Where do Coyotes go from here?
The most important part of the statements coming out of Tuesday’s referendum, from both the team and the NHL, is what was left unsaid. There have been plenty of pivot points for the Coyotes over the last two decades, and plenty of official releases from the major stakeholders.
They’ve always contained some variation on the phrase, “our focus remains on securing a future for the franchise in Arizona.” This time, its absence is conspicuous. — Gentille
Assessing relocation options
Relocation talk had already swirled, and now it’s likely to kick into overdrive. Houston and Atlanta are, no doubt, on top of the list.
Both are gigantic U.S. media markets. The former has a hockey-ready arena in the Toyota Center and, in Rockets owner Tillman Fertitta, a potential buyer. Atlanta has an in-the-works arena deal in suburban Alpharetta, spearheaded by a group that would love to give the area a third shot at the NHL.
Quebec City will pop up too, as it did during the Vegas and Seattle expansion process, but the feeling there is that the city’s time has passed. There’s an arena, sure, but no corporate base to speak of and a metropolitan area of about 800,000 people. — Gentille