He did hug him after so he wouldnt fall flat on his face after being hit in the face....so he's got that going for him.
It's Tom Wilson, so he desrves every second he gets.That looks bad, but not as bad as Trouba on Frederic, so I expect a huge suspension.
DoPS Wheel of Justice and all that…
Some reports say “as soon as April 18”!Looks like it's happening.
The NHL is working as the broker, handling negotiations with both current Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo and prospective Utah steward Ryan Smith. Initially, the hope was to let the June 27 auction play out, but two concerns emerged: first, about what would happen if the Meruelo lost the auction, and second, the possibility of three more seasons at Mullett Arena. There wasn’t much enthusiasm for the latter.
….and it’s even harder seeing as their last game is April 17 and they’re not in the playoffs…Some reports say “as soon as April 18”!
I’m guessing that means an announcement as soon as April 18 - not any actual games…but, it’s not 1000% impossible. But it would be hard!
I think a move now is a win-win for the league - get Smith in as an owner, the league keeps the franchise identity (and gets rid of Meruelo), and once a better ownership groups steps in and can get an arena deal in place, they can expand there.So my very quick-and-dirty read on this is that, as much as the league doesn’t want to lose the Phoenix market, they can’t withstand any more egg on their face. Best-case scenario is one of their franchises spends half a decade in an arena not suitable for the AHL, worst-case is Meruelo stumbles again. The plan may be to sell the team to Smith for $1b+, but keep the franchise identity with Meruelo. If/when he can get an NHL-level arena built in Phoenix, the league expands, one Phoenix and one East.
I feel like not only had Meruelo worn out his welcome with the NHL, I think he doesn’t have much credibility in the Phoenix metro either. He couldn’t get an arena deal while owning an actual active team…I can’t see him doing any better with vague promises of eventual expansion. I think the project needs a fresh face on it.Right, but Meruelo’s been a problem for the BoG for most of his tenure, and Friedman said explicitly that the NHL was doing this to keep him from going full Charlie “WILD CARD BITCHES! YEEHAW!” Kelly on them. Soooooooo, why give him the window? Best I can guess is they want SOMEONE keeping the fire stoked there, but hoping he won’t reap the reward of being there in 2029.
Well, it’s still going to be a hockey venue…and ASU inherits some kick-ass dressing rooms.The only reason I am a little unenthusiastic about this move is that Mullett Arena is the best possible name for a hockey stadium.
If the name could move with the team I would be 1000% onboard.
The NHL didn't have any leverage. They couldn't sustain another year in Mullett without a firm plan in place for a new building. Meruelo was back at square one, vaguely hoping to win a land auction which would've been step 1 of a million towards a new arena and it being an auction, he may not have even won it. But at any rate, it's looking like another 5+ years before they'd get a new building. So the NHL needed to be out of there, immediately. Problem is, Meruelo doesn't want to sell. The league can't just relocate the franchise or force a sale without a lengthy, and probably costly, legal battle. They need to incentivize him, thus the $1 billion (he paid $300 million originally) and the 5-year window.Right, but Meruelo’s been a problem for the BoG for most of his tenure, and Friedman said explicitly that the NHL was doing this to keep him from going full Charlie “WILD CARD BITCHES! YEEHAW!” Kelly on them. Soooooooo, why give him the window? Best I can guess is they want SOMEONE keeping the fire stoked there, but hoping he won’t reap the reward of being there in 2029.
Too bad Blues is already taken. Another geographic misnomer would be appropriate. (Even if the 1st was fron NO)The Utah Hockey Jazz
Sold for 1.2 billion. Coyotes were last purchased in 2019 for 300 million. What the hell? Current value listed in the 600 million range. The red wings are currently valued at 1.2B. That doesn’t make any sense.View: https://twitter.com/TheAthletic/status/1781047682511069655
BREAKING: The Arizona Coyotes are officially headed to Salt Lake City starting next season, sources tell The Athletic. On Thursday, the NHL Board of Governors unanimously voted in favor of the sale and relocation of the team’s hockey assets.
The most well known pre-NHL team in Salt Lake was the “Golden Eagles”, and that shows up in all the team name speculation articles…They should fuck with Vegas and do the Utah Golden Spikes.
It's complicated. As best as I can lay it out is this.Sold for 1.2 billion. Coyotes were last purchased in 2019 for 300 million. What the hell? Current value listed in the 600 million range. The red wings are currently valued at 1.2B. That doesn’t make any sense.
Those are all terrible.Trademark applications for Blizzard, Venom, Fury and Hockey Club have been sent in recently.
Really good summary for people who may not understandIt's complicated. As best as I can lay it out is this.
Utah's ownership group had approached the NHL about an expansion franchise. The NHL and the Utah group did their due dilligence and it seems like the Utah plan was going to happen at some point. Vegas' expansion fee was $500 million. Seattle paid $650 million. They have both been massive successes. The reports were out there that for Utah and other future expansion teams, the price tag was going to be $1 billion or more. So under this scenario Utah was looking at $1 billion or more for their franchise.
Enter Arizona. They have been a clusterfuck for the entiretly of their existence. The past 2 years they had been playing out of ASU's 5,000 seat arena The team had a referrendum for a $2.1 billion arena project shot down (badly) by the voters and were back at square one, with no clear direction and path towards a building. Their latest hope was to win a land auction that is happening in June to purchase land for an arena. No guarantees they win the auction, and winning the land would only be step 1 in a lenghty process to actually break ground and build the thing. The NHLPA had been up in arms about the situation playing out of ASU (alont with a myriad of other ownership related issues). The NHL couldn't play another year out of ASU, especially without a clear, executable plan for the new arena.
The NHL was in a position where they needed to get out of Arizona, immediately. The problem was the owner of the Coyotes, Alex Meruelo, had no intention of selling or relocating the team. So the NHL stepped in and brokered a deal between Meruelo and the Smith's (Utah), with Meruelo holding leverage. As part of the deal, Meruelo maintains the trademarks and history associated with Coyotes. Meruelo also has a 5-year window to build a building and re-activate the Coyotes. Utah gets all of Arizona's current hockey assets (players, coaches, management draft picks, etc.).
So essentially what is happening here, financially, is Utah is paying the going rate for an expansion franchise ($1.2 billion) but they are getting the assets from an existing team. The $1.2 billion is broken down like this, $1 billion to Meruelo and $200 million split amongst the league owners. The $1 billion to Meruelo is essentially the expansion fee he'll pay back to the NHL if he builds a building and wants to re-activate the Coyotes.
I don't think the NHL loves giving Meruelo the $700 million profit. He could just pocket it, and even if he does continute the arena search, the likllihood of him hitting the benchmarks and actually getting the arena project completed within 5 years is probably close to zero given the history. But they kind of had no chocie. They had to get out of Arizona prior to next season. For Utah's perspective, the price point is probably what they were going to pay for an expansion franchise. They start their own team with their own name and history, expcet they are inheriting a roster and management group as opposed to going through the expansion draft process. And to be honest, if I had a choice, I'd rather have Arizona's roster and assets than starting from scratch. It's almost a blank slate. Due to their financial turmoil they have a million draft picks, a solid prospect pool and tons of cap flexibility.
How about the Utah Arches and snag McDonald's as your sponsor?Trademark applications for Blizzard, Venom, Fury and Hockey Club have been sent in recently.
How about the Utah Arches and snag McDonald's as your sponsor?
edit: fans could throw out quarter pounder
patties for a home team hat trick.Those are all terrible.
Wasn't the long time minor league team in SLC called the Grizzlies?
UTAH YETIS was just filed as well.Trademark applications for Blizzard, Venom, Fury and Hockey Club have been sent in recently.
Ah, the good ol' Ute YetsI could get behind Yetis, although games with the Avalanche could be a little awkward.
As mentioned upthread, the ECHL team that plays in the Maverick Center (built as the hockey venue for 2002 Olympic Games) is the Grizzlies. When I lived in Utah, they set their players up in the apartment complex I lived in, and at 8 pm every night there wasn’t a game or a road trip, the hot tub was full of hockey players, and I never paid for a ticket all season!Wasn't the long time minor league team in SLC called the Grizzlies?
Thank you for this summary.It's complicated. As best as I can lay it out is this.
Utah's ownership group had approached the NHL about an expansion franchise. The NHL and the Utah group did their due dilligence and it seems like the Utah plan was going to happen at some point. Vegas' expansion fee was $500 million. Seattle paid $650 million. They have both been massive successes. The reports were out there that for Utah and other future expansion teams, the price tag was going to be $1 billion or more. So under this scenario Utah was looking at $1 billion or more for their franchise.
Enter Arizona. They have been a clusterfuck for the entiretly of their existence. The past 2 years they had been playing out of ASU's 5,000 seat arena The team had a referrendum for a $2.1 billion arena project shot down (badly) by the voters and were back at square one, with no clear direction and path towards a building. Their latest hope was to win a land auction that is happening in June to purchase land for an arena. No guarantees they win the auction, and winning the land would only be step 1 in a lenghty process to actually break ground and build the thing. The NHLPA had been up in arms about the situation playing out of ASU (alont with a myriad of other ownership related issues). The NHL couldn't play another year out of ASU, especially without a clear, executable plan for the new arena.
The NHL was in a position where they needed to get out of Arizona, immediately. The problem was the owner of the Coyotes, Alex Meruelo, had no intention of selling or relocating the team. So the NHL stepped in and brokered a deal between Meruelo and the Smith's (Utah), with Meruelo holding leverage. As part of the deal, Meruelo maintains the trademarks and history associated with Coyotes. Meruelo also has a 5-year window to build a building and re-activate the Coyotes. Utah gets all of Arizona's current hockey assets (players, coaches, management draft picks, etc.).
So essentially what is happening here, financially, is Utah is paying the going rate for an expansion franchise ($1.2 billion) but they are getting the assets from an existing team. The $1.2 billion is broken down like this, $1 billion to Meruelo and $200 million split amongst the league owners. The $1 billion to Meruelo is essentially the expansion fee he'll pay back to the NHL if he builds a building and wants to re-activate the Coyotes.
I don't think the NHL loves giving Meruelo the $700 million profit. He could just pocket it, and even if he does continute the arena search, the likllihood of him hitting the benchmarks and actually getting the arena project completed within 5 years is probably close to zero given the history. But they kind of had no chocie. They had to get out of Arizona prior to next season. For Utah's perspective, the price point is probably what they were going to pay for an expansion franchise. They start their own team with their own name and history, expcet they are inheriting a roster and management group as opposed to going through the expansion draft process. And to be honest, if I had a choice, I'd rather have Arizona's roster and assets than starting from scratch. It's almost a blank slate. Due to their financial turmoil they have a million draft picks, a solid prospect pool and tons of cap flexibility.
If the league were smart, they’d give the Jets the original’s team history and make the Coyotes an “expansion” team starting in 1996. But it’s the NHL, so who knows?Thank you for this summary.
Any idea what happens to the Winnipeg Jets 1/Arizona Coyotes history and trademarks if, or when, Meruelo can't get a new Arizona franchise started? Does it all go away? Does it all go to the Utah franchise? Do the current Jets get the old Jets trademarks at least, if not their old history?