If Phoenix gets expansion. Is Murelo the owner?

[MayDayMayDay]

I can't believe how arrogant Meruelo is. The fanbase in this city hates him, so he is going to burn the fanbase in Tucson too? In the unlikely event he builds an arena and gets a new NHL franchise, what is he going to do with the Roadrunners? Move them back to Tucson? Will the city of Tucson even want to deal with him again? What is the point of moving the Roadrunners? Is there a penalty in the lease with ASU that will cost him more than next year's lease if he does not have a team in Mullett? Senseless.

The only positive I can think of is that having a professional team in town, even just AHL, will be less harmful to the youth hockey programs in the valley than having no team.

Right?! What's the point of moving the Roadrunners, but also, what's the point in keeping them? Unless he's planning on moving them to Reno, but if that's the case, why negotiate for right of refusal and why not just give it all to Smith and cash out altogether? And if they reach an affiliate agreement with Utah, doesn't he run the risk of a conflict of interest if he does by some remote chance build the arena and trigger an expansion draft?

We know he wants the entertainment district first and foremost. What if he turns around, wins the auction, builds the ED, then once it triggers an expansion draft, flips the arena and his expansion draft chip to another owner? Suddenly, he has his ED, recouped costs from the sale of the expansion team & arena, and a tenant/revenue engine in the new team driving it?

What is that f***in maniac thinking?

 

[mpir3]

He changes the name of the Roadrunners to the Arizona Coyotes…insists to the fans that he was able to keep the Coyotes in Arizona and best of all can continue to keep selling his son’s merchandise. Look for the summer drop coming soon!

 

[JasonDemersWasOkay]

Having the roadrunners play in mullett where we’re forced to watch the prospects OUR team drafted to be developed for other fans is the ultimate cucking. f*** EVERYTHING

 

[The Feckless Puck]

I can't believe how arrogant Meruelo is. The fanbase in this city hates him, so he is going to burn the fanbase in Tucson too? In the unlikely event he builds an arena and gets a new NHL franchise, what is he going to do with the Roadrunners? Move them back to Tucson? Will the city of Tucson even want to deal with him again? What is the point of moving the Roadrunners? Is there a penalty in the lease with ASU that will cost him more than next year's lease if he does not have a team in Mullett? Senseless.

The only positive I can think of is that having a professional team in town, even just AHL, will be less harmful to the youth hockey programs in the valley than having no team.

His theory is that he can make more money from Scottsdale saps than Tucson ones.

 

[DustyDangler]

He changes the name of the Roadrunners to the Arizona Coyotes…insists to the fans that he was able to keep the Coyotes in Arizona and best of all can continue to keep selling his son’s merchandise. Look for the summer drop coming soon!

I'm only now catching on to this. His son is Chief Brand Officer so I can blame him for crap merch like this?:

 

[rt]

Having the roadrunners play in mullett where we’re forced to watch the prospects OUR team drafted to be developed for other fans is the ultimate cucking. f*** EVERYTHING

The coyotes are gone. I’m thrilled at the idea of at least having the roadrunners back. I was a roadrunners fan first.

I’m not going to turn down a severance package after a layoff out of spite.

 

[XX]

The AHL franchise is almost certainly a vanity project for AM Jr. A toy. It should have conveyed with the team. The league should have ensured it stayed in Arizona for the time being and then steered another to Tucson or Tempe to ensure hockey keeps going in the state.

AM needs to get gone.

 

[Snarky Coyote]

I think the next few weeks will say a lot with how he handles the fallout. I really don't think I would support him without a TON of explanation and admission of many many mistakes. (probably buying the team without a direct plan on how to exit from Glendale and into to another arena would be the first)

 

[Jakey53]

Well boys I have been humbled by what has happened. I would have bet my left nut that the NHL would NEVER LEAVE this market. What makes matters worse is that those shit heads in Canada and our own local boy Gambo were 100% right and I was 100% wrong. Then on top of that, Morgan and Peetey kissing Servalli's ass made me puke. In my opinion this all started by Walsh and the Coyotes being in a playoff position earlier this year. There was no way the NHL and the NHLPA wanted NHL playoff hockey in the Mullett as it would be a bad look and lost revenue. Having said that they are going to a old 11k seat arena, so that is kind of hard to understand, and also the market population is a head scratcher as well. There is no use slinging mud at AM or the NHL because whether you like it or not the NHL is a business first, hockey second, players third and fans fourth. That's life, you can't make everyone happy. Not sure if I will follow the team after this year or not. Have to wait until everything unfolds.

 

[Kai Yo T]

I'm only now catching on to this. His son is Chief Brand Officer so I can blame him for crap merch like this?:

View attachment 850918

Yep. I still think that those shirts look like they were ripped off from the T-shirts at Walgreen's. That's Walgreen's, not Walmart even.

 

[Nowotny]

I say team is back in 3-5 yrs. no way it takes long. nobody will wait that long and NHL sees massive potential like all of us.

