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

[Voight]

The Coyotes are a very young team with several very good, young talent on the roster and a pipeline chalk full of top prospects and a boatload of draft picks.

Keller is an elite winger.

Top young players include Cooley, Guenther, Maccelli and Moser.

Other legit NHLers include Crouse, Schmaltz, McBain, Durzi and 2 youngish, cheap goalies (Ingram is very good).

Only bad contract to make the floor as you opine, is Shea Weber and that ends next season. They owe OEL cap $ but it is not that much.

The assertion that players can use a NMC/NTC to not relocate is highly likely a non-issue.

I dont believe their NMC would be of any relevance in this scenario. It sure wasn't when the Thrashers moved to Winnipeg. (which is a much bigger difference than movie from phoenix to SLC)

 

[StreetHawk]

I get the GM being busy getting up to date info from the owner/president/higher ups. But, seems like the team should have sent an AGM or someone of that level to meet with the team to be their point of contact who can then connect with the organization about their concerns in the last day or so when this news broke.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

How low can this go

 

[Empoleon8771]

How low can this go

This really makes me believe the "Meruelo is a grifter" claim a lot more.

 

[Mobiandi]

Salt Lake is a terrible place for a team tbh

 

[LOFIN]

Salt Lake is a terrible place for a team tbh

Once again, SLC isn't the preferred destination for the NHL. They just are at the right place at the right time, like Winnipeg was when Atlanta came crashing down. Do you think the NHL wanted to return to Winnipeg? No offence to the Jets fans here, but let's be real.

Even if SLC isn't the perfect destination, Smith seems like an owner that is very much of the type the NHL wants.

 

[Dead Coyote]

I've heard this transaction might be given an outward appearance of the Browns/Ravens "move" - i.e. Utah gets an "expansion team" but absorbs the Coyotes organization while the Arizona Coyotes "suspend operations" and go into hiatus but do not fold outright, and return later via expansion draft once they sort out the arena issue.

Which begs the question - why would Smith even want the Coyotes organization? With the Browns/Ravens organization there was ownership continuity, which isn't the case here. Moreover, taking on the Coyotes means taking on contracts Arizona absorbed to technically get to the floor, but will be problematic for Smith assuming he plans to try and build a contender in the short term.

The Coyotes are FAIAP on a twelve year playoff drought, the asterisked playoff appearance of 2020 notwithstanding. Whereas Vegas has missed the playoffs once in seven years and are defending champs, and whereas Seattle made the playoffs and dethroned the defending champs in their second year. If you're being asked to pay 300M premium on top of 1B to join this league, on what terms would you want to join? Not a hard call IMHO.

A Coyotes dispersal draft would also presumably suit most of the players just fine. They're moving in any case. And let's face it, SLC is not Funville USA. Alot of players without NTCs would prefer to head almost anywhere else. And if Schmaltz and Kerfoot can decline to play for ten teams each, why should they be forced to play in Utah if they don't want to?

Finally, this eliminates any perception that the Coyotes have "moved" - all things considered, it seems a logical way to resolve this matter.

GMBA and Andre Tourigny are some of the best staff you could have. The Yotes will win the lottery, and have Celebrini, But, Simashev, Cooley, Guenther, Macelli, and about 13 more 2nd round picks. Smith may want to win now, but if he's smart the Yotes have all the tools to succeed in a few more years of developing prospects and picks. Starting from zero, which is what ARI will be doing, would be much worse.

 

[Guttersniped]

I've heard this transaction might be given an outward appearance of the Browns/Ravens "move" - i.e. Utah gets an "expansion team" but absorbs the Coyotes organization while the Arizona Coyotes "suspend operations" and go into hiatus but do not fold outright, and return later via expansion draft once they sort out the arena issue.

Which begs the question - why would Smith even want the Coyotes organization? With the Browns/Ravens organization there was ownership continuity, which isn't the case here. Moreover, taking on the Coyotes means taking on contracts Arizona absorbed to technically get to the floor, but will be problematic for Smith assuming he plans to try and build a contender in the short term.

The Coyotes are FAIAP on a twelve year playoff drought, the asterisked playoff appearance of 2020 notwithstanding. Whereas Vegas has missed the playoffs once in seven years and are defending champs, and whereas Seattle made the playoffs and dethroned the defending champs in their second year. If you're being asked to pay 300M premium on top of 1B to join this league, on what terms would you want to join? Not a hard call IMHO.

