When Judge Tom tossed Jim Balsilie's bid for the Coyotes, the die was cast. If a potential suitor was not going to be allowed to buy and move the Coyotes, then the NHL would end up with the team. No one was about to bid against the league since the NHL would ultimately have to bless the new owners of the team.
So at the end of the day, Moyes cut his substantial losses and went home. If he had good legal counsel and got frank advice, he knew back in May that the bankruptcy and sale to Balsillie was a longshot. When you are looking at a $100MM haircut (on top of $100MM already sunk) and you have a certain Canadian gadfly ready to foot the legal bills, why not give it a shot?
He shot, and he missed. Hey, that's hockey.
There's a very pragmatic part of how the NHL has been funding the franchise. Technically, it's a secured loan to the "estate". The NHL has been fronting the cash but protected their interests by being a secured creditor. Translation? The costs of running the Coyotes until the sale is complete are being absorbed by the "estate". The money the league is spending for the franchise is partly to pay off the secured loans the league has been making to the team to keep the franchise operating. With the dollars available to Moyes dropping with each payroll, he finally decided to cut bait and close the deal.
So now, once a few more legal loose ends are cleaned up, the NHL will be the new owners of the Coyotes. And paying the bills with their money. Then the real sale process will take shape.
The anticipation is that the league wants to flip the franchise quickly. Most observers believe that the team will not have much of a chance of reversing attendance losses until new committed owners are in place.
But there are two issues yet to emerge. One is the asking price for the franchise. $140-150MM was a nice bankruptcy price. It was also the approximate price that Team Reinsdorf was willing to pay for the team in May. It may not be the league's asking price. And that could present a problem locating new owners. There's also a question about what the league's timeline for selling the team will look like.
I'd like to think that Gary Bettman and Bill Daly have been honest and forthright in their declarations that they intend to sell the team to owners who will keep the team in Phoenix. And they know full well that new owners will be looking at a minimum loss of $50MM before they can even think about righting the ship.
The last two warm weather teams to change hands were Nashville for $193MM and Tampa Bay at $200MM. Owners like to keep the price of teams inflated. A rising tide raises all ships, you know. We'll be curious to see if the league expects that kind of money for the troubled Coyotes or will be happy to recoup their $14o investment in the team..
Ice Edge Holdings continues to be a visible and aggressive suitor for the franchise. TV cameras were quick to pick up the ownership group sitting with Gary Bettman at Monday's Coyote-Ranger game. Ice Edge executives have an agreement in principal in place with the City of Glendale and seem to be trying to do things the right way. Unlike you know who.
The concern and caution is a) the asking price and b) the wherewithal of the group. If the NHL is content recouping their $140MM investment and Ice Edge has another $50-100MM ready for operating costs, they will be a strong contender to get the team. They could also be the only contender. It's expected that Jerry Reinsdorf and friends will reappear at some point and get in the bidding but that's not a sure thing. And while there may be others who will appreciate that the team can be purchased directly from the league without legal encumberments, there are no guarantees.
"Ice Edge isn't the only horse in the race," Daly wrote in an email yesterday to Sean Fitz-Gerald of The (Canadian) National Post. But Daly didn't name any other potential buyers.
It's also been reported that Wayne Gretzky isn't pleased that his interests haven't been addressed. That's unfortunate. While money is important, hockey's living legend deserves better treatment. Gretzky's approval is not required for the sale of the team to close but his interests go far beyond the dollars at stake. This is a fence that the league needs to mend and mend quicklky. With all other secured and unsecured creditors on board, his objections may not be enough to stop the deal.
So let the bankruptcy sale be closed and let the bidding begin. Soon.
The quicker something happens, and the sooner committed new owners are in place, the faster the NHL can look for a real turnaround for our home team.
And that can't happen soon enough.
Showing posts with label Wayne Gretzky. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wayne Gretzky. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Our Long National Nightmare Is Over (Sort of...)
Well, at least one big issue is off the table.
Adios Mr. Balsillie. Seems like we hardly knew yee. Of course, we really had no desire to know yee. Please pack your moneybags and go back to Canada. (But you are welcome to visit anytime, our tourism industry needs your help)
Perhaps the best part of this decision is that we will no longer be treated to Jimberry's smiling picture framed by the Canadian flag every time we open a north of the border website reporting on the Coyotes. That had just gotten bleeping painful.
I won't rehash the entire judgement here but one simple sentence from page 25 pretty much summed it up..."This conclusion effectively is the end of the efforts of PSE, Balsillie, Moyes and The Coyotes to force a sale and relocation of the hockey team."
Thank you Judge Tom.
OK, so now the Balsillie option is off the table. What next?
We know that the Coyotes will play this year in Glendale, the NHL is in charge of revising their bid or finding a new owner and that if a favorable financial deal can be cut, hockey will be assured in Arizona for years to come.
Balsillie has already said he will not appeal. And through his lawyers, Moyes said they are considering next steps but trying to wage an appeal on bankruptcy and franchise law seems to be a longshot. There is no expedient path for an appeal. If Mr. Moyes decides to appeal, he will get on the end of the line and wait his turn in court. It will be a very long time before he will get a hearing, much less any satisfaction.
Of course, if he had competent legal counsel they would tell him that any appeal is a longshot. As I assume they told him when he first tried this whole bankruptcy/side door gambit.
But after watching his efforts as a team owner, I don't know if he would listen to sound legal advice if he got it.
So now the NHL has a clear shot at taking undisputed ownership of the Coyotes. They could continue as debtors in possession, revise their bid (as directed by Judge Baum) and become the interim owners or line up an alternate bidder (did someone say Jerry Reinsdorf?) to complete the purchase through bankruptcy.
And despite what you might have read, the NHL or other owners need not sweeten the pot by adding money to their bid. They could actually lower their offer. The only reason their bid was not accepted was that they tried to exclude claims by Moyes and Wayne Gretzky so that all other unsecured creditors would be paid. That won't happen without another hearing...before Judge Baum. Of course this could mean that some unsecured creditors don't get paid. That won't be good for the credibility of the team around town.
How the NHL chooses to handle this is probably under heavy discussion. The owners of the other teams would certainly prefer to minimize their losses. Lawyers are getting rich and the team continues to bleed cash. No one ever imagined that the league would have to fight to maintain their rights and constitution. That wasn't in the budget this year.
One would also theorize that new owners would prefer to get the team sooner rather than later to start rebuilding the fan base. If the Reinsdorf-Kaites-Tavares-Reinsdorf Jr. group or our friends from Ice Edge are still interested in the team, they now have a window to act.
One can also conclude that The City of Glendale would like to get this mess put away as soon as possible. Of course, that will come with a price for the City. The new owners, whoever they are, will require a new revised lease and the city either needs to pony up now or face more lawsuits and a possible departure of the team.
It would seem like all the elements are in place for quick action. Legal barriers have been removed. The NHL is back in charge, where they should have been all along. And its' in everyone's best interests to get a deal done as soon as possible.
Which would be a refreshing change from the tedious pace we've moved at over the last 5 months.
