Still MIGHTY

Coyotes continue to shamelessly pander to Canadian snowbirds. In addition to the Tim Horton's, there is now a poutine stand at Gila River Arena.

http://www.abc15.com/news/region-west-valley/glendale/smokes-poutinerie-brings-canadian-delicacy-to-arizona-coyotes-fans

and speaking of Glendale

Is It Friday Yet? ‏@ArizonaCoyotes 33m

33 minutes ago

At 95 degrees, there’s zero room for fair-weather fans. Thanks for being you.

The Gulls and Reign played a preseason game at Honda Center last night. Free tickets and parking, so I totally went.

Minor league hockey is fun! Sloppy as all hell, but fun! I'll definitely be down in San Diego more than a few times this year. And with Friday games being $2 beer nights, um, yeah, I'll definitely be there.

Pretty sure we've done this before.

You can take your wildest guesses on mine.

Local - Ducks, Angels, Lakers, LAFC

Went there - Arizona State, Long Beach State

Live here - United States national teams

Thought they were fake from Eurotrip, found out they were real - Manchester United (I'm also giving Tottenham Hotspur a test drive this season)

Scottish/Irish/Celtic ancestry - Celtic FC

So I see the Blackhawks are getting raked over the coals on Twitter for the Patrick Kane press conference.

Obviously, yes, if you're going to put him out there for questions, put him out there for all the questions. Don't put the issue on the side and talk about winning the Stanley Cup and the history of Notre Dame. The Blackhawks were stupid to put him out there at all. They'd be criticized for that too, but it would've caused less mess. And he was never going to go out and answer all the questions while a grand jury is looming either, so yeah.

They can't trade him because he has a no trade.

They can't terminate the contract until the Mike Richards/NHLPA v. Kings case is decided, because it hasn't actually been decided if they can legally do that or not.

So, I don't know what people want the Blackhawks to do. Until he's charged/arrested/indicted, they really can't do anything. I'm sure they'd love to lay low in the media, but they're defending Stanley Cup Champs and training camp just opened. The Blackhawks and you the fans just have to strap in for the show

When asked if Quebec might have to start out in the Western Conference (because OINTDGNHL, this a legitimate question to ask), Bettman said:

"The answer is that's something we would obviously have to consider. The experience with Winnipeg in the Southeast was less than ideal. The experience over time with Detroit and Columbus in the West - and they're farther west geographically - they couldn't wait to get into the East. So geography is an issue. But the fact that we identify it as an issue doesn't mean we've reached a conclusion. It means it’s one of the things that has to be considered."

He also slid in:

"The board, I assume, will only vote to expand if they're completely comfortable that it's the right thing to do, taking into account all of the factors," Bettman said. "This is going to be a deliberate and orderly process because it's an important decision to be made one way or the other."

Yeah, the five year out clause was removed, but the agreement only goes until June 30, 2017.

So we'll put a slight hold on this, unt we have to do it all over again... Again... Again.... Again....... Again.

If I bet someone by saying "I'd eat my hat," I would gladly be on the losing side here.

Delicious.

Barring an 11th hour surprise, it's looking like the Tukwila people will be the only Seattle group to submit an expansion bid.

Vegas and Suburbia? Two more Glendales? Why not!

Anaheim CA, Sunrise FL.

Don't lump us in with that. We're not that.

AHL changes confirmed for next season.

- California teams will play 68 games. Rest of the AHL 76.

- "The top four teams in each division ranked by points percentage (points earned divided by points available) will qualify for the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs, with one exception in each conference: if the fifth-place team in the Atlantic or Central Division finishes with a better points percentage than the fourth-place team in the North or Pacific Division, it would cross over and compete in the other divisions bracket."

- Playoffs will be Divisional brackets like the NHL. First round is Best of 5. Other rounds best of 7.

- Overtime will be NHL style. All 3 on 3

- Also NHL style coaches challenges.

...that's it? How much oxy are we talking here? Like distribution-level?

Has to be, right? You don't flat out terminate a contract over simple possession. It has to be more. This is so strange.

TMZ said he got picked up on June 17. Lombardi and the Kings said they didn't know until Friday at the Draft, June 26.

Not a fan thing. Official from the Coyotes. Figured you all could pull some comedy from this.