A Coyotes dispersal draft would also presumably suit most of the players just fine. They're moving in any case. And let's face it, SLC is not Funville USA. Alot of players without NTCs would prefer to head almost anywhere else. And if Schmaltz and Kerfoot can decline to play for ten teams each, why should they be forced to play in Utah if they don't want to?

Finally, this eliminates any perception that the Coyotes have "moved" - all things considered, it seems a logical way to resolve this matter.

If the Coyotes spent money they would do better.

They have a 78m cap hit.

~23m is on the LTIR and only 1.75m of that is from an injured player who played for the Coyotes this year. They have almost 2m in dead cap space too.

So they really have 55m roster. And Weber is the only player who’ll be on the LTIR after this season so they can start spending more right away.

They got a solid prospect pool. They don’t have any extra 1st but they have TEN 2nds in the next 3 drafts. Lot of draft assets for trades.

Utah wants a team and this is their opportunity.

I think the regular SLC people would support a hockey team but idk what the corporate support situation is.

The NHL will obviously try in Phoenix again one day but for the love of god don’t go back there as an expansion team in like 3 years. Give it at least 10.

The Jazz are 10th in ticket sales and 7th in corporate sponsorship, a lot money in Utah right now.

 

[D34DLYB1RDS]

Once again, SLC isn't the preferred destination for the NHL. They just are at the right place at the right time, like Winnipeg was when Atlanta came crashing down. Do you think the NHL wanted to return to Winnipeg? No offence to the Jets fans here, but let's be real.

Even if SLC isn't the perfect destination, Smith seems like an owner that is very much of the type the NHL wants.

Atlanta came crashing down because of ownership not wanting them. Has nothing to do with the fans, which was better than what Winnipeg is pulling.

 

[Voight]

This really makes me believe the "Meruelo is a grifter" claim a lot more.

More like a snake oil salesman.

How low can this go

Shocker. The same guy who didn't pay his rent to Gila River Arena on time, same guy who didn't pay the players their per diems in the bubble on time, same guy who didn't pay his vendors on time.....

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

If the Coyotes spent money they would do better.

They have a 78m cap hit.

~23m is on the LTIR and only 1.75m of that is from an injured player who played for the Coyotes this year. They have almost 2m in dead cap space too.

So they really have 55m roster. And Weber is the only player who’ll be on the LTIR after this season so they can start spending more right away.

They got a solid prospect pool. They don’t have any extra 1st but they have TEN 2nds in the next 3 drafts.

Utah wants a team and this is their opportunity.



The Jazz are 10th in ticket sales and 7th in corporate sponsorship, a lot money in Utah right now.

if this deal goes through Smith just doesn't acquire the Coyotes, but all assets under Arizona ownership which is why Tucson is a piece of this deal even though sources there are saying the Roadrunners will replace the parent club at Mullett Arena which the Coyotes ownership acquired in 2014 and relocated the Roadrunners from private ownership in Springfield, not the current Thunderbirds ownership, the previous Falcons ownership

 

[Thallis]

Salt Lake is a terrible place for a team tbh

Salt Lake City is a winter sports wonderland. Have you ever been?

 

[Junohockeyfan]

This is just an embarrassment all around. SLC will be a total trainwreck for NHL hockey. How they don't mandate they move to a viable city like Houston is beyond me.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I like how people in here are shitting on Salt Lake City and saying it can't support a NHL team, while being almost guaranteed to never have been there before.

 

[StreetHawk]

This is just an embarrassment all around. SLC will be a total trainwreck for NHL hockey. How they don't mandate they move to a viable city like Houston is beyond me.

I’m guess the nhl BOG maybe not the biggest Fertitia fan. Rockets owner controls the arena in terms of revenue. If he doesn’t own the team they would only get game day revenues which may not be enough for a team to be viable most likely. So maybe he didn’t want to pay the NHL’s price as he mentioned before about teams south of the Mississippi River or something to that effect.

Their arena is turnkey and ready to go. But nhl has made up its mind. Smith was in the NHL’s back pocket. Don’t think Fertitia aligned himself with the nhl the way he should have if he was truly interested in the mhl but more so to add to his portfolio.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

I’m guess the nhl BOG maybe not the biggest Fertitia fan. Rockets owner controls the arena in terms of revenue. If he doesn’t own the team they would only get game day revenues which may not be enough for a team to be viable most likely. So maybe he didn’t want to pay the NHL’s price as he mentioned before about teams south of the Mississippi River or something to that effect.