Adios Mr. Balsillie. Seems like we hardly knew yee. Of course, we really had no desire to know yee. Please pack your moneybags and go back to Canada. (But you are welcome to visit anytime, our tourism industry needs your help)
Perhaps the best part of this decision is that we will no longer be treated to Jimberry's smiling picture framed by the Canadian flag every time we open a north of the border website reporting on the Coyotes. That had just gotten bleeping painful.
I won't rehash the entire judgement here but one simple sentence from page 25 pretty much summed it up..."This conclusion effectively is the end of the efforts of PSE, Balsillie, Moyes and The Coyotes to force a sale and relocation of the hockey team."
Thank you Judge Tom.
OK, so now the Balsillie option is off the table. What next?
We know that the Coyotes will play this year in Glendale, the NHL is in charge of revising their bid or finding a new owner and that if a favorable financial deal can be cut, hockey will be assured in Arizona for years to come.
Balsillie has already said he will not appeal. And through his lawyers, Moyes said they are considering next steps but trying to wage an appeal on bankruptcy and franchise law seems to be a longshot. There is no expedient path for an appeal. If Mr. Moyes decides to appeal, he will get on the end of the line and wait his turn in court. It will be a very long time before he will get a hearing, much less any satisfaction.
Of course, if he had competent legal counsel they would tell him that any appeal is a longshot. As I assume they told him when he first tried this whole bankruptcy/side door gambit.
But after watching his efforts as a team owner, I don't know if he would listen to sound legal advice if he got it.
So now the NHL has a clear shot at taking undisputed ownership of the Coyotes. They could continue as debtors in possession, revise their bid (as directed by Judge Baum) and become the interim owners or line up an alternate bidder (did someone say Jerry Reinsdorf?) to complete the purchase through bankruptcy.
And despite what you might have read, the NHL or other owners need not sweeten the pot by adding money to their bid. They could actually lower their offer. The only reason their bid was not accepted was that they tried to exclude claims by Moyes and Wayne Gretzky so that all other unsecured creditors would be paid. That won't happen without another hearing...before Judge Baum. Of course this could mean that some unsecured creditors don't get paid. That won't be good for the credibility of the team around town.
How the NHL chooses to handle this is probably under heavy discussion. The owners of the other teams would certainly prefer to minimize their losses. Lawyers are getting rich and the team continues to bleed cash. No one ever imagined that the league would have to fight to maintain their rights and constitution. That wasn't in the budget this year.
One would also theorize that new owners would prefer to get the team sooner rather than later to start rebuilding the fan base. If the Reinsdorf-Kaites-Tavares-Reinsdorf Jr. group or our friends from Ice Edge are still interested in the team, they now have a window to act.
One can also conclude that The City of Glendale would like to get this mess put away as soon as possible. Of course, that will come with a price for the City. The new owners, whoever they are, will require a new revised lease and the city either needs to pony up now or face more lawsuits and a possible departure of the team.
It would seem like all the elements are in place for quick action. Legal barriers have been removed. The NHL is back in charge, where they should have been all along. And its' in everyone's best interests to get a deal done as soon as possible.
Which would be a refreshing change from the tedious pace we've moved at over the last 5 months.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Wayne's World Officially Closes
The announcement was not unexpected when it came today. Wayne Gretzky has resigned as the coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.
While it was inevitable and in the eyes of most fans, a desired outcome, it's a terrible tragedy that the game's living legend gets hauled out to the curb like yesterday's trash. The shabby treatment that Gretzky has received throughout this bankruptcy procedure is simply inappropriate given his contributions to the game and standing in the sport. It will take some time for these scars to heal. Living legends deserve better.
And today Dave Tippett was named as the Coyotes new coach.
That's amazing news. Amazing good in that Tippett is a highly qualified and respected bench boss. One of the best in the NHL. A coach who can positively impact the fortunes of this team. Once Tom Renney was off the board, Tippett was my first and only choice for the job. Amazing in another way -- hard to believe that Tippett is taking the Phoenix job when other plum positions in the NHL (did someone say Philadelphia?) may be open in the next few weeks. Will be very interesting to see what kind of contract length he gets.
Let's not sell short our good fortune here. This is a great move for the Coyotes. Tippett's presence should make this team a playoff contender. He's that good.
Tippett also played with Ulf Samuelsson, Doug Sulliman and Don Maloney in Hartford. That familiarity will certainly help bring the staff together and probably went a long way towards bringing him here.
And given the swiftness in how today's news is developing it's obvious that this move has been under discussion for several weeks.
Ulf Samuelsson has been the acting coach of the Coyotes. By most accounts he's done a good job preparing the team for the season. He has a future as an NHL coach, just not right now.
Earlier this week, the Coyotes made a couple of other very positive coaching moves. In light of today's news, one can assume these changes were all coordinated by GMDM.
Sean Burke takes over as the goaltender coach for the NHL club. Incumbent Grant Fuhr has been kicked upstairs and will work with the team's prospects as well as scout goaltenders for the franchise. We speculated earlier that Burke would and should join the coaching staff if Samuelsson took over as head coach. Didn't quite work out that way but we're sure Burke will add a lot to the team. It's a good and necessary move.
Improved goaltending is the number one priority for the Coyotes this year., Ilya Bryzgalov has been horribly inconsistent since he joined the team two years ago. In 2007-08 he came to Phoenix mid-season and authored a tremendous hot streak before tailing off at the end of the year. Last year he was good some nights and awful on others. While the Coyotes have a lot of holes to address on their roster, it all starts with goaltending. If Bryz doesn't play consistently well this year, nothing else will really matter.
Fuhr, a Hall of Fame goaltender and by most accounts a great guy, didn't seem to be impacting Bryzgalov's play either mentally or otherwise. Burke is a strong personality and is physically similar to Bryzgalov.
And Dave King has joined the team as an assistant coach. King is an experienced NHL bench boss (at Calgary and Columbus) and has a long reputation as one of the great teaching coaches in hockey. He was in charge of the Canadian national program for many years and has coached at all levels of hockey. While King is not a big name or high profile coach, he is deeply respected within the hockey world and admired as a coach and leader. He's seasoned, a renowned technician and has a great reputation for developing young players. He may turn out to be the biggest addition to the team this off-season.
With all that has gone on this summer, the Coyotes have been at the lowest point this or any franchise can experience. Making a smart and impactful move like this is the first step on what could be a very nice climb back to respectability.
While it was inevitable and in the eyes of most fans, a desired outcome, it's a terrible tragedy that the game's living legend gets hauled out to the curb like yesterday's trash. The shabby treatment that Gretzky has received throughout this bankruptcy procedure is simply inappropriate given his contributions to the game and standing in the sport. It will take some time for these scars to heal. Living legends deserve better.
And today Dave Tippett was named as the Coyotes new coach.
That's amazing news. Amazing good in that Tippett is a highly qualified and respected bench boss. One of the best in the NHL. A coach who can positively impact the fortunes of this team. Once Tom Renney was off the board, Tippett was my first and only choice for the job. Amazing in another way -- hard to believe that Tippett is taking the Phoenix job when other plum positions in the NHL (did someone say Philadelphia?) may be open in the next few weeks. Will be very interesting to see what kind of contract length he gets.