I had to triple check different sources just to make sure that Pronger thing wasn't a joke. That is hilarious. Really one of the funnier hockey things I've ever seen.

Guys, this is the GDNHL we're talking about. If we get Las Vegas/Quebec and Coyotes stay in Arizona for now, you know damn well the NHL would just run with 15/17 team conferences and 7-8/8-9 team divisions.

In a perfect world, the Red Wings would just be told to shove it and enjoy their long leisurely trips about the Western Conference, but that's not the case.

In a perfect perfect world, we wouldn't be talking about expansion at all, but whatever.

Straight to 3-on-3 overtime after 60 minutes next year pending board approval, WHAT CRAP.

Because the NHLPA was "adamantly opposed" to 4-on-4 then 3-on-3. It was either 3-on-3 or no change at all. Some garbage about more time = more possibility for injury, which sure I guess, but not really.

If we're so determined to avoid shootouts, we could always just not have shootouts at all. But we've had this talk before.

Also pending BoG approval, coaches challenge on goaltender interference and goals on offsides plays. Reviews wouldn't go off-ice or to Toronto. Refs would look at a monitor at the penalty box.. I'm good with that.

The Coyotes released their preseason schedule today with only one home game (the final preseason game) and a game in Bakersfield, CA against the Kings, which the Kings list as a Coyotes "home" game.

The Coyotes also put out a statement today, which I will post in its entirety: “We expect the City of Glendale to honor its contractual commitments. We intend to continue to honor ours." And that's it.

And Billy Daly spoke on the Coyotes' radio station today. Nothing truly interesting in it. Usual boilerplate NHL stuff. Daly did sai this, "They deserve better than what they are getting right now…I would say to all Coyotes fans to hang in there and this too shall pass."

Hey Seattle could please hurry and try and get an arena built so you can take the Sharks & Barracuda off our hands. Thank You. Much Appreciated.

The Sharks aren't going anywhere with their arena control, attendance and new long term lease. But if they want the Barracudas please take them right now. They could play at Key Arena.

Excuse you, sir. It's Barracuda. Da.

Give respect to a great sports brand of our times.

I really want to know who decided that. Did the California teams propose it or did the AHL propose it?

I wasn't talking about the Ducks or Angels. I was saying if I was still living in Arizona with my experiences with the Coyotes, I wouldn't have gone to that meeting to yell at the mayor. I might've gone for the theater of it and to be the official CCSLC correspondent at it, but not to yell at the mayor.

And like I said in a previous post, I don't know how I would react if the Ducks and Angels were in this spot. (Well the Angels almost are, but that's the owner's fault and we're already pissed at him about locations.) but if they were, I still don't think I'd go to yell at the council. Plus Anaheim's mayor is (was? Think Tom Tait got voted out.) already an ass. There would be a line.

Anyways, it really is a lose-lose situation, though. No party is coming out of this unscathed. The Coyotes look bad. Glendale looks worse. And the fans/citizens are all caught up in the middle and will have their own scars.

I didn't pull out the quote to harp on her for being a transplant or part-time fan or whatever. Hell, when I lived in Phoenix, I went to my fair share of Coyotes games and bought a white Peyote throwback and wore it to non-Ducks games.

But would I have gone to a Glendale city council meeting and angrily pointed my finger at the mayor? No. That's why I'm curious as to what she would wear to a Bruins/Coyotes game. Is she a Bruins fan that roots for the Coyotes because they're local? Or is she a Coyotes fan that used to be a Bruins fan? It makes a difference in terms of the context of her rant, to me.

EDIT: also, I guess the Glendale mayor had previously announced a charity drive that would allow someone to taze him. Well, after the meeting, there was a swell of support which allowed this woman, Ronda Pearson, to taze the mayor of Glendale...

Also, a little presumptuous to type out "honour" when quoting an American there, Sportsnet.

Well, I mean, if their house style as a Canadian publication is to spell it "honour," then they have to do it that way no matter whose mouth it came out of, don't they? It's not a different word altogether.

I know. I was just poking fun.

So Sportsnet got an interview with Ronda Pearson, aka the angry nurse/season ticket holder from North Phoenix. LINK

She had some gems in her answers:

SPORTSNET: Why did you decide to show up at council last night?

Pearson: I’ve been very active when it comes to knowing about this team and keeping them in Arizona. There were lots of people who put time, energy, and effort into drafting a lease agreement.