Their arena is turnkey and ready to go. But nhl has made up its mind. Smith was in the NHL’s back pocket. Don’t think Fertitia aligned himself with the nhl the way he should have if he was truly interested in the mhl but more so to add to his portfolio.

Rockets owner Fertitta 'working on' bringing NHL team to Houston

Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta remains steadfast in his desire to bring a professional hockey franchise to the city."We would like to work to get an NHL team in Houston," he said Wednesday, according to the Houston Chronicle's Greg Rajan. "I'm working on it."Fertitta's interest in the...

www.thescore.com

 

[Tawnos]

I like how people in here are shitting on Salt Lake City and saying it can't support a NHL team, while being almost guaranteed to never have been there before.

Hey I've never been to Saskatoon, but I know for sure that it can't support an NHL team.

Might have something to do with the population being less than 500k in the metro area though.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Rockets owner Fertitta 'working on' bringing NHL team to Houston

Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta remains steadfast in his desire to bring a professional hockey franchise to the city."We would like to work to get an NHL team in Houston," he said Wednesday, according to the Houston Chronicle's Greg Rajan. "I'm working on it."Fertitta's interest in the...

www.thescore.com

SEG is already ahead of any Houston expansion/relocation.....

 

[HolyGhost]

Not so much here... but on other sites, some arizona fans are either in the dark or just now refusing to even admit other reporters are reporting on this and more or less admitting they knew about what was going on but did not want to be the one to go first due the blow back they would get on line There were right.

According to many Arizona fans on other sites, the team has been profitable for 5 years and have not received any money in any way, shape or form from NHL interests

 

[Empoleon8771]

Hey I've never been to Saskatoon, but I know for sure that it can't support an NHL team.

Might have something to do with the population being less than 500k in the metro area though.

Salt Lake City's metro population is like 1.5 million. It's bigger than Winnipeg and Buffalo and about the same size as Memphis.

 

[Lt Frank Drebin]

This is just an embarrassment all around. SLC will be a total trainwreck for NHL hockey. How they don't mandate they move to a viable city like Houston is beyond me.

Utah has the potential to be a great hockey market. The jazz sell out the arena every game. For a while the Utah Grizzlies had the record for largest attendance for a minor league hockey game. The last game of the 1996 turner cup final had over 17k in attendance. Utah will do fine

 

[Tawnos]

Salt Lake City's metro population is like 1.5 million. It's bigger than Winnipeg and Buffalo and about the same size as Memphis.

I was talking about Saskatoon.

There are 2.7 million people living in the SLC "market," as defined by the NHL's territory definition (extending out 50 miles from the city limits).

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Utah has the potential to be a great hockey market. The jazz sell out the arena every game. For a while the Utah Grizzlies had the record for largest attendance for a minor league hockey game. The last game of the 1996 turner cup final had over 17k in attendance. Utah will do fine

The Jazz are not a hockey team. Basketball is the 3rd most popular sport in America. Hockey is like 6th or 7th.

The Grizzlies average like 5K / game. That's hardly a measuring stick for an NHL market. I just don't see it becoming a success.

 

[molon labe]

The Jazz are not a hockey team. Basketball is the 3rd most popular sport in America. Hockey is like 6th or 7th.

The Grizzlies average like 5K / game. That's hardly a measuring stick for an NHL market. I just don't see it becoming a success.

If a non-marquee team is in town, most NBA arenas are empty. The numbers are pumped like in every sport.

SLC is somewhat synonymous with winter sports....I don't see how this wouldn't make sense to anyone.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

The Jazz are not a hockey team.

The Grizzlies average like 5K / game. That's hardly a measuring stick for an NHL market. I just don't see it becoming a success.

because Delta Center isn't a dual purpose arena, juno..... SAME happened to the Coyotes in their arrival in 1996.... Footprint still isn't a dual purpose arena even now.... another example is State Farm Arena in Atlanta..... which later was retrofitted to a single use the Basketball configuration.... that's why you've seen some markets have 2 arenas in the same market..... OKC was one of those when the Myriad/Cox Center co-existed w/ the Thunder's arena because the Thunder had exclusivity rights blocking any other ownership from splitting the arena dates