Let's not sell short our good fortune here. This is a great move for the Coyotes. Tippett's presence should make this team a playoff contender. He's that good.
Tippett also played with Ulf Samuelsson, Doug Sulliman and Don Maloney in Hartford. That familiarity will certainly help bring the staff together and probably went a long way towards bringing him here.
And given the swiftness in how today's news is developing it's obvious that this move has been under discussion for several weeks.
Ulf Samuelsson has been the acting coach of the Coyotes. By most accounts he's done a good job preparing the team for the season. He has a future as an NHL coach, just not right now.
Earlier this week, the Coyotes made a couple of other very positive coaching moves. In light of today's news, one can assume these changes were all coordinated by GMDM.
Sean Burke takes over as the goaltender coach for the NHL club. Incumbent Grant Fuhr has been kicked upstairs and will work with the team's prospects as well as scout goaltenders for the franchise. We speculated earlier that Burke would and should join the coaching staff if Samuelsson took over as head coach. Didn't quite work out that way but we're sure Burke will add a lot to the team. It's a good and necessary move.
Improved goaltending is the number one priority for the Coyotes this year., Ilya Bryzgalov has been horribly inconsistent since he joined the team two years ago. In 2007-08 he came to Phoenix mid-season and authored a tremendous hot streak before tailing off at the end of the year. Last year he was good some nights and awful on others. While the Coyotes have a lot of holes to address on their roster, it all starts with goaltending. If Bryz doesn't play consistently well this year, nothing else will really matter.
Fuhr, a Hall of Fame goaltender and by most accounts a great guy, didn't seem to be impacting Bryzgalov's play either mentally or otherwise. Burke is a strong personality and is physically similar to Bryzgalov.
And Dave King has joined the team as an assistant coach. King is an experienced NHL bench boss (at Calgary and Columbus) and has a long reputation as one of the great teaching coaches in hockey. He was in charge of the Canadian national program for many years and has coached at all levels of hockey. While King is not a big name or high profile coach, he is deeply respected within the hockey world and admired as a coach and leader. He's seasoned, a renowned technician and has a great reputation for developing young players. He may turn out to be the biggest addition to the team this off-season.
With all that has gone on this summer, the Coyotes have been at the lowest point this or any franchise can experience. Making a smart and impactful move like this is the first step on what could be a very nice climb back to respectability.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Tick, Tick, Tick
The clock is ticking on the Phoenix Coyotes.
23 days until opening night and we still need to learn much about this team.
For starters, who will own the team and where will they play this season?
I am still certain opening night will be in Glendale, the team will play here all season and the NHL will control the franchise either as the (congratulations, it's a mess!) new owner, debtors in possession or interim managers while any award to Jim Balsillie is appealed.
The first two scenarios will give a measure of stability to the team. It will also give fans reason to start investing emotionally in the team. Right now both are absent and both are necessary. The third option? Don't ask.
I can't imagine a bankruptcy court handing over the team to Balsillie knowing that the ensuing legal turmoil will run the asset into the ground. It would also create significant new legal precedent and start years of continuing court cases. Just doesn't seem like Judge Tom's (yawn) style. But as I have been warned by my legal experts, surprises do happen in court. Until the ruling is published, we'll just have to be patient.
And then there is the question of who will coach the team.
Wayne Gretzky is still (officially) the coach of the Coyotes. At least in name. Once Judge Tom wakes up from his nap and makes his ruling, the NHL will control the franchise either by outright purchase through bankruptcy, no sale (debtor in possession) or staying any award of the team to Jim Balsillie. If the NHL wants to make a deal with Gretzky, they need to do so within 24 hours. No more time to ponder. Its now or never.
And if The Great One is not going to coach the team, Ulf Samuelsson immediately needs to be named head coach. He's running the team right now. He's the voice of authority players have been listening to through camp. And frankly, there's little available in the way of alternatives given the time and the tenuous state of the franchise. Let's hope that Ulf doesn't get the dreaded "interim" label. Everything with the Coyotes is day to day right now. There's no need for further reinforcement. Ulf is competent and the best choice under very difficult circumstances.
Who will be on the team?
Mostly the usual suspects. Very few roster spots are up for grabs. We'll have more on this after Friday's game.
And finally will anyone come to the games?
An opening week road trip to Los Angeles, Buffalo and Pittsburgh is not exactly the recipe to get the season off to a fast start. This year, it is fortunate for the Coyotes. A nice trip (3 points?) some exposure (at a minimum, the Penguin game will be on NHL Network)could help take the focus off this summer of turmoil and put it back where it needs to be, on the ice. It is far preferable to a first game at home with no build up in advance of the game.
So how can this mess be fixed?
Fixing will take time. Short and long term decisions need to be made that look at the situation frankly and decisively.
I've lived in Phoenix for almost two years now and followed the Coyotes for the last four. As a hockey fan, I've never been excited by the promotion of the team. As a career marketing executive, I've been appalled by the lack of imagination and clarity in the team's message. Some of the team's marketing messages are just not appropriate for an emerging hockey market. How we got to "Pierre the Fanatical Snowman" and "Be Coyotes Cool" (running concurrently) is beyond me.
No single marketing campaign or program is going to fix the Coyotes. Good marketing can create awareness and interest. Winning teams create desire and action.
But let's be frank here -- there is not a lot of interest after what has happened this summer. There's a lot of work to do.
Here are a couple of random ideas. In coming days I'll have a few more suggestions.
There's an exhibition game on Saturday September 26th vs. San Jose. Unless Judge Tom has passed away and I missed it, his decision will have come down by then. And as such, we'll begin to have some clarity for the teams and fans. I'd suggest that whoever is in charge throw the doors open for $5 a head to get some people in the building, expose the players to the fans and generate some energy. Pre-season games aren't going to draw big crowds under the best of circumstances. This isn't the best of circumstances. Sacrifice the gate (ahem) and get some people in the building.
Something similar, albeit not as dramatic might be in order for opening night. Buy everyone a hot dog and a beer to thank them for bearing with what went on this summer.
The Coyotes need to build a message that speaks directly to what has happened this summer. "We Play For You", the contemplated 2009-10 advertising theme is cliched and uninspiring. A slogan like this might work in an established market but it does not communicate what needs to be said here.
Hockey fans in Arizona, casual or hard core, need a pointed message that builds on what happened this summer. The Coyotes got more publicity than ever this summer, although most of it was not positive. Nevertheless, publicity of any kind can be good. I'm not the first person to say that, P.T. Barnum was.
When the NHL sent a lettered to the fans this summer, it was pointed. We know the NHL can succeed in Arizona, but we need your support now. There are ways to tie the urgency of the situation into the promotion of the hockey team without belaboring the points. If done in a clever and imaginative way, it can set up the market for success. Of course, a winning team is a necessary ingredient in this equation but you got to start somewhere. The key is developing a message and a theme that incorporates the issues with the team but builds on them rather than belaboring them.
