Around the League 28: Expect the unexpected

[DaveG]

Happy trails Coyotes.

I don't think they're quite dead yet, though I haven't followed anything yet today. I'd still bet they find a temporary home until they can get a new situation settled in say Tempe or Scottsdale.

 

[HisIceness]

I mean, the Coyotes needed something done last year. I don't forsee Sarver letting the team "borrow" Talking Stick Arena, and plus that building as we found out in the 90's isn't for Hockey. Tucson doesn't have a Greensboro Coliseum-type venue that I'm aware of (Roadrunners of the AHL play in the Convention Center that seats like 8k). I guess they could try the Memorial Coliseum? The options here are pretty limited, a plan needs to be put in place real, real soon. Like before the season starts soon, they can't f*** around and waste time here, they simply don't have much if any left.

 

[bleedgreen]

Bettman hates undoing anything he’s done with expanding the teams footprint to non traditional markets. He’d do just about anything to keep them there, and I expect that effort to be made again here. It has to get Atlanta bad, not sure it’s there yet.

 

[Svechhammer]

I think they'll end up in Tempe in some kind of joint venture with ASU Hockey

 

[NotOpie]

I think they'll end up in Tempe in some kind of joint venture with ASU Hockey

This issue isn't really where they'll end up, it's where they'll play next season. That's going to be short-term fix w/a shitty barn....which, IMO, if Meruelo is all in on the team, would be okay as long as they've got an arena under construction prior to 2022-23 season starting. Otherwise, it's just kicking the can down the road.

My sense is the NHL will come in and sweeten the pot for Glendale and they'll put a 2-4 year extension on the table with an out clause if the new arena isn't realistic.

 

[tarheelhockey]

This issue isn't really where they'll end up, it's where they'll play next season. That's going to be short-term fix w/a shitty barn....which, IMO, if Meruelo is all in on the team, would be okay as long as they've got an arena under construction prior to 2022-23 season starting. Otherwise, it's just kicking the can down the road.

My sense is the NHL will come in and sweeten the pot for Glendale and they'll put a 2-4 year extension on the table with an out clause if the new arena isn't realistic.

The only way they can justify playing in a local rink would be if there was no expectation of having any revenue whatsoever. It would have to be some kind of scenario where there was a special arrangement with the NHLPA to offset massive short-term losses due to not having anyone physically in the building.

Wait... holy ****... follow the pandemic bread crumbs

the Coyotes did COVID

 

[hblueridgegal]

 

[hblueridgegal]

East liked least

 

[HisIceness]

Amazing how quickly the Knights have become hated. Try telling someone that in 2017.

Not sure why the Islanders are so high up

 

[LostInaLostWorld]

Amazing how quickly the Knights have become hated. Try telling someone that in 2017.

Not sure why the Islanders are so high up

The Isles surprised me as well.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

At least Toronto is the best at something.

 

[Bub]

At least Toronto is the best at something.

Plan the parade!

 

[Canes]

The Isles surprised me as well.

They have a lot of close rivals and made the ECF two years in a row. Also, they don't necessarily play an exciting or easy to play against style of hockey so it's easy for many people to hate on them.

 

[DaveG]

Amazing how quickly the Knights have become hated. Try telling someone that in 2017.

Not sure why the Islanders are so high up

Same reason everyone hated the Devils for a while. Play in a division with a lot of popular teams, play a boring style, and regularly show up said popular teams in the playoffs.

I've never had an issue with them personally, same thing with why i don't hate Tampa, has to be something behind just being good for me to hate a team, they usually have to either have a completely obnoxious fan base and/or deifying a major pos type player.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

The Isles surprised me as well.

Lou factor?

 

[Svechhammer]

New Yorkers are assholes. No surprise that both the Rangers and Isles are on there, likewise with Boston, which is just baby New York.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I hate the Isles. Not the top of my list by any means but I hate them.

I also have a lot of sports hate to give.

 

[chaz4hockey]

Amazing how quickly the Knights have become hated. Try telling someone that in 2017.

Not sure why the Islanders are so high up

Perceived style of play?

 

[tarheelhockey]

East liked least

This is probably the best measure of which teams people really care about. There's no way they hit those numbers without a decent number of Western Conference fans being hung up on Eastern Conference teams.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I get the hate for Vegas. Many fans feel they got an unfair advantage with the way the expansion draft was held. I don't buy that though as most fans thought they'd be a bottom feeder the first season after the expansion draft.

Then they had immediate success, which draws hate. Then they have no state income tax and thus some fans hate that they have an "unfair" advantage in drawing UFAs and they took got team's players who were fan favorites. Lastly, they were one of the NHL's top teams and were exempt from the Seattle draft.

So a lot of factors that could lead to fan hate.

 

[WreckingCrew]

I just realized Buffalo's current tandem is 40 yo Craig Anderson / tweener-backup Aaron Dell...if that isn't the most intentional tank job I've ever seen...

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

I just realized Buffalo's current tandem is 40 yo Craig Anderson / tweener-backup Aaron Dell...if that isn't the most intentional tank job I've ever seen...

Is this year's tanking phrase going to be "Go wrong to go Wright"?

 

[WreckingCrew]

Is this year's tanking phrase going to be "Go wrong to go Wright"?

Usually they're supposed to rhyme...but I like that one honestly!

 

[tarheelhockey]

I get the hate for Vegas. Many fans feel they got an unfair advantage with the way the expansion draft was held. I don't buy that though as most fans thought they'd be a bottom feeder the first season after the expansion draft.

Then they had immediate success, which draws hate. Then they have no state income tax and thus some fans hate that they have an "unfair" advantage in drawing UFAs and they took got team's players who were fan favorites. Lastly, they were one of the NHL's top teams and were exempt from the Seattle draft.

So a lot of factors that could lead to fan hate.

Vegas also plays a pretty physical style, and they have been in a bunch of playoff games. Put those two together, and you get a bunch of people who are still grinding their axe over a specific cheap shot or taunting incident or whatever. Reaves in particular seems to really piss people off.

 

[hblueridgegal]

Canes took a tumble..more so with the fanbase than the public.