Per Friedman: Coyotes players told team moving to Utah starting next season (Mod warning post #50)

[Empoleon8771]

I think moving the Coyotes to Salt Lake City and just getting an arena deal sorted out before giving another team to Arizona makes a ton of sense. Instead of the NHL trying to bend over backwards to make the Coyotes in Arizona work, send them to a city where they will have stability and basically tell Phoenix "get the arena sorted out and we'll come back". If they can't get that sorted out, that's on them.

Well, based on my username, I've lost two of my favorite teams from the past and I certainly wouldn't want that for anyone. Including Coyotes fans. Over the last several years, I've become a big Preds fan and the fact that another team is temporarily playing in a small arena has nothing to do with any of that.

I just don't understand why anyone would be rooting for any other fans to lose their team.

I don't think anyone is doing this, though. The situation in Arizona is just a mess and moving the Coyotes to a stable situation in SLC is just a completely logical move.

It sucks for Coyotes fans that have to either see their team leave or start rooting for a new expansion team down the line, but there is just nothing workable with keeping the Coyotes in Arizona right now. They're playing in a college rink with like 5000 seats, while they keep striking out on trying to get arena deals greenlit so they can move into an actual NHL rink.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Would this not look bad for the NHL? It has to be $650 million, Right?

This has been looking bad for the NHL for 20 years lol.

Is it surprising that SLC is okay with taking on a relocation rather than an expansion franchise?

It shouldn't be. The Coyotes have some good young pieces and a shit ton of picks.

 

[Lt Dan]

I just don't understand why anyone would be rooting for any other fans to lose their team.

100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000%

There is no bigger of an (insert expletive) move

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Remind me again how anything NHL related affects your? I mean based on your username. Wouldn't that mean, based on this reply, that commenting on anything NHL related would therefore be not allowed?

He asked why the other poster cared - he did not say that the other poster shouldn't be allowed an opinion.

You jumped to that conclusion on your own.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

Is it surprising that SLC is okay with taking on a relocation rather than an expansion franchise?

Hmm expansion team will probably not get any individual player as good as Clayton Keller

 

[JKG33]

Is it surprising that SLC is okay with taking on a relocation rather than an expansion franchise?

Based on how stocked full of picks the Coyotes are, with relatively little committed in long term salary, why wouldn't Smith be ok with that? It's about as clean of a slate as you could ask for.

It's not like the team is in a poor position like the Sharks or Wild with not much in terms of picks/prospects and a lot of bad salary commitments.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Is it surprising that SLC is okay with taking on a relocation rather than an expansion franchise?

I feel like getting the Coyotes today is better than being a likely city to get an expansion team whenever the NHL decides to expand next.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and whatnot

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

I don't think anyone is doing this, though. The situation in Arizona is just a mess and moving the Coyotes to a stable situation in SLC is just a completely logical move.

It sucks for Coyotes fans that have to either see their team leave or start rooting for a new expansion team down the line, but there is just nothing workable with keeping the Coyotes in Arizona right now. They're playing in a college rink with like 5000 seats, while they keep striking out on trying to get arena deals greenlit so they can move into an actual NHL rink.

It looks like a lot of people here are doing that. They're definitely not behind the AZ fans, because if they were, they'd be hoping they'd stay.

And it is a mess. Yotes fans would likely agree. But they're working on a solution. Them playing in a small arena has zero effect on any other team. So, by saying "they should move the team", the only effect that has on anyone is the fans of the Coyotes.

 

[Lt Dan]

He asked why the other poster cared - he did not say that the other poster shouldn't be allowed an opinion.

You jumped to that conclusion on your own.

We need to make the jump to conclusions mat great again!

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

Based on how stocked full of picks the Coyotes are, with relatively little committed in long term salary, why wouldn't Smith be ok with that? It's about as clean of a slate as you could ask for.

It's not like the team is in a poor position like the Sharks or Wild with not much in terms of picks/prospects and a lot of bad salary commitments.

Generally I agree, it’s just that all I’ve heard the last few months is that most prospective owners prefer an expansion franchise over a relocation given the recent success of Vegas and Seattle. And the Coyotes definitely were in mind as they’re the only team that could feasibly relocate.

Perhaps it’s a combination of Seattle taking a step back this year and the Coyotes showing some promise. It could also be the guarantee of getting a team.

 

[Empoleon8771]

It looks like a lot of people here are doing that. They're definitely not behind the AZ fans, because if they were, they'd be hoping they'd stay.

And it is a mess. Yotes fans would likely agree. But they're working on a solution. Them playing in a small arena has zero effect on any other team. So, by saying "they should move the team", the only effect that has on anyone is the fans of the Coyotes.

No one is cheering for Coyotes fans to lose their team. People want the absolute mess of a situation with the Coyotes cleaned up, and that likely involves them moving. The Coyotes keep trying to work towards a solution, like they've been doing for the last decade, and it keeps not working. At some point, you can't just keep saying "think of the fans!" to justify continuing a non-viable situation.

The NHL has bent over backwards to try to make the Coyotes in Arizona work, and they're even at the end of their rope with it. Wanting a logical conclusion to a complete mess of a situation is not "cheering for Coyotes fans to lose their team". That's trying to muddy a logical discussion and turn it into an emotional discussion.