And finally, the Coyotes need to ask for help. The advertising business sucks right now. Radio and TV stations have more time than ever available to do cross promotions. In fact, this is pretty close to a once in a lifetime opportunity in the Phoenix market. Why not ask each media outlet in town to take one night, make it their own and build a promotion to create publicity and enthusiasm? The Coyotes have plenty of inventory they can offer for now. So do TV and radio stations. There's a deal to be made here. Misery does love comnpany, you know.
More on the team, promotion and Gretzky coming this weekend.
Tomorrow, I'll get my first look at the 2009-10 Yotes. Stop by and say Hi. I'll be the guy wearing the New York Don Maloney jersey. I'm afraid I'll be easy to find.
23 days until opening night and we still need to learn much about this team.
For starters, who will own the team and where will they play this season?
I am still certain opening night will be in Glendale, the team will play here all season and the NHL will control the franchise either as the (congratulations, it's a mess!) new owner, debtors in possession or interim managers while any award to Jim Balsillie is appealed.
The first two scenarios will give a measure of stability to the team. It will also give fans reason to start investing emotionally in the team. Right now both are absent and both are necessary. The third option? Don't ask.
I can't imagine a bankruptcy court handing over the team to Balsillie knowing that the ensuing legal turmoil will run the asset into the ground. It would also create significant new legal precedent and start years of continuing court cases. Just doesn't seem like Judge Tom's (yawn) style. But as I have been warned by my legal experts, surprises do happen in court. Until the ruling is published, we'll just have to be patient.
And then there is the question of who will coach the team.
Wayne Gretzky is still (officially) the coach of the Coyotes. At least in name. Once Judge Tom wakes up from his nap and makes his ruling, the NHL will control the franchise either by outright purchase through bankruptcy, no sale (debtor in possession) or staying any award of the team to Jim Balsillie. If the NHL wants to make a deal with Gretzky, they need to do so within 24 hours. No more time to ponder. Its now or never.
And if The Great One is not going to coach the team, Ulf Samuelsson immediately needs to be named head coach. He's running the team right now. He's the voice of authority players have been listening to through camp. And frankly, there's little available in the way of alternatives given the time and the tenuous state of the franchise. Let's hope that Ulf doesn't get the dreaded "interim" label. Everything with the Coyotes is day to day right now. There's no need for further reinforcement. Ulf is competent and the best choice under very difficult circumstances.
Who will be on the team?
Mostly the usual suspects. Very few roster spots are up for grabs. We'll have more on this after Friday's game.
And finally will anyone come to the games?
An opening week road trip to Los Angeles, Buffalo and Pittsburgh is not exactly the recipe to get the season off to a fast start. This year, it is fortunate for the Coyotes. A nice trip (3 points?) some exposure (at a minimum, the Penguin game will be on NHL Network)could help take the focus off this summer of turmoil and put it back where it needs to be, on the ice. It is far preferable to a first game at home with no build up in advance of the game.
So how can this mess be fixed?
Fixing will take time. Short and long term decisions need to be made that look at the situation frankly and decisively.
I've lived in Phoenix for almost two years now and followed the Coyotes for the last four. As a hockey fan, I've never been excited by the promotion of the team. As a career marketing executive, I've been appalled by the lack of imagination and clarity in the team's message. Some of the team's marketing messages are just not appropriate for an emerging hockey market. How we got to "Pierre the Fanatical Snowman" and "Be Coyotes Cool" (running concurrently) is beyond me.
No single marketing campaign or program is going to fix the Coyotes. Good marketing can create awareness and interest. Winning teams create desire and action.
But let's be frank here -- there is not a lot of interest after what has happened this summer. There's a lot of work to do.
Here are a couple of random ideas. In coming days I'll have a few more suggestions.
There's an exhibition game on Saturday September 26th vs. San Jose. Unless Judge Tom has passed away and I missed it, his decision will have come down by then. And as such, we'll begin to have some clarity for the teams and fans. I'd suggest that whoever is in charge throw the doors open for $5 a head to get some people in the building, expose the players to the fans and generate some energy. Pre-season games aren't going to draw big crowds under the best of circumstances. This isn't the best of circumstances. Sacrifice the gate (ahem) and get some people in the building.
Something similar, albeit not as dramatic might be in order for opening night. Buy everyone a hot dog and a beer to thank them for bearing with what went on this summer.
The Coyotes need to build a message that speaks directly to what has happened this summer. "We Play For You", the contemplated 2009-10 advertising theme is cliched and uninspiring. A slogan like this might work in an established market but it does not communicate what needs to be said here.
Hockey fans in Arizona, casual or hard core, need a pointed message that builds on what happened this summer. The Coyotes got more publicity than ever this summer, although most of it was not positive. Nevertheless, publicity of any kind can be good. I'm not the first person to say that, P.T. Barnum was.
When the NHL sent a lettered to the fans this summer, it was pointed. We know the NHL can succeed in Arizona, but we need your support now. There are ways to tie the urgency of the situation into the promotion of the hockey team without belaboring the points. If done in a clever and imaginative way, it can set up the market for success. Of course, a winning team is a necessary ingredient in this equation but you got to start somewhere. The key is developing a message and a theme that incorporates the issues with the team but builds on them rather than belaboring them.
And finally, the Coyotes need to ask for help. The advertising business sucks right now. Radio and TV stations have more time than ever available to do cross promotions. In fact, this is pretty close to a once in a lifetime opportunity in the Phoenix market. Why not ask each media outlet in town to take one night, make it their own and build a promotion to create publicity and enthusiasm? The Coyotes have plenty of inventory they can offer for now. So do TV and radio stations. There's a deal to be made here. Misery does love comnpany, you know.
More on the team, promotion and Gretzky coming this weekend.
Tomorrow, I'll get my first look at the 2009-10 Yotes. Stop by and say Hi. I'll be the guy wearing the New York Don Maloney jersey. I'm afraid I'll be easy to find.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Some Random Notes Before A Short Vacation
Time for me to disappear for a few days. Need to recharge the batteries before training camp starts. So here's some of the things I am going to miss this week...
The cage match in Judge Tom's court tomorrow
Lots of juicy items to be decided but the big one is whether Jim Balsillie will be allowed to bid in the bankruptcy auction on September 10th. The NHL says "no", he's already been rejected as a potential owner. Jerry Moyes will counter that Balsillie's bid is his best (and only) chance to recover any money on this deal.
Prediction? I think the court will not disqualify Balsillie at this time. Money talks in bankruptcy court. Balsillie has money. I think the Judge is perfectly willing to let other courts sort out this mess. I believe he will follow the money trail and keep the auction open to Balsillie.
And then what? I expect the NHL will immediately appeal his decision to the 9th District Court of Appeals and seek injunctive relief to stop the September 10th auction. This is a strike issue for the NHL. They will not stand by idly and tolerate any process that could deliver the team to Balsillie. This will almost certainly push the auction back past Balsillie's September 14th deadline to complete the purchase. He won't be going away but it will then take the court battle in a new, different and very expensive direction.