Atlanta also has massive potential and no current NHL team

 

[Llewzaher]

Right?! What's the point of moving the Roadrunners, but also, what's the point in keeping them? Unless he's planning on moving them to Reno, but if that's the case, why negotiate for right of refusal and why not just give it all to Smith and cash out altogether? And if they reach an affiliate agreement with Utah, doesn't he run the risk of a conflict of interest if he does by some remote chance build the arena and trigger an expansion draft?

We know he wants the entertainment district first and foremost. What if he turns around, wins the auction, builds the ED, then once it triggers an expansion draft, flips the arena and his expansion draft chip to another owner? Suddenly, he has his ED, recouped costs from the sale of the expansion team & arena, and a tenant/revenue engine in the new team driving it?

What is that f***in maniac thinking?

If he brings the Roadrunners up to Mullet he can keep the staff supposedly, However the Tusvon fans suffer

 

[MIGs Dog]

Atlanta also has massive potential and no current NHL team

Yep. Biggest metros without a team: Houston, Atlanta, and soon to be Phoenix.

Only one NHL metro (US) is smaller than SLC, and that's Buffalo.

The KC metro is nearly twice as big as SLC, and has an NHL ready arena seating 17.5k.

 

[Llewzaher]

I know the fanbase hates him . My take is he is an experienced businessman man and owner, land developer. but is in an inexperienced sports team owner, but wants to be one and prove that he can be one.

In every other of his businesses from pizza , to construction to engineering hotels and Casinos and being on the boards of banks .Any complaints from customers , and workers and staff , likely never gets dealt by him but his CEOs or his managers etc.. he would deal with lawyers and city officials etc..

His CEO ran and hid and is the one who never said a word, is also the one who in his twitter posts , was too worried about his latino awards than anything to do with hockey..( also likely would have overseen the budget for little things like hotel bills)

Having said that …. The other side of this .. I remember back at the Tempe vote we all , including me was very vocal about XG saying way too much and every time he opened his mouth the Canadian media jumped all over him causing major embarrassing news headlines, that we all wanted him not to speak unless there were firm details. Maybe AM told him the same ? Who knows .. I see his name is pulled from the website now.

AM is the only owner that is willing and still trying apparently to make it work. Others would have left years ago and maybe he should have?

I don’t know that he deserves the hate he is getting, but I understand it. And I am also watching from afar and only see the details from afar, I am not “boots on the ground”

If the NHL hadn’t forced his hand and he wins the auction, obviously no one is talking about this because the team stays.

My anger is more towards XG , the NHl Walsh and the Canadian media that were so eager to make this franchise look bad over the years.

 

[Prarievarg]

I know the fanbase hates him . My take is he is an experienced businessman man and owner, land developer. but is in an inexperienced sports team owner, but wants to be one and prove that he can be one.

In every other of his businesses from pizza , to construction to engineering hotels and Casinos and being on the boards of banks .Any complaints from customers , and workers and staff , likely never gets dealt by him but his CEOs or his managers etc.. he would deal with lawyers and city officials etc..

His CEO ran and hid and is the one who never said a word, is also the one who in his twitter posts , was too worried about his latino awards than anything to do with hockey..( also likely would have overseen the budget for little things like hotel bills)

Having said that …. The other side of this .. I remember back at the Tempe vote we all , including me was very vocal about XG saying way too much and every time he opened his mouth the Canadian media jumped all over him causing major embarrassing news headlines, that we all wanted him not to speak unless there were firm details. Maybe AM told him the same ? Who knows .. I see his name is pulled from the website now.

AM is the only owner that is willing and still trying apparently to make it work. Others would have left years ago and maybe he should have?

I don’t know that he deserves the hate he is getting, but I understand it. And I am also watching from afar and only see the details from afar, I am not “boots on the ground”

If the NHL hadn’t forced his hand and he wins the auction, obviously no one is talking about this because the team stays.

My anger is more towards XG , the NHl Walsh and the Canadian media that were so eager to make this franchise look bad over the years.

I agree with this. AM has been far from perfect and there have been too many missteps to feel confident in this ownership, I'm not ready to label him a grifter. I do believe he has tried to make it work. We've seen progress under AM's tenure that we haven't with previous ownership (improvements in hockey ops, player pipeline, and progress on the arena situation)

Much of my blame is directed towards the NHL. They set the stage in Glendale, and I don’t think AM had much to work with there after the statements by Bettman and the NHL. And the fact they let this season progress, giving fans here hope for a bright future, all while knowing they would pull the plug is disgraceful.

 

[Jamieh]

I know the fanbase hates him . My take is he is an experienced businessman man and owner, land developer. but is in an inexperienced sports team owner, but wants to be one and prove that he can be one.

In every other of his businesses from pizza , to construction to engineering hotels and Casinos and being on the boards of banks .Any complaints from customers , and workers and staff , likely never gets dealt by him but his CEOs or his managers etc.. he would deal with lawyers and city officials etc..

His CEO ran and hid and is the one who never said a word, is also the one who in his twitter posts , was too worried about his latino awards than anything to do with hockey..( also likely would have overseen the budget for little things like hotel bills)

Having said that …. The other side of this .. I remember back at the Tempe vote we all , including me was very vocal about XG saying way too much and every time he opened his mouth the Canadian media jumped all over him causing major embarrassing news headlines, that we all wanted him not to speak unless there were firm details. Maybe AM told him the same ? Who knows .. I see his name is pulled from the website now.

