If you had the choice...

[The Zetterberg Era]

Phoenix was doing worlds better when they were downtown too. The decision to exit downtown has played a large role in their problem in Arizona. We don't question Ottawa as a hockey market we concede their arena is terrible and their owner is a goof. That is because they are in Canada, we don't even get all that upset when they bring out the tarps. Meanwhile Arizona has had terrible ownership and crummy arena location and has suffered as a result. Hey same for Atlanta.

Meanwhile San Jose has ownership that invested heavily in the local amateur program and built a smart organization with strong results. Nashville approached a long-haul build as has Dallas and Tampa though they benefit from snowbirds for a lot of the season. Still this is much more contingent on the ownership group doing the right things and waiting two and half generations to profit. We might have the greatest American player ever thanks to our journey to the desert. One that looks poised at some point (hopefully not!!!!!!!!) to end the extremely long Cup drought in the largest hockey market in the world. Forgive me if I role my eyes when the lecture about shutting down Arizona or whatever else to move to Canada for the annual TSN hit piece on it happens.

The league makes decisions on a bigger level than I think most seem to appreciate and they have substantial information on the markets we talk about along with the potential owners they can do business with.

 

[Henkka]

If you had the choice of where the Coyotes could relocate, but...

Scenario #1 - Yotes relocate to Houston, and stay in the Western Conference thus keeping the Wings in the Eastern Conference.

Scenario #2 - Yotes relocate to Quebec City, and thus causing a conference imbalance, and then seeing the Wings being moved back into the Western Conference (back to our old stomping grounds seeing numerous games against the Blackhawks/Blues/Avs).

Opinions - ideas?

Move Columbus to West.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Move Columbus to West.

Why would you screw over an existing owner for a new group?

Listen even if Phoenix moved to Quebec City tomorrow. I would make Quebec City play in the west until such time as reasonable relocation and realignment talk could happen. You know like how we hung out west for many years is the truth on that. I would tell them this could be a decade or two but you're the ones dealing with crummy start times and the travel.

No Columbus isn't going west, just like we aren't. Our owners would vote that down. Of course there are also the votes to kill Quebec City outright from happening behind closed doors more than likely, which is what I believe is currently happening so that doesn't much matter in this conversation in terms of realignment in my opinion. It makes them a really bad target for Phoenix though to be sure. But I still think this is killed if it is Florida or Carolina we are talking about.

 

[SantosHalper]

Quebec City deserves team, but im sure they will keep Coyotes in the south. Houston most likely.

 

[wingerdinger]

It's too bad that the cities/towns in Saskatchewan are so small and spread apart, always thought they'd be a nice option for a coyote's relocation.

Moving the franchise to Houston is no gurantee for anything.

 

[KasperTheGrittyGhost]

I mentioned Milwauke/Wisconsin as a relocation destination, and I came across this cool concept design. Thought I’d share!