And if I'm wrong? And Balsillie gets thrown out on his ear? Then it will be Moyes suing the NHL. Unfortunately he has far less legal grounds than the league does to pull off an appeal and without Balsillie's checkbook and bank of lawyers it may be time for him to fold his hand.
Don Maloney's (rescheduled) press availability
Maloney is almost always available, by e-mail, phone or other means to answer questions. He's been quiet lately and with the pot boiling on so many fronts, it makes sense for him to be keeping a low media profile.
Suspicion? The league told him it would be better to keep his mouth shut rather than deal with tough questions. Like how is this mess affecting the team and who exactly is going to be the coach when training camp opens.
Which leads to another question...
Who is going to coach the Coyotes this year
Rookie camp opens on Saturday. Veterans are due in next Thursday. Sooner or later someone has got to take the reins of the Coyotes.
Prediction? Wayne Gretzky.
Really? Yes. Gretzky has been in an awful position this summer. His contract has been outed and there's no way he will be working for the $8.5MM this year.
But...The NHL doesn't kick icons to the curb. Ice Edge is still a player in the auction process and they want Wayne's World to stay open. I don't see any way Balsillie could ever get control of the team before this season so I anticipate the Coyotes will stay and Wayne will work on a one year contract at a greatly reduced rate. No matter what you think of Wayne as a coach, he's got a lot of sweat invested in this team and he desperately wants to finish the rebuilding job here. This may not be the most popular move with the hard core fan base but it's likely to be perceived positively by the casual hockey fan.
And if I'm wrong? No highly credentialed coach is going to take over this team without some job security. Forget Dave Tippett or Peter Laviolette coming here. If it isn't Wayne, I expect that Ulf Samuelsson (or perhaps someone else within the organization) will be promoted and Sean Burke will slide in as an assistant to help behind the bench.
Have a good week. We'll check in when we can and we'll be actively staying in touch to see how things start to shake out.
The cage match in Judge Tom's court tomorrow
Lots of juicy items to be decided but the big one is whether Jim Balsillie will be allowed to bid in the bankruptcy auction on September 10th. The NHL says "no", he's already been rejected as a potential owner. Jerry Moyes will counter that Balsillie's bid is his best (and only) chance to recover any money on this deal.
Prediction? I think the court will not disqualify Balsillie at this time. Money talks in bankruptcy court. Balsillie has money. I think the Judge is perfectly willing to let other courts sort out this mess. I believe he will follow the money trail and keep the auction open to Balsillie.
And then what? I expect the NHL will immediately appeal his decision to the 9th District Court of Appeals and seek injunctive relief to stop the September 10th auction. This is a strike issue for the NHL. They will not stand by idly and tolerate any process that could deliver the team to Balsillie. This will almost certainly push the auction back past Balsillie's September 14th deadline to complete the purchase. He won't be going away but it will then take the court battle in a new, different and very expensive direction.
And if I'm wrong? And Balsillie gets thrown out on his ear? Then it will be Moyes suing the NHL. Unfortunately he has far less legal grounds than the league does to pull off an appeal and without Balsillie's checkbook and bank of lawyers it may be time for him to fold his hand.
Don Maloney's (rescheduled) press availability
Maloney is almost always available, by e-mail, phone or other means to answer questions. He's been quiet lately and with the pot boiling on so many fronts, it makes sense for him to be keeping a low media profile.
Suspicion? The league told him it would be better to keep his mouth shut rather than deal with tough questions. Like how is this mess affecting the team and who exactly is going to be the coach when training camp opens.
Which leads to another question...
Who is going to coach the Coyotes this year
Rookie camp opens on Saturday. Veterans are due in next Thursday. Sooner or later someone has got to take the reins of the Coyotes.
Prediction? Wayne Gretzky.
Really? Yes. Gretzky has been in an awful position this summer. His contract has been outed and there's no way he will be working for the $8.5MM this year.
But...The NHL doesn't kick icons to the curb. Ice Edge is still a player in the auction process and they want Wayne's World to stay open. I don't see any way Balsillie could ever get control of the team before this season so I anticipate the Coyotes will stay and Wayne will work on a one year contract at a greatly reduced rate. No matter what you think of Wayne as a coach, he's got a lot of sweat invested in this team and he desperately wants to finish the rebuilding job here. This may not be the most popular move with the hard core fan base but it's likely to be perceived positively by the casual hockey fan.
And if I'm wrong? No highly credentialed coach is going to take over this team without some job security. Forget Dave Tippett or Peter Laviolette coming here. If it isn't Wayne, I expect that Ulf Samuelsson (or perhaps someone else within the organization) will be promoted and Sean Burke will slide in as an assistant to help behind the bench.
Have a good week. We'll check in when we can and we'll be actively staying in touch to see how things start to shake out.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Wayne Gretzky Deserves Better
Click on the headline above to read a nice blog by Howard Berger about The Great One.
After posting this article earlier today I was reminded that 21 years ago the trade of the century occurred -- Wayne Gretzky was sent by the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings for $15MM, two players and three first draft choices.
And it was also the biggest scoop I ever missed out on. My dear friend Chris Matthews was working for an advertising agency that handled Emory Air Freight. That long gone company was an official NHL sponsor and Chris had picked up chatter that Gretzky was headed to LA. He had validated the rumor with a friend who worked for the Kings. I told him that there was absolutely, positively no way that anyone would even think of trading Wayne Gretzky. I think he told him he was smoking his underwear.
And as it turns out he wasn't. And from that day forward no professional athlete can ever say they won't be traded because Wayne Gretzky was traded.
After posting this article earlier today I was reminded that 21 years ago the trade of the century occurred -- Wayne Gretzky was sent by the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings for $15MM, two players and three first draft choices.
And it was also the biggest scoop I ever missed out on. My dear friend Chris Matthews was working for an advertising agency that handled Emory Air Freight. That long gone company was an official NHL sponsor and Chris had picked up chatter that Gretzky was headed to LA. He had validated the rumor with a friend who worked for the Kings. I told him that there was absolutely, positively no way that anyone would even think of trading Wayne Gretzky. I think he told him he was smoking his underwear.
And as it turns out he wasn't. And from that day forward no professional athlete can ever say they won't be traded because Wayne Gretzky was traded.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Tanguay To Phoenix?
A number of Internet sites are reporting that Alex Tanguay has signed with the Coyotes although there is no official confirmation. Tanguay, who will be 30 in November, has had several productive seasons with the Colorado Avalanche and Calgary Flames. He earned $5.375 last year on the last year of a 3 year contract and almost certainly would be accepting less time and money to come to the desert.
Tanguay would add a desperately needed top line presence on the left side. He has scored 193 goals and 580 total points in 653 NHL games. Alex is best known for scoring the tying and winning goal in the 7th game of the 2001 Stanley Cup championship as the Avs rallied to beat the New Jersey Devils.