Yes. You showed up to defend the sanctity of the lease agreement. The agreement that lots of people put their energy into, none of them you or any other Coyotes fans.

SN: What has the reaction been like after Wednesday night?

It’s very overwhelming. My Twitter has not stopped beeping. A lot of support. I haven't seen anyone or anything negative. Lots of people said I said what they were feeling. And that means a lot.

1) She obviously hasn't seen this thread or HFBoards or Deadspin or Olbermann or sports media in the last two days. 2) Define "lots" 3) What city do those people live in? Not-Glendale like you?

SN: How long have you been a Coyotes fan? What got you into hockey?

I was born and raised a (Boston) Bruins fan. ... I used to be die-hard Bruins fan and now this is my team. Love them or hate them, I support them.

So what jersey do you wear to Bruins/Coyotes games? She said in an earlier answer mentioning the Super Bowl, she was from New England and would kill for those tickets. Are you a Cardinals fan now too?

SN: How do you think this plays out now?

...the City will create more financial difficulties and I'm worried. I don't live there. I live in Phoenix, but it's all going to trickle down. We're like a family. It's like a brother running into financial issues and you will probably be supportive and it will all trickle down throughout the state.

No, you don't live there and that's not how it works.

SN: Do you think the team could relocate?

Our ownership group made a deal with Glendale. The arena (we have now) is beautiful. Westgate (Entertainment District) is amazing. What happens to all the mom-and-pop businesess if the team leaves? They’re all going to close down. Then, no one has any reason to go to Glendale. I doubt we'll get a Super Bowl here in the future. The Cardinals have what? Eight games a year?

Westgate isn't that amazing. The "mom-and-pop businesses" aren't in Westgate, were there before the Coyotes, were fine and will continue to be find. No one really has any reason to go to Glendale as it is outside of the Cardinals games and if you like kitschy Old Town. And again, Glendale was doing just fine with what it had before Westgate and the Coyotes.

And my favorite, the piece d'resistance:

SN: How has the fan base reacted to the ongoing support from Commissioner Bettman?

Its an old saying that Arizona is the only place where we boo (Wayne) Gretzky and cheer for Gary Bettman. No matter your personal feelings about the guy, we're eternally grateful. How would you not want the team here? He's been nothing but supportive... I've had the pleasure of meeting and shaking his hand. It was an honour. I hope this works out before it gets to the courts. I hope and pray for the City of Glendale.

Oh yes, that old Arizona saying: "Boo Greatness, Cheer Failure!" Everything else in that quote speaks for itself. Also, a little presumptuous to type out "honour" when quoting an American there, Sportsnet.

There's some other blabber about Shane Doan's greatness, and I will give her credit on knowing her stuff on Coyotes prospects and potential draft picks though. I was actually kind of impressed with that little bit.

---

Now really, I know it's easy to rag on people like her, but I do feel for people like this lady that are actually Coyotes fans or have shown even a little passion for the team. Especially because I know how I feel about my hockey team and who's to say how I would react if they were in the same situation. If the City of Anaheim just cut out of a deal with the Ducks on a loophole because the deal sucked for them, I might think it was a dumb thing but also I don't pay the consequences other than losing a toy I really like. Like for most of us, I doubt the majority of us actually live in the exact city our team plays in. And if it was a civil squabble that could potentially exile our team, some of us might want to show up and speak from the heart on it. For the people that are actually Coyotes fans, I know this whole thing sucks and I do feel sorry for them.

I don't know what I'm trying to get at there, because I kinda just want this dumb exercise to end. The whole thing has been some strange kind of mess ever since the team left Phoenix for Glendale. I guess I just wanted to say I'm sorry that the Coyotes fans that there are have to be dragged around through this mess again. I hope you can keep your team in some capacity back in downtown or in Scottsdale or whatever, but it needs to be done in Glendale. And if being done in Glendale means off to Quebec or something, then I'm sorry Yotes fans. I'll miss the easy road trip, but it'll be for the greater good.

I think we should split off a new thread.

I put forth "As The Coyotes Turn" or some other soap opera title. I need to be watching my stories.

If it comes down for that, you know Shane won't go. He has a no-move clause after all!

GIF of admiral during Coyotes meeting/Blackhawks game: