from Mark Spector of Sportsnet,
“This is the last season. It’ll be announced tomorrow.”
Reggie Dunlop, playing coach for the Charlestown Chiefs, just stood there dumbfounded — in full uniform — as Chiefs owner Joe McGrath looked up from his desk chair and laid down the bad news in the movie "Slap Shot".
It is expected that the address by Arizona Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong to his team and staff Friday afternoon in Edmonton was a longer version of the "Slap Shot" shtick, but with the same message.
After 27 seasons in the desert, it’s over for the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes.
The rumours that every staff member and player have been fending off for the better part of the franchise's history have finally hit critical mass, with the pending announcement that the Coyotes will close up shop expected to come after Wednesday’s season finale at home against Edmonton.
By September they’ll be in Salt Lake City with a new identity and a new owner — but playing in a basketball-first, NBA building that is nearly identical to the one that greeted this franchise in downtown Phoenix when it left Winnipeg back in 1996.
I was a Phoenix resident when the Yotes came to town. It was great. I got to see the Wings play often, had great seats, and, it was in the heyday of the Red Wings dominance in the NHL. As a transplant from Detroit I was in hockey heaven. It just didnt work there, but to wait 27 years to admit that a mistake was made, is not based in reality.
Sad for the fans but about time
Won't be excited until it's official but this is way overdue and will be good for the game.
from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet,
According to several sources, Arizona Coyotes players and staff were told before Fridays game in Edmonton that the team will be going to Utah and there will be an opportunity to check out their new locale.
With players and staff demanding answers after reports of the potential move, Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong flew to Alberta after attending the Frozen Four semifinals Thursday in Minnesota. He declined to comment, but those sources indicated he came clean about the move and told everyone there would be arrangements to visit Salt Lake City.
While some sources indicated it could come right after the last game next Wednesday, others said that may not be possible, because there is still work to do.
However, players and staff were told efforts would be made to fly them.
Obviously, this is a developing story and we will continue to update.
What a cluster for the players. There are certainly some perks to living in the Phoenix area but I would be willing to bet the players will welcome a more stable franchise and playing their home games in front of more than 5k people.
I would have like to see a Wings game at Mullet as the seating is really close to the ice. But I am glad I didn't plan a trip around that awful game the Wings played in March.
Maybe losing the Yotes is a sign that Buttman's power is weakening--which would be good every fan everywhere.
Jeez, I saw that the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City is not NHL ready - in terms of the fact it has an NBA footprint and many seats will be obstructed. Having lived thru the Barclays Center - I sure hope the NHL fixes this (in terms of re-fitting the existing building or building a new arena) If Salt Lake is awarded a future Winter Olympics - then a new building will be in order anyway - i see the Vivint Arena was built in 1991. But I worry that the experience of going to a game will be similar to the old arena in Phoenix or Barclays. I once bought the $ 5 seats at Barclays where your seat was above the goalie in the net nearest you and you could not see that goalie from your seats. Also, in many seats at Barclays, if the person in front of you leaned forward in their seat - even a little - you had a great view of the back of their head and almost none of the ice.
I am disappointed that the Coyotes were not able to make it. If I had known this would have been the last year for the Coyotes, I would have gone down for a game there. (I think I have been to games of 23 different franchises over the years - gotta make all 32 when I retire in a couple of years)
I can totally relate to the Coyote fans. Hell- our situation on Long Island was equally lousy and became the subject of an ESPN 30-30 episode....and it took 15 years but an alternative solution was found.
But to the people in Salt Lake - I hope you embrace this new team and support it. I have been to Salt Lake and the city has the business infrastructure and season ticket subscription potential to have the team succeed - and when / if they get a new building - even more so. I think it would be a fun city for sports tourism to go see your team on the road.
Leave it to the NHL to make a 27 year mistake, and then fix it in the most slapdash way possible.
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