Hockey Newbie Needs Recommendation

[amare32]

Coyotes Schedule

I have a $300 balance on my client development account, which I can use to entertain prospective clients.

If I don't submit a reimbursement request by 09.30.05, I lose the dollars. So I decided I would get some tix to see the Coyotes play.

Now, I'm not a big hockey fan. When I lived in DC I would go to Caps games. I preferred to sit in the upper deck at center ice, where I could see the whole rink. But that's about my exposure to the NHL.

W/ the reshuffling of talent, I have no idea which teams would be best to see. So I'm looking for advice.

Given my budget of $300, should I get two tickets to a single game? Lesser seats to a pair of games? And which opponents should I target?

Thanks!

[officeglenn]

I'd say lesser seats to two games. From my experience, even upper deck seats aren't all that bad; you can actually see more of the ice and more of the action than you would being right down by the glass.

Now, if it were me, I'd be going to see the Flames play at least once. But since it's not ... I'd say pick one game versus a divisional rival ? Dallas, Los Angeles, Anaheim or San Jose ? as the intensity level should be pretty high for those games ... you know what they say, familiarity breeds contempt. I always liked seeing teams from the other conference as well, because they don't come around too often. I see they're not playing Pittsburgh this year ? I'd snap those up just to see Crosby and Lemieux ? but Atlanta, Tampa Bay or maybe even Florida would be good bets.

[Gordie]

Glenn's right, you can see the play develop better if you don't sit right up by the glass, but if you're entertaining a client, you probably don't want to be up in the cheap seats, either.

Most of the action occurs inside the bluelines, so the best place to sit is on the side of the rink, at one end, in the mid-upper part of the lower section. ( Sections 102, 110, 113, or 121 on the seating chart. ) You're more likely to see Phoenix score if you sit in section 102 or 110.

Games versus divisional rivals like Dallas or San Jose should be good, and Vancouver or Calgary ought to be entertaining, too.

[yh]

Well, I'll approach the situation from the peer-to-peer perspective. Do you have a particular potential client or potential clients in mind? If so, you might want to get their input on what teams they might be interested in seeing, especially if they grew up somewhere else - like in another team's backyard. Better yet, if you know where they came from, just go buy the tickets. It shows off your knack for personal attention to the client as a person.

Man, even though I love my present job in a "captive" (single client) law firm, I do miss some of the perks of working in a general business practice such as the client development account and the firm's season tickets, especially when I could bribe the office manager with Girl Scout cookies to get ahold of seats she knew the partners wouldn't be using.

[HatCityEnforcer]

Best bet would be to sit in the corner by where the 'Yotes attack twice (103, 104, 109, 110)...IMO, the corner area is a pretty good spot if you're up high enough to see the plays really come together and be able to catch some of the other things behind the play as well...

As for opponents...these would be the teams I'd target:

Kings (Roenick & Demitra together could be pretty potent)

Canucks (very very VERY solid team, pretty serious Cup contender right there

Flames (Iginla's worth seeing, and there's a good crew around him as well)

Predators (could be a darkhorse to win the Central, seeing they added Paul Kariya, plus they've got some good young talent)

Lightning (defending champs and all..besides, Lecavalier, St Louis, & Richards are all pretty fun to watch play)

Personally, the best bet here would be the Kings...but that's just me

[amare32]

Thanks for all the responses. Very informative. I really appreciate your help.

[slapshot]

If the floor ain't white, the game ain't right.