Bettman meeting with Ryan Smith, owner of Utah Jazz and Real Salt Lake (upd: Smith asks NHL to open expansion process)

[TheLegend]

If Meruelos is willing to take the loss and if NHL is ok with that then there is no time limit.

Wonder if Ryan Smith knows something about Coyotes we don't? Can't imagine he would ask to expand if he knows he can buy the Yotes and move them.

Either that or he’s just trying to stir shit up, again.

Wasn’t too long ago he and the governor of Connecticut were running their mouths about hosting the Coyotes.

But SLC is looking at a Winter Olympics and having an NHL team come in offers some incentive.

 

[Osakahaus]

If Meruelos is willing to take the loss and if NHL is ok with that then there is no time limit.

Wonder if Ryan Smith knows something about Coyotes we don't? Can't imagine he would ask to expand if he knows he can buy the Yotes and move them.

Biggest hurdle is, obviously, a stadium. do they really want to deal with a Barclays situation at Vivant for a few years?

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Biggest hurdle is, obviously, a stadium. do they really want to deal with a Barclays situation at Vivant for a few years?

Temporarily, it should be ok, as long sas they have a plan and put shovel in the ground.

 

[hammer42]

Atlanta is not getting a 3rd chance at NHL. team they failed twice I highly doubt it if the NHL. wants to take another risk on giving a risky market a third chance knowing they would be relocated within 10 years just like the Flames & Thrashers .

While there markets out there that are less risky like Quebec City , Hamilton, Houston , Kansas City & I guess Salt Lake City but like I said in my other post the NHL. will be in race to get to SLC before MLB. gets there since they are huge favorites along with Nashville to get MLB expansion teams .

 

[dj4aces]

Temporarily, it should be ok, as long sas they have a plan and put shovel in the ground.

It appears the Smith group does have a plan. They submitted a proposal for a new building in the city of Draper, about 20ish miles south of SLC, and it sounds like the intent is for the Jazz to also play in that building.

The SLC mayor, obviously, is interested in keeping the Jazz in the city.

This blog, part of SBNation, links back to a Salt Lake Tribune story.

 

[Mike Jones]

This is only clear confirmation that the league cares more about money than it does about the product on the ice.

Just move Arizona to Utah. This deals with two situations at once without doing more damage to an already stressed talent pool.

 

[GKJ]

Biggest hurdle is, obviously, a stadium. do they really want to deal with a Barclays situation at Vivant for a few years?

It’s not a Barclays situation because he owns the building.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Last I checked Walsh isn’t involved with any of it and that has him throwing a tantrum.

It’s a continuation of his previous tantrum from last fall to be more accurate.

Seems incredibly stupid from the Coyotes not to touch base with a key stakeholder that represents the interests of their own players but that's just me. It could at least keep him from bitching in the media.

 

[TheLegend]

Seems incredibly stupid from the Coyotes not to touch base with a key stakeholder that represents the interests of their own players but that's just me. It could at least keep him from bitching in the media.

The Coyotes are an employer.

The players are the employees.

A union’s obligation here is to assure the employer provides a safe working environment and adequate compensation package towards its members.

Now…. show us where the players are currently not adequately compensated or working in an unsafe environment.

 

[LadyStanley]

Except…. All the news and optics right now is about two things.

1) Salt Lake City asking for an expansion franchise.

2) The 2018 Team Canada incident.


The Coyotes aren’t even remotely part of that but people want to read between the lines between the lines.

And NFL firings, NBA firings, SI laying off all staff (w/in 90 days), US presidential primaries, Ukraine, Gaza....

But many NHL fans only care about what's happening to their team and only think about Arizona when their team plays them.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

The Coyotes are an employer.

The players are the employees.

A union’s obligation here is to assure the employer provides a safe working environment and adequate compensation package towards its members.

Now…. show us where the players are currently not adequately compensated or working in an unsafe environment.

So you think that the Coyotes are in the right to not keep in touch with the head of the union that represents their players? Yeah? It's good business?

Miss me with that crap. It's bad PR and we all know it. The Arizona Coyotes are in a dire situation and still seem hellbent on not doing the bare minimum to avoid getting crapped on.

 

[Lions67]

What will the team be called?
Salt Lake Honey Badgers?
Salt Lake City Pilgrims?
Salt Lake City ———-

 

[TheLegend]

And NFL firings, NBA firings, SI laying off all staff (w/in 90 days), US presidential primaries, Ukraine, Gaza....