AM is the only owner that is willing and still trying apparently to make it work. Others would have left years ago and maybe he should have?

I don’t know that he deserves the hate he is getting, but I understand it. And I am also watching from afar and only see the details from afar, I am not “boots on the ground”

If the NHL hadn’t forced his hand and he wins the auction, obviously no one is talking about this because the team stays.

My anger is more towards XG , the NHl Walsh and the Canadian media that were so eager to make this franchise look bad over the years.

The "Canadian media " is a very convenient excuse especially when the loudest critics have been American. It's the equivalent of blaming the Cop writing the ticket when you were driving twice the speed limit. Might just be about time to face the fact that the media most called liars for years now were actually the correct ones.

 

[Prarievarg]

correct ones.

If they were the Coyotes would've relocated 20+ times by now

 

[Jamieh]

If they were the Coyotes would've relocated 20+ times by now

They reported what was happening, Coyote's fans continued to blame the Reporters.

 

[Llewzaher]

The "Canadian media " is a very convenient excuse especially when the loudest critics have been American. It's the equivalent of blaming the Cop writing the ticket when you were driving twice the speed limit. Might just be about time to face the fact that the media most called liars for years now were actually the correct ones.

I live in Canada and what I hear is mostly Canadian media .. and most of what I heard over the years about the Yotes was incorrect. But your right there was a lot of American missed reporting as well, and the Canadians could have just been citing American sources in some cases..

They got it right this time ? Yes ……do they have the right “narrative “? I am not sure yet..

But throw enough darts eventually something will stick

 

[AintLifeGrand]

Atlanta also has massive potential and no current NHL team

yea but we shouls be getting ours back right around the time your right to come back kicks in

sorry this is happening- Losing the Thrashers was awful and something I don’t wish on anyone but winnipeg jets fan

Since then in many ways the Nashville Predators have filled the void and brought me more joy than the Thrashers ever did

ironically, I will probably become a Salt Lake Fan until Thrashers v2 return as I lived there for 5 years and still travel back and forth multiple times for work

I think one form of solace is that the team is moving to an adjacent state- one that shares a ton of cultural crossover with Utah and that can be accessed via an easy 1 hr flight

 

[Llewzaher]

I agree with this. AM has been far from perfect and there have been too many missteps to feel confident in this ownership, I'm not ready to label him a grifter. I do believe he has tried to make it work. We've seen progress under AM's tenure that we haven't with previous ownership (improvements in hockey ops, player pipeline, and progress on the arena situation)

Much of my blame is directed towards the NHL. They set the stage in Glendale, and I don’t think AM had much to work with there after the statements by Bettman and the NHL. And the fact they let this season progress, giving fans here hope for a bright future, all while knowing they would pull the plug is disgraceful.

Yes I don’t believe other owners would have allowed BA to gut and re hire and spend the money to expand all aspects of the scouting department, training development departments etc..

And then say we likely won’t win for 5 years as we are going through a rebuild.

Most new owners of teams like to make impressions for their fans by signing or trading for big named players etc..

 

[AZviaNJ]

The coyotes are gone. I’m thrilled at the idea of at least having the roadrunners back. I was a roadrunners fan first.

I’m not going to turn down a severance package after a layoff out of spite.

AM could win back a bit of support by contributing heavily into youth hockey development in the Valley.

 

[Jakey53]

I say team is back in 3-5 yrs. no way it takes long. nobody will wait that long and NHL sees massive potential like all of us.

I agree. Rumor is the expansion fee will be between 1.7-2 B within five years, and that is why Houston and Atlanta want in now.

I would understand if he tried everything he could, and then ultimately had to sell the team for the price tag that being rumored.

What I don’t understand is stringing along a fan base and employees without opening your mouth to them directly. Or making subtle hints on social media platforms that your plan is still in process all while knowing you’re going to sell the team and pivot to “well we ARE still going to do the auction, we just didn’t tell you that the team will relocate and we will try to get a fresh Coyotes expansion team in the future.”

If that’s his plan I have no faith in him as an owner.

I think it's best if we wait and hear what the NHL and AM have to say at the presser. All this speculation is turning into stupid rumors.

 

[Jakey53]

The "Canadian media " is a very convenient excuse especially when the loudest critics have been American. It's the equivalent of blaming the Cop writing the ticket when you were driving twice the speed limit. Might just be about time to face the fact that the media most called liars for years now were actually the correct ones.

Yes, this time they were.

They reported what was happening, Coyote's fans continued to blame the Reporters.

Yes I did. And I said it loud and clear. I was 100% wrong. I still want to hear from the NHL and AM.

 

[lanky]

If Meruelo builds an arena and buys back into the NHL, then I think he'll be deserving of forgiveness. There aren't many (any?) sports owners building arenas without help from taxpayers.

I don't think he'll do it. Even if he does it, I'll be a Utah fan, not a Coyotes fan. But if he does it, I can't imagine there being any legitimate complaints about what he did for hockey in the desert.