He slumped in 2007-08 and was traded to Montreal, where he missed two months in the middle of the season with a separated shoulder. He also missed two playoff games with what was believed to be a recurrence of the shoulder injury. His long stay on the free agent shelf may have been directly correlated to his injury problems this year. Other than the shoulder problem, the carfax report on Tanguay is pretty good. He averaged 76 games played during his first 8 NHL seasons.
We'll be back with more once the signing is confirmed or denied.
Tanguay would add a desperately needed top line presence on the left side. He has scored 193 goals and 580 total points in 653 NHL games. Alex is best known for scoring the tying and winning goal in the 7th game of the 2001 Stanley Cup championship as the Avs rallied to beat the New Jersey Devils.
He slumped in 2007-08 and was traded to Montreal, where he missed two months in the middle of the season with a separated shoulder. He also missed two playoff games with what was believed to be a recurrence of the shoulder injury. His long stay on the free agent shelf may have been directly correlated to his injury problems this year. Other than the shoulder problem, the carfax report on Tanguay is pretty good. He averaged 76 games played during his first 8 NHL seasons.
We'll be back with more once the signing is confirmed or denied.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Catching Up
Been away for a few days at a family wedding so it's time to catch up on the headlines...
The Reinsdorf-Kaites-Tavares Bid is in and among other things it details the assumption of 170 contracts of player and hockey management (as well as sponsorships and suite holders) but not Wayne Gretzky. Given that the bankruptcy bid does not give Gretzky a dime of the money he is owed, it's not like they are trying to make nice with hockey's living legend. Discussion boards and forums like this will be rife with "who will coach the Coyotes" posts shortly. It's sad to see Wayne go under such uncomfortable circumstances but he's not been a success as a coach or marketing ambassador for the franchise. You just think that legends who happen to be nice people deserve better.
It also looks like the management side of the organization will be completely gutted. Our great friend Doug Moss, CFO Mike Nealy and Arena Manager Jim Foss all have contracts that will not be assumed by the new owners. Broadcasters Dave Strader, Bob Heethuis and Tyson Nash are also on the "no thanks" list although new contracts could be arranged with some or all. And keep in mind that several executives who do not have contracts were probably working the old fashioned way; on handshakes. There are going to be a lot of employment at will conversations going on in Glendale if the R-K-T bid is accepted.
There are some good people losing out here. Doug Moss is a great guy and experienced leader, Strader is the best television announcer in the game and Heethuis is an excellent and under appreciated radio announcer.
That, my friends, is the dark side of bankruptcy.
Much of this speaks to the Glendale report that says the organization could be streamlined and run at a significantly lower cost. We agree. Our friends at the Suns have told us that even before the NBA team and the US Airways Arena started contracting their organization, they were still staffed leaner than the Coyotes/Jobing.com Arena group. This was an accident waiting to happen. Now the Reinsdorf-Kaites-Tavaers group can come in, start with a fresh slate and put toggether a lean, effective organization.
On the other hand. The potential bid from Ice Edge raises a bunch of questions. To quote Brahm Resnick, it is "very edgy" to say the least. Two big ahas; they want to give Gretzky a contract to coach and be a franchise ambassador. with a lucrative playoff bonus and play at least 5 home games in a Canadian city. Oh, and right now it's a letter of intent, not a real bid. That supposedly is coming in the next few days.
The Ice Edge group includes Coyotes minority owner John Breslow among its investors. One of the key figures is Anthony LeBlanc, a former Research in Motion executive.
This bid is good news in many ways for the NHL. It is a weaker presentation that dimensionalizes the R-K-T bid as much better for Glendale. It answers the question of what happened to the John Breslow group that was bidding on the team. And it creates at least the impression of competition that the judge was hoping to encourage.
It is also dead on arrival. Neither the NHL nor the NHLPA is likely to approve of a split city concept. Saskatoon, one of the cities mentioned as a possible occasional home for the Yotes, was laughed away by the NHL when St. Louis tried to move there 20 years ago. It hasn't exactly boomed since then.
The Ice Edge group is meeting with the NHL executive board on Wednesday. It could be the beginning or the end of the bid process for that group.
Derek Morris to Boston...The Bruins needed a puck moving defenseman in the worst way. In Morris, they get a player who last year was a puck moving defenseman in the worst way. Terrible enough in Phoenix that Don Maloney opted instead to go with Adrian Aucoin as his right handed defensive signing rather than bringing Morris back. A little better in New York but still relegated to third pair status during the playoffs. We're happy for Derek who by all accounts is a good guy but this seems like an ill advised move for the Bruins. It's a one year contract which means Morris steps right back into a contract year.
And finally a couple of new contracts -- Dan Winnik gets $600K in arbitration with the Yotes and Enver Lisin signs a one year deal with the New York Rangers for $790,000.
More to come later today...
The Reinsdorf-Kaites-Tavares Bid is in and among other things it details the assumption of 170 contracts of player and hockey management (as well as sponsorships and suite holders) but not Wayne Gretzky. Given that the bankruptcy bid does not give Gretzky a dime of the money he is owed, it's not like they are trying to make nice with hockey's living legend. Discussion boards and forums like this will be rife with "who will coach the Coyotes" posts shortly. It's sad to see Wayne go under such uncomfortable circumstances but he's not been a success as a coach or marketing ambassador for the franchise. You just think that legends who happen to be nice people deserve better.
It also looks like the management side of the organization will be completely gutted. Our great friend Doug Moss, CFO Mike Nealy and Arena Manager Jim Foss all have contracts that will not be assumed by the new owners. Broadcasters Dave Strader, Bob Heethuis and Tyson Nash are also on the "no thanks" list although new contracts could be arranged with some or all. And keep in mind that several executives who do not have contracts were probably working the old fashioned way; on handshakes. There are going to be a lot of employment at will conversations going on in Glendale if the R-K-T bid is accepted.
There are some good people losing out here. Doug Moss is a great guy and experienced leader, Strader is the best television announcer in the game and Heethuis is an excellent and under appreciated radio announcer.
That, my friends, is the dark side of bankruptcy.
Much of this speaks to the Glendale report that says the organization could be streamlined and run at a significantly lower cost. We agree. Our friends at the Suns have told us that even before the NBA team and the US Airways Arena started contracting their organization, they were still staffed leaner than the Coyotes/Jobing.com Arena group. This was an accident waiting to happen. Now the Reinsdorf-Kaites-Tavaers group can come in, start with a fresh slate and put toggether a lean, effective organization.
On the other hand. The potential bid from Ice Edge raises a bunch of questions. To quote Brahm Resnick, it is "very edgy" to say the least. Two big ahas; they want to give Gretzky a contract to coach and be a franchise ambassador. with a lucrative playoff bonus and play at least 5 home games in a Canadian city. Oh, and right now it's a letter of intent, not a real bid. That supposedly is coming in the next few days.
The Ice Edge group includes Coyotes minority owner John Breslow among its investors. One of the key figures is Anthony LeBlanc, a former Research in Motion executive.
This bid is good news in many ways for the NHL. It is a weaker presentation that dimensionalizes the R-K-T bid as much better for Glendale. It answers the question of what happened to the John Breslow group that was bidding on the team. And it creates at least the impression of competition that the judge was hoping to encourage.
