yave1964 Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 My thoughts on the 2013-14 Phoenix CoyotesWell at least they are staying in Arizona, for good or bad, at least we know. I was hoping for Seattle or even my personal favorite Kansas City, but they, they are who they are. Maloney is an amazing GM doing yeoman work as is Dave Tippett, both have earned their stripes keeping this club together both literally and figuratively. Shane Doan is pushing 40 and is one of the most overrated players in the game, 50 points a year and still at his age leads the league in stupid and inopportune penalties. Vermette and Vrbata can play, getting Ribeiro to center him is huge, young guys like Hanzal and Boedker are starting to develop. Overall the forwards are solid but unspectacular. Mike Smith summarizes the Coyotes, anonymous and non descript as any man wearing a mask for a living can be, in the Tippett system he is now considered a minor star, kind of where Bryz was in the same situation. He is not of course, just plays in front of a responsible defense and a bunch of forwards who play a two hundred foot game and a great coach. Smith stumbled in to Phoenix a few years ago because Bryz left and nobody else wanted him. Now he just signed a rich contract to play in the desert. The defense is underrated as can be, Yandle is a star, Ekman-Larsson is an offensive force, and a nice mix of veterans and talented youngsters are behind them. They actually have nine d-men under one way contracts, someone like Rundblad or Michael Stone will likely be traded before the start of the season for another forward. Are they a playoff team? Well a nice mix, a great coach and a near point a game addition like Ribeiro will keep them in the mix barring a run of injuries. I never will rule out a Maloney/Tippett team, I don't think they are quite there in a rugged division but they have a chance at a lower seed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 @yave1964 Seems to me this is a big make or break year in the developlent of Boedker. He get's a pass for the past years, some guys just take longer than others, plus, he's not on the Yotes top line, so the lack of scoring depth on that team is hurting his point totals also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 @yave1964 I'm glad the Coyotes are staying, the stability in management also helped attract both Smith and Ribeiro to play in the desert. Ribeiro should help create more scoring Solid D and goaltending will keep the Yotes in the mix for making the playoffs.Did anyone notice that Portland was where the Yotes were to have moved if an agreement was not reached in Glendale? So then it looks as if the two possible locations for expansion in the West would be Portland and Seattle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TretiakCCCP20 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Tell me again why on earth we even brought a hockey team to Arizona in the first place? Seems like every year they are near the bottom in terms of attendance at their home games...Hockey is a northern sport, everybody knows it. Granted cities like Dallas have defied that rule, it seems they have a somewhat devout following. As for teams like Phoenix, Florida, and Carolina though. It doesn't seem like their local population really appreciates hockey. I bet nobody in Carolina had heard of the Canes until they won the cup in '06. Why don't they actually put these teams in a market where they will actually be appreciated. Why doesn't Wisconsin have a hockey team anyways? I'm sure the NHL would fair better in Wisconsin than it did in Georgia *cough* Atlanta Flames *cough* Atlanta Thrashers *cough* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Tell me again why on earth we even brought a hockey team to Arizona in the first place? Seems like every year they are near the bottom in terms of attendance at their home games...Hockey is a northern sport, everybody knows it. Granted cities like Dallas have defied that rule, it seems they have a somewhat devout following. As for teams like Phoenix, Florida, and Carolina though. It doesn't seem like their local population really appreciates hockey. I bet nobody in Carolina had heard of the Canes until they won the cup in '06. Why don't they actually put these teams in a market where they will actually be appreciated. Why doesn't Wisconsin have a hockey team anyways? I'm sure the NHL would fair better in Wisconsin than it did in Georgia *cough* Atlanta Flames *cough* Atlanta Thrashers *cough* Hockey is in Arizona for all the retired MN and Wisconsinites. If the NHL's goal is to grow the sport and acquire new revenues how does keeping hockey in a localized area support that? Did you see the thread of the NHL plans to make increase revenue 1Billion over the next 3 years?http://www.hockeyforums.net/index.php/topic/59762-nhl-plans-additional-1billion-in-revenues-over-next-3-years/ I'm not stating that a Milwaukee team wouldn't be appreciated, can the area really support both basketball and hockey? Looking back the Twin Cities had a hard enough time supporting the North Stars. Supporting a team isn't necessarily all about the knowledgeable fanbase. Phoenix is the 6th largest city in the US. A stabilized ownership and a team that competes in the playoffs will quickly build up a fanbase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TretiakCCCP20 Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 @hf101 The thing with the North Stars was bad management if you ask me. The fans loved their hockey though. Thats why its nothing short of incredible that the North Stars moved away. You look at Atlanta though. Thats a huge metro area and the NHL has failed in two franshise ventures there to date both lasting under 15 years. Move a city to Portland or Seattle. I'm sure they'd fair better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 I won't disagree with you there. Seatle or Portland will have an expansion team in the next few years. I agree a big part of the failure in MN was management, it also was greed. Taxpayers didn't want to fund an Ownership that wouldn't pay for the majority of the expense yet would reap all of the benefits. Attendance did drop during the years the North Stars sucked just like Atlanta. Franchises in less than desirable markets need to win in order to build a fan base. Making the playoffs is life or death to building success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TretiakCCCP20 Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Yes, the thing the NHL needs to realize is just because a large metro population exists doesn't mean it can support an NHL team. I pray to god the NHL has learned its lesson from Atlanta Flames and more recently the Thrashers. Atlanta is no place for hockey. The population there just doesn't care enough to support and attend the team's games. I think more franchises should be placed in Canada. The only issue is where. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcoastie Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 I’m happy to see the dogs are staying. I was raised in Phoenix. I also like the name change next year. Arizona Coyotes. I remember going to the Coliseum and watching the Roadrunners. When my parents were alive, I would go to the Valley of the Sun at least 3 times a year. September to April. I would always take in a game or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 @txcoastie Welcome to HF. I like the name change to the Arizona Coyotes also. Hopefully with the ownership change the recent playoff success the Coyotes will stay in Arizona. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 @txcoastie Welcome! Fun forum in here, I believe that you will enjoy the repartee and give and take in here. Glad to see a fan of another franchise!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TretiakCCCP20 Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 @yave1964 Better that he's a Coyotes fan than a stinking Flyers fan right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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