in KC where the Sprint Centre is built and waiting at this point.

The other interesting thing to watch is on Bettman himself. Have to figure sooner or later the other NHL Owners are going to get tired of propping up this team. And there were rumors already of Bettman being ousted there before the start of the season from the post. If that happens then they lose the stubborn protection he has provided in doing way more to keep them there any any of the other franchises that have moved. That could well play a major factor here.

Something has to give there though, that much is really clear.

Just relocate the team. End this gongahow

The Coyotes are not going anywhere, the majority of their "high dollar" ticket holders live in east valley, glendale was never a good situation for the team as games start at 7 you have to drive through horrendous traffic to try and make it to the game. Glendale is a nice arena in need of major upgrades, I didnt go to any games last season but last time I was there the tv's in the concourse were still old "tube" type TVs, jeez how much would it cost glendale to put some flatscreens in.

right now glendale is like the girlfriend you left without even a text, they are bitter and airing dirty laundry to be spiteful

Chykra screwed this team royally with losing the first rounder for violations, constantly trading away picks for quick fixes and 'paying for potential" contracts.

Tempe will happen, people are actually complaining about tempe throwing in a couple million bucks for INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, they should wake up and visit other places like NY where they build Billion $$ arenas fully funded by taxpayers.

GM Armstrong is doing a great job at getting dead weight off the books and accumulating draft picks for cap space, last draft was the first time I heard the coyotes pick and didnt wonder "WTF are they thinking"

Finally, the new owner holds one of the very limited sportsbook licenses in Arizona, in a very short time Arizona has become the 3rd highest gambling State in the country, you honestly think he is going to trade that golden ticket for a "bag of shiny beads" from Houston????

The Tempe complex will be built and the centerpiece will be the Coyotes Arena, oh and the whining from the City of Phoenix skyharbor manager thats been in the news? The FAA decides what interferes with flight paths not some airport manager, wake up!