It is also dead on arrival. Neither the NHL nor the NHLPA is likely to approve of a split city concept. Saskatoon, one of the cities mentioned as a possible occasional home for the Yotes, was laughed away by the NHL when St. Louis tried to move there 20 years ago. It hasn't exactly boomed since then.
The Ice Edge group is meeting with the NHL executive board on Wednesday. It could be the beginning or the end of the bid process for that group.
Derek Morris to Boston...The Bruins needed a puck moving defenseman in the worst way. In Morris, they get a player who last year was a puck moving defenseman in the worst way. Terrible enough in Phoenix that Don Maloney opted instead to go with Adrian Aucoin as his right handed defensive signing rather than bringing Morris back. A little better in New York but still relegated to third pair status during the playoffs. We're happy for Derek who by all accounts is a good guy but this seems like an ill advised move for the Bruins. It's a one year contract which means Morris steps right back into a contract year.
And finally a couple of new contracts -- Dan Winnik gets $600K in arbitration with the Yotes and Enver Lisin signs a one year deal with the New York Rangers for $790,000.
More to come later today...
Friday, July 17, 2009
Life After Wayne -- Who Will Coach The Coyotes?
It seems to be an accepted fact that Wayne Gretzky will not be the coach of the Coyotes next season.
On one hand, that's sad. Gretzky has put in a lot of time and work learning the coaching ropes. It hasn't been easy but even the most casual observers believe he has improved in his approach and performance. His teams have been short on talent but never seemed to lack for effort. He wants to stay and has made it clear he'll take a lot less money from the new ownership to keep his job.
Conversely, few can argue that a change is not in the cards. Wayne's had four kicks at the can and hasn't been able to get the Coyotes into the playoffs. In each of the last two seasons, the team faded badly in the last third of the season. Coyote special teams are annually among the worst in the league. And while the personnel hasn't been the best, the results have been underwhelming. There's nothing harder than watching an icon lose a part of their identity.
So if new ownership decides to make a change, then what?
The biggest issue the Coyotes may face is not who is available but who will take the job. There's still a lot of uncertainty going into the new season. We assume Don Maloney will be the key player in making that decision. But Maloney is entering the third year of a five year contract and he too will be under the scrutiny of new owners. Perhaps, not today, but soon enough. Any coach Maloney tries to hire may think twice that a new GM might want his own coach. How much and how many years will also be a problem. And there's also the little matter of the talent on hand -- this ain't exactly a team people will be picking to win the Stanley Cup.
If you are a Dave Tippett or Peter Laviolette do you jump into this job or wait to see if someone like John Stevens gets tuned in Philadelphia? 7 NHL coaches were whacked during the past NHL season. Among the replacements, three (Joel Quenville, Dan Bylsma and Paul Maurice) got their teams to the conference finals and Blysma ended up winning the Stanley Cup. That's a good argument to wait and see what happens once the puck drops. There's a good chance a better job may eventually come open. And keep in mind that Tippett and Laviolette are still being paid by their previous employers.
Tippett would be an excellent choice. He is highly thought of around the league by both executives and players. Trained by current St. Louis Blues coach Andy Murray, he is known to be even handed and well respected. His special teams are always among the best in the league. And he has history with Maloney, Ulf Samuelson and Doug Sulliman as a teammate in Hartford. On top of everything else, he has gotten the most out of modestly talented teams.
Laviolette has a Cup on his resume but he's also missed the playoffs in his four other full NHL seasons. A coach who loves to attack, Laviolette is known as a players coach who has trouble holding players accountable and may not be enough of a change from Gretzky.
There are plenty of talented and aspiring minor league coaches. The success of Bylsma in Pittsburgh and Bruce Boudreau in Washington has given new life to hiring minor league coaches. The best of the current bunch are AHL bosses Scott Arniel of Manitoba and Portland's Kevin Dineen.
And if just taking an assistant's job in Edmonton doesn't close the door, former New York Ranger bench boss Tom Renney might still be the odds on favorite for the position.
Don't know which way this one will fall. I think Tippett is head and shoulders above the other candidates but I'm not sure He'll jump into this job. The odds are good he will have a chance to get a prime position when another coach bites the dust this season. Arneil has a lot of buzz and he would work cheap. And I wouldn't discount others like Randy Cunneyworth (currently an assistant in Atlanta) and Kevin Constantine (currently coaching junior in Everett, WA, formerly San Jose Sharks)
And one wild card to consider. If and when Tony Tavares takes over as either a part owner or major player in the Coyotes organization, expect that he will have a large say in what happens. Unlike Jerry Reinsdorf and John Kaites, Tavares has a background in hockey and plenty of contacts in the game. That changes the selection dynamic and it means that others will have a voice in the process. Don't be surprised if new ownership decides to make a mini splash by spending some money and possibly hiring someone none of us have suspected.
On one hand, that's sad. Gretzky has put in a lot of time and work learning the coaching ropes. It hasn't been easy but even the most casual observers believe he has improved in his approach and performance. His teams have been short on talent but never seemed to lack for effort. He wants to stay and has made it clear he'll take a lot less money from the new ownership to keep his job.
Conversely, few can argue that a change is not in the cards. Wayne's had four kicks at the can and hasn't been able to get the Coyotes into the playoffs. In each of the last two seasons, the team faded badly in the last third of the season. Coyote special teams are annually among the worst in the league. And while the personnel hasn't been the best, the results have been underwhelming. There's nothing harder than watching an icon lose a part of their identity.
So if new ownership decides to make a change, then what?
The biggest issue the Coyotes may face is not who is available but who will take the job. There's still a lot of uncertainty going into the new season. We assume Don Maloney will be the key player in making that decision. But Maloney is entering the third year of a five year contract and he too will be under the scrutiny of new owners. Perhaps, not today, but soon enough. Any coach Maloney tries to hire may think twice that a new GM might want his own coach. How much and how many years will also be a problem. And there's also the little matter of the talent on hand -- this ain't exactly a team people will be picking to win the Stanley Cup.
If you are a Dave Tippett or Peter Laviolette do you jump into this job or wait to see if someone like John Stevens gets tuned in Philadelphia? 7 NHL coaches were whacked during the past NHL season. Among the replacements, three (Joel Quenville, Dan Bylsma and Paul Maurice) got their teams to the conference finals and Blysma ended up winning the Stanley Cup. That's a good argument to wait and see what happens once the puck drops. There's a good chance a better job may eventually come open. And keep in mind that Tippett and Laviolette are still being paid by their previous employers.
Tippett would be an excellent choice. He is highly thought of around the league by both executives and players. Trained by current St. Louis Blues coach Andy Murray, he is known to be even handed and well respected. His special teams are always among the best in the league. And he has history with Maloney, Ulf Samuelson and Doug Sulliman as a teammate in Hartford. On top of everything else, he has gotten the most out of modestly talented teams.
