Outsider-fan's perspective

[zetajerk]

Hi All,

I've been admiring the Coyotes from afar for many years. I've never been able to actually watch them much aside from when they come to visit the NY teams or the rare national broadcast. I graduated school last year and found full time employment, so I'm finally taking a trip to AZ to see two games in December. I want to pick your brains on a handful of questions. Your opinions actually matter to me. I don't care what the mainboard hivemind thinks.

1) How close is this team from breaking through and contending? The prospect pool is so stacked I've never seen anything like it. The young guns like Domi and Duclair and old guard in Vrby and OEL make this team look scary to the rest of the pacific.

2) What kind of atmosphere can I expect at GRA when I visit? The opponents will be Calgary (thursday) and Nashville (saturday). Empty seats won't bother me. Enthusiasm of the fans who are there is what matters to me.

2) Is the new arena talk real? I really want them to stay in AZ. If IA's endgame is just to GTFO of AZ, then why not sell to Foley? Vegas would have a team on the cusp of greatness and the league could spin it as "Hey, they moved, but at least it's right next door to you guys!" I just can't see QC happening. Again, why not just sell ahead of time if you know you're screwed at GRA? Even more, why go through all the trouble of moving your farm club out west if you're just going to move to the east coast in a year? The fact that management has been opening it's wallet for new staff and players doesn't really line up with the moving next year narrative. Why not just coast through the year if it's a lame duck anyway and cash out? Goligoski signing without even testing UFA speaks volumes. Either they told him they have something in place to stay put or they told him he's going to play in AZ for one year, then city X for the other four and he's ok with that (but his reaction to Sportsnet's relocation comment in his interview doesn't suggest that).

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[SniperHF]

1) How close is this team from breaking through and contending? The prospect pool is so stacked I've never seen anything like it. The young guns like Domi and Duclair and old guard in Vrby and OEL make this team look scary to the rest of the pacific.

I don't take the word contending lightly, 3 years absolute minimum. More likely 5. Make the playoffs and do a little damage? Could be a lot sooner depending on what captain 5-hole does.

2) What kind of atmosphere can I expect at GRA when I visit? The opponents will be Calgary (thursday) and Nashville (saturday). Empty seats won't bother me. Enthusiasm of the fans who are there is what matters to me.

Probably pretty sleepy. Sometimes Saturday games are fun since kids get into it but as a regular attendee of Thursday games it's zzZZZzzzZZzz central. Of course competitive games help.

2) Is the new arena talk real?

 

[Mosby]

A Calgary game in December should have a good number of snowbirds. I'd expect a loud crowd.

 

[SniperHF]

I've always found Calgary crowds largely indistinguishable from Coyotes fan only crowds outside slightly higher attendance, different color of red, and cheering for the other team.

They don't travel as well as Chicago/Detroit and the fans who show up tend to be older.

 

[YotesFan47]

It really depends on the time of year and how well the teams doing. I know every home opener I've gone to has been awesome, it helps that my buddie and I get into it and bring a lot of enthusiasm to the games. Most of the fan bases that visit are really cool in my experience and enjoy mild back and forth heckling. Really the experience will be what you make it. We haven't built that Boston, NY, Montreal, Toronto or Chicago style fan base where they naturally want to get excited, but a lot of fans join in if you're willing to be a catalyst for it.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Lots of fantastic prospects in the system but contending in the Pacific is tough with the 3 California teams but I think they will be competitive and battle Calgary and Edmonton for a wild card spot. Playoffs may be too much to ask this year but the future us is indeed bright with Strome, Dvorak, Chycrun, Crouse, and others on the cusp.

The Calgary game will have a lot of Flames fans who snowbird in Phoenix or fly down for the game. Should be a good atmosphere. The Nashville game is on a Saturday so I'd expect better attendance and mostly Coyote fans.

From listening to the owner on various interviews and following it closely I have to believe they are committed to the valley and will relocate and play in an arena with the ASU hockey team in or near Tempe I've read. Downtown Phoenix has been mentioned as well as the Talking Stick resort area off the 101 which would be great for me, only a 10 minute drive! It sounds like this will be their last year in Glendale however one way or another. They didn't go through the trouble of relocating their farm team to Tucson only to pack up and move their entire operation to Quebec City or Seattle I wouldn't think.

 

[OriginalJetsCoyotes]

Call me optimistic or naive but I see the team competing for a playoff spot this year, probably the wild card. If we don't make it this year I think we make it next year for sure. As far as how long until we're Cup contenders, probably 3-5 years. This also depends on how Smith plays and whether or not Domingue is capable of taking over in 2-3 years.

 

[zetajerk]

Are there any in-game traditions that fans do at every game?

 

[SniperHF]

We howl, it's amusing. It's also amusing how much some other fanbases dislike it

Kind of an odd way that ended up happening. Fan howling was always a thing, more so back in the AWA days than the 2000's. But it's actually organically picked up on its own in a more unified and non-prompted way since 2012. One of the few sports traditions like that in the valley actually.

It's usually celebratory in nature and not a rally.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

We wear Coyotes jerseys, shorts and sandals. It does get a bit cold in the arena, but for 2 hours we handle it.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Are there any in-game traditions that fans do at every game?