 

[93LEAFS]

Is it surprising that SLC is okay with taking on a relocation rather than an expansion franchise?

Relocation is generally cheaper, and it doesn't decrease active revenue splits between the teams. The only people who want expansion are certain owners because of the one-time payoff even if it decreases the splits on national deals.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

No one is cheering for Coyotes fans to lose their team. People want the absolute mess of a situation with the Coyotes cleaned up, and that likely involves them moving. The Coyotes keep trying to work towards a solution, like they've been doing for the last decade, and it keeps not working. At some point, you can't just keep saying "think of the fans!" to justify continuing a non-viable situation.

The NHL has bent over backwards to try to make the Coyotes in Arizona work, and they're even at the end of their rope with it. Wanting a logical conclusion to a complete mess of a situation is not "cheering for Coyotes fans to lose their team". That's trying to muddy a logical discussion and turn it into an emotional discussion.

All you're doing is phrasing the want differently. If people are wanting the team to move, then they also want the fans to lose their team. There really is no difference.

And I know the saga well and know that it's been going on for almost 15 years now. It still doesn't answer the question as to why anyone would want the team to move. It has had, and would continue to have, no effect on their team or their love for the sport. Seems like a no-brainer to root for the fans to keep their franchise.

 

[JKG33]

Generally I agree, it’s just that all I’ve heard the last few months is that most prospective owners prefer an expansion franchise over a relocation given the recent success of Vegas and Seattle. And the Coyotes definitely were in mind as they’re the only team that could feasibly relocate.

Perhaps it’s a combination of Seattle taking a step back this year and the Coyotes showing some promise. It could also be the guarantee of getting a team.

Yea I've heard the same. It would make sense it's referencing the Coyotes as you say.

Obviously I'm not a prospective owner, but I just don't see the problem with the Coyotes roster construction. An expansion team won't get any existing players as good as Keller, or prospects as good as Guenther or Doan (or probably even as good as those Russian kids from the 2023 draft). The only players close to big money commitments are Keller, Schmaltz, and Crouse. The goaltending is about as good a bang for your buck as you could ask for.

They won't as an expansion team get much more for picks via pre-draft trades than Arizona already has. Is a team full of middling players like Schwartz and Eberle really a better situation? Vegas was super aggressive and got work done prior to teams "wising up." I'm not trying to argue with you, but I know I'd take Arizona's on ice situation over Seattle's.

 

[MMC]

 

[Empoleon8771]

All you're doing is phrasing the want differently. If people are wanting the team to move, then they also want the fans to lose their team. There really is no difference.

And I know the saga well and know that it's been going on for almost 15 years now. It still doesn't answer the question as to why anyone would want the team to move. It has had, and would continue to have, no effect on their team or their love for the sport. Seems like a no-brainer to root for the fans to keep their franchise.

You're twisting a logical discussion into an emotional discussion. No one wants the Coyotes to move because it will screw over the fans. People want the Coyotes to move because it's an unviable situation with keeping them there, with playing in a college arena indefinitely until they get a new arena that hasn't been figured out for the last decade.

 

[Coffey]

I just don't understand why anyone would be rooting for any other fans to lose their team

People just like to hate. It’s the norm on forums.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Generally I agree, it’s just that all I’ve heard the last few months is that most prospective owners prefer an expansion franchise over a relocation given the recent success of Vegas and Seattle. And the Coyotes definitely were in mind as they’re the only team that could feasibly relocate.

Perhaps it’s a combination of Seattle taking a step back this year and the Coyotes showing some promise. It could also be the guarantee of getting a team.

Almost like nothing in life is guaranteed, and the occurrence of one event isn't some guarantee of it occurring again in the future.

 

[LOFIN]

Glad this circus is about to end. If the NHL eventually wants to return to Arizona, I don't mind that but get a proper owner and a working arena solution by then.

 

[Ace]

it’s over

 

[EdJovanovski]

Pls keep the logos/best jersey in sports
Or expand to Arizona in the future

 

[Empoleon8771]

Glad this circus is about to end. If the NHL eventually wants to return to Arizona, I don't mind that but get a proper owner and a working arena solution by then.

The issue is the owner of any new Arizona team would be Meruelo. Not sure I'd call him a "proper owner".

But yeah, the situation is basically "get the arena situation sorted out and we'll give you an expansion team". I absolutely think a professional NHL team can work in Arizona, but it flat out won't be the Coyotes with their current situation.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Are they dead yet

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Well, based on my username, I've lost two of my favorite teams from the past and I certainly wouldn't want that for anyone. Including Coyotes fans. Over the last several years, I've become a big Preds fan and the fact that another team is temporarily playing in a small arena has nothing to do with any of that.

I just don't understand why anyone would be rooting for any other fans to lose their team.

Mostly because they're a joke of a franchise that's been a dumping ground for bad contracts and has been propped up by the NHL in a way more deserving markets never were

 

[robertmac43]

Or expand to Arizona in the future

My guess is Arizona instantly becomes one of the talked about places for expansion:

Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix, and then a fourth team to bring the league to 36.