Laviolette has a Cup on his resume but he's also missed the playoffs in his four other full NHL seasons. A coach who loves to attack, Laviolette is known as a players coach who has trouble holding players accountable and may not be enough of a change from Gretzky.
There are plenty of talented and aspiring minor league coaches. The success of Bylsma in Pittsburgh and Bruce Boudreau in Washington has given new life to hiring minor league coaches. The best of the current bunch are AHL bosses Scott Arniel of Manitoba and Portland's Kevin Dineen.
And if just taking an assistant's job in Edmonton doesn't close the door, former New York Ranger bench boss Tom Renney might still be the odds on favorite for the position.
Don't know which way this one will fall. I think Tippett is head and shoulders above the other candidates but I'm not sure He'll jump into this job. The odds are good he will have a chance to get a prime position when another coach bites the dust this season. Arneil has a lot of buzz and he would work cheap. And I wouldn't discount others like Randy Cunneyworth (currently an assistant in Atlanta) and Kevin Constantine (currently coaching junior in Everett, WA, formerly San Jose Sharks)
And one wild card to consider. If and when Tony Tavares takes over as either a part owner or major player in the Coyotes organization, expect that he will have a large say in what happens. Unlike Jerry Reinsdorf and John Kaites, Tavares has a background in hockey and plenty of contacts in the game. That changes the selection dynamic and it means that others will have a voice in the process. Don't be surprised if new ownership decides to make a mini splash by spending some money and possibly hiring someone none of us have suspected.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Coyotes Schedule Due Tomorrow
The 2009-10 National Hockey League schedule will be released tomorrow. We've been snooping around and have learned that the Coyotes first home game will be Saturday October 10th. We've not been able to confirm the opening night opponent from any of our friends but have picked up chatter that it may once again be the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Jackets were the favored opponent of the Coyotes this year with Phoenix winning all four games between the tgeams. We'll take a look at the schedule tomorrow.
One thing to watch for is when the big draws -- Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, New York Rangers etc. -- are scheduled into Phoenix. Last year the league did the Yotes absolutely no favors by sending potential big draws Washington and Pittsburgh into Phoenix on weekday nights in October. If you see bigger draws scheduled on Saturdays early in the season, that would indicate the league has taken some care to help out the gate in Phoenix. One can hope. I know Doug Moss certainly does.
One thing to watch for is when the big draws -- Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, New York Rangers etc. -- are scheduled into Phoenix. Last year the league did the Yotes absolutely no favors by sending potential big draws Washington and Pittsburgh into Phoenix on weekday nights in October. If you see bigger draws scheduled on Saturdays early in the season, that would indicate the league has taken some care to help out the gate in Phoenix. One can hope. I know Doug Moss certainly does.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Dead Legend Walking
This is a real difficult blog to write. Because, I feel like I am writing Wayne Gretzky’s obituary as the coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.
Watching the game’s living legend be knocked around over the past few weeks has been a painful experience. He’s clearly a Canadian first and with the swirling controversy over Jim Balsillie and Hamilton, he doesn’t want to say or do anything that is not reverent to his birthplace. He is the living icon of the National Hockey League. No athlete, great or otherwise has ever shown the game more respect than Gretzky. He’s also the coach – and ostensibly the head of hockey operations for the Coyotes – and it’s a job he desperately wants to keep.
Each day that passes that seems less likely.
For starters Gretzky stayed away from the NHL draft and meetings last month in Montreal. He has been conspicuously absent in the discussion of the Coyotes off season player moves. His compensation (rightly so) was ripped in a study of Coyote team expenses. Rumors have been circulating that he won’t be welcome in the Reinsdorf-Kaites-Tavares organization. And Glendale has called into question his standing as a creditor in the Coyotes bankruptcy.
You can read more about Glendale and Gretzky here:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/glendale-takes-aim-at-great-one/article1204887/
It’s a sad turn of events. At first he was clearly out of his element behind the bench. In the last two years, he’s grown in the job and seemed to enjoy it more than in prior years. His teams played hard even if they were not particularly well schooled. Now the vibe seems to be that he really wants to keep the job, is willing to take a substantial pay cut to keep it but may not get the chance.
New ownership is keeping their mouths shut until the bankruptcy purchase is completed but you get the sense that a late summer coaching change is imminent. While there is hockey and business justification for a coaching change, there is still an emotional tug that says he’s the greatest player who ever played the game and someone who has always honored the game. He deserves better.
Wayne Gretzky won’t get fired. If the decision is made to end his association with the Coyotes, he will resign gracefully. Because that is his style. And while he has not been the great one as a coach, he has handled a difficult situation with grace and composure. Wayne Gretzky has never demanded the spotlight – it always found him. Now he lurks in the background as a creditor, a financial albatross and a supporting actor in a play that has gone horribly wrong. It is so uncomfortable.
I’m reminded of a comment that was made about Wayne when he played and lived in LA. “He’s a great, hockey player” a business associate once told me, “but he’s an even better human being”. Good people deserve better.
If Wayne’s World is indeed closing, we’ll be watching a chapter of his remarkable career without a happy ending. And we all will be watching an opportunity slip away that started with so much promise but now is eclipsed by an economic struggle for survival.
Somehow, we’ll all be a little poorer for the experience.
Watching the game’s living legend be knocked around over the past few weeks has been a painful experience. He’s clearly a Canadian first and with the swirling controversy over Jim Balsillie and Hamilton, he doesn’t want to say or do anything that is not reverent to his birthplace. He is the living icon of the National Hockey League. No athlete, great or otherwise has ever shown the game more respect than Gretzky. He’s also the coach – and ostensibly the head of hockey operations for the Coyotes – and it’s a job he desperately wants to keep.
Each day that passes that seems less likely.
For starters Gretzky stayed away from the NHL draft and meetings last month in Montreal. He has been conspicuously absent in the discussion of the Coyotes off season player moves. His compensation (rightly so) was ripped in a study of Coyote team expenses. Rumors have been circulating that he won’t be welcome in the Reinsdorf-Kaites-Tavares organization. And Glendale has called into question his standing as a creditor in the Coyotes bankruptcy.
You can read more about Glendale and Gretzky here:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/glendale-takes-aim-at-great-one/article1204887/
It’s a sad turn of events. At first he was clearly out of his element behind the bench. In the last two years, he’s grown in the job and seemed to enjoy it more than in prior years. His teams played hard even if they were not particularly well schooled. Now the vibe seems to be that he really wants to keep the job, is willing to take a substantial pay cut to keep it but may not get the chance.
New ownership is keeping their mouths shut until the bankruptcy purchase is completed but you get the sense that a late summer coaching change is imminent. While there is hockey and business justification for a coaching change, there is still an emotional tug that says he’s the greatest player who ever played the game and someone who has always honored the game. He deserves better.
Wayne Gretzky won’t get fired. If the decision is made to end his association with the Coyotes, he will resign gracefully. Because that is his style. And while he has not been the great one as a coach, he has handled a difficult situation with grace and composure. Wayne Gretzky has never demanded the spotlight – it always found him. Now he lurks in the background as a creditor, a financial albatross and a supporting actor in a play that has gone horribly wrong