We scream "Beat LA!" at the top of our lungs every time the Kings come to town.

We also chant, "He shoots! He scores! Hey goalie... YOU SUCK!" after every Coyotes goal.

Other than that, we've been too busy hanging on by our fingernails to come up with anything really inspired.

 

[OriginalJetsCoyotes]

We scream "Beat LA!" at the top of our lungs every time the Kings come to town.

This is something I'm not a fan of. At first I liked it because I thought we were the only ones doing it because of the 2012 playoffs when they beat us 4-1.

...and then I realised every damn team in the league says it.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

This is something I'm not a fan of. At first I liked it because I thought we were the only ones doing it because of the 2012 playoffs when they beat us 4-1.

...and then I realised every damn team in the league says it.

No you don't understand. It's done at Diamondbacks games (albeit drowned out) as well as Suns games. It's more of an Arizona thing than an NHL thing.

 

[GhostofTommyBolin]

We also chant, "He shoots! He scores! Hey goalie... YOU SUCK!" after every Coyotes goal.

This is the dumbest thing ever. The Coyotes fans aren't the only ones in the league that do it, but that doesn't change the fact it's dumb, tired, and played out.

 

[AZviaNJ]

This is the dumbest thing ever. The Coyotes fans aren't the only ones in the league that do it, but that doesn't change the fact it's dumb, tired, and played out.

fully agree

 

[The Feckless Puck]

This is something I'm not a fan of. At first I liked it because I thought we were the only ones doing it because of the 2012 playoffs when they beat us 4-1.

...and then I realised every damn team in the league says it.

Well, not to be all hipster about it, but Arizona has been chanting "Beat LA!" since the first game between the Lakers and Suns. If anything, the rest of the league is copying us.

This is the dumbest thing ever. The Coyotes fans aren't the only ones in the league that do it, but that doesn't change the fact it's dumb, tired, and played out.

I personally hate it, unless it's a goalie I actively can't stand like, say, Marty Turco. But if I can't personalize it, I don't shout it.

 

[MP]

Speaking of chants, does anyone remember a guy who sat near the glass in 110 or 109, during '06-'07 or thereabouts, who yelled "YOU SUCK REF" all the time? I thought it was fun--blunt, brief, and cathartic--but I think he was eventually told to stop. Ring any bells?

 

[SniperHF]

I don't remember that guy but I do remember a group of 2-3 people who had ref signs that had their heads bent up their ***** in the mid 2000s or so.

 

[TheLegend]

We scream "Beat LA!" at the top of our lungs every time the Kings come to town.

We also chant, "He shoots! He scores! Hey goalie... YOU SUCK!" after every Coyotes goal.

Other than that, we've been too busy hanging on by our fingernails to come up with anything really inspired.

You forgot the "What time is it?" to the PA guy right before the one minute announcement each period.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Speaking of chants, does anyone remember a guy who sat near the glass in 110 or 109, during '06-'07 or thereabouts, who yelled "YOU SUCK REF" all the time? I thought it was fun--blunt, brief, and cathartic--but I think he was eventually told to stop. Ring any bells?

No, but I do remember this wonderful old-timer - clearly a long-time hockey fan - who sat up in the assisted seating area behind my section and would not stop shouting, "TAKE THE BODY, NOT THE MAN!" and "PUT YOUR STICK IN HIS SKATES!"

 

[Naych_PHX]

This is the dumbest thing ever. The Coyotes fans aren't the only ones in the league that do it, but that doesn't change the fact it's dumb, tired, and played out.

Yeah.. I hate that. It's very minor league.

 

[Sinurgy]

1)
1st Yr (this season) - competitive but no playoffs
2nd Yr - bubble team
3rd Yr - playoff team
4th Yr - playoffs and dark horse contender
5th Yr - contender

2)
- Calgary game will have a lot of opposing fans but a lot of them won't actually know much about the Flames, they'll mostly be cheering for Canada in general. Attendance ok and atmosphere should be decent.

- Nashville game will be mostly Coyote fans but don't be surprised if Subban brings some Predator fans out of the woodwork. It's a weekend game so attendance and atmosphere should be good and Westgate in general will be lively.

3)
Your guess is as good as ours at this point. Ownership says all the right things and there are little signs (like the Tucson farm team) that point to them staying in the valley but it's been eerily quiet on the arena front for quite awhile now. I'd put my alert level at a solid defcon 3.

 

[XX]

We also chant, "He shoots! He scores! Hey goalie... YOU SUCK!" after every Coyotes goal.

Please stop. That belongs at an ECHL game.

 

[Decoyote]

Please stop. That belongs at an ECHL game.

Yeah, stop having fun! NHL hockey is serious business for people with sophistimicated tastes.

Seriously though, I used to hate the two syllable approximation of coyotes for our let's go coy-yotes chant. Not sure why, I'm fine with it now.

 

[Mosby]

I never understood why the goalie has to suck. If he sucks, is our player who just scored on him any good?

The goalie chants are fun though. MILL ER, MILL ER, MILL ER. HOW ARD HOW ARD HOW ARD. Stuff like that.

Hopefully I'm not the only weirdo who howls to goals on TV.