But many NHL fans only care about what's happening to their team and only think about Arizona when their team plays them.

Not to be crass here..... but you have previously opened whole threads in BoH regarding the Coyotes using an article where maybe 1% of it involved the Coyotes.

So forgive me if I find your explanation somewhat amusing.

 

[TheLegend]

So you think that the Coyotes are in the right to not keep in touch with the head of the union that represents their players? Yeah? It's good business?

Miss me with that crap. It's bad PR and we all know it. The Arizona Coyotes are in a dire situation and still seem hellbent on not doing the bare minimum to avoid getting crapped on.

"We"

As in you speak for the entire hockey world? Or just the local audience here??

The Coyotes are not obligated to inform the union about it's negotiations unless it involved a player's current contract, or treatment of that player.

 

[Osakahaus]

It’s not a Barclays situation because he owns the building.

less about ownership, more about the stadium's configuration with a rink

 

[dj4aces]

Just move Arizona to Utah. This deals with two situations at once without doing more damage to an already stressed talent pool.

1. Teams are not objects. They cannot simply be moved, there's procedures, questions of if Meruelo does or doesn't want to sell, etc.

2. The talent pool is deep, and only getting deeper by the year. We have kids in the minors who should be playing in the NHL. There's undrafted players in leagues around the world who should've been drafted. Have you watched any Champions League games? Yeah, there's some incredible talent in Europe, but if all you do is watch the NHL, it's easy to believe the narrative that the talent pool is depleted.

Expansion is coming, whether Arizona moves to Salt Lake or not.

less about ownership, more about the stadium's configuration with a rink

Well, Smith does have a plan, so Delta Center would be temporary. I think putting a team in a building with bad sightlines and limited seating for hockey for a couple seasons is something the league would agree with.

 

[GKJ]

less about ownership, more about the stadium's configuration with a rink

I think that pales in comparison, really

 

[Mike Jones]

1. Teams are not objects. They cannot simply be moved, there's procedures, questions of if Meruelo does or doesn't want to sell, etc.

Expansion takes three years - Arizona is good to go. They don't even have an arena. They can be in Utah next year.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Expansion takes three years - Arizona is good to go. They don't even have an arena. They can be in Utah next year.

Or, because the owner wants to remain in Phoenix, the Coyotes stay and Utah gets an expansion team. What difference does it make?

 

[Look Up]

This is only clear confirmation that the league cares more about money than it does about the product on the ice.

I would go so far as to say for NHL owners, money is the highest priority, and the quality of the product only matters if it makes them more money.

Expansion fees raise franchise values = the highest good for owners

 

[Mike Jones]

Or, because the owner wants to remain in Phoenix, the Coyotes stay and Utah gets an expansion team. What difference does it make?

Again, talent pool. And it's about time the league give up on the Arizona dream and move elsewhere. The experiment failed - move on.

I would go so far as to say for NHL owners, money is the highest priority, and the quality of the product only matters if it makes them more money.

Expansion fees raise franchise values = the highest good for owners

And fans suffer. What a league....

 

[DustyDangler]

This is only clear confirmation that the league cares more about money than it does about the product on the ice.

Just move Arizona to Utah. This deals with two situations at once without doing more damage to an already stressed talent pool.

Again, talent pool. And it's about time the league give up on the Arizona dream and move elsewhere. The experiment failed - move on.

Stressed talent pool

 

[Joe from Maine]

Again, talent pool. And it's about time the league give up on the Arizona dream and move elsewhere. The experiment failed - move on.


And fans suffer. What a league....

The NHL owners are no different than NBA, NFL and MLB owners. The financial side of things is always a priority. The owners most likely won't want to move Arizona to Utah. A 1.5 billion expansion fee is about 47 million per owner that doesn't have to be shared with the players.

 

[Salsero1]

Again, talent pool. And it's about time the league give up on the Arizona dream and move elsewhere. The experiment failed - move on.


And fans suffer. What a league....

If you want a lesson in fans suffering at the hands of the league's lack foresight or lack of vision, I suggest you talk to some Coyotes fans.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

It’s not a Barclays situation because he owns the building.

He doesn’t own the building. He controls it.

I think.

Regardless NHL isn’t going to let them play in that arena long term.