My understanding is that this was a negotiated but forced departure. In a nutshell, new owner Alex Meruelo wanted his own people in place (CFO Gregg Olson is also out). As I noted in the story, when a new owner comes in, it is common for him to replace executives within the organization. Meruelo does not have a hockey background so it made sense that his first changes came on the business side.
There has been some suggestion that Cohen’s inability to secure an arena deal hastened his departure, but let’s be honest: Getting a new arena built in this climate, and in this market, is no easy task. Many have tried. None have succeeded to date.
The Coyotes have not outlined their community plans in the wake of Cohen’s departure, but I would expect them to continue those efforts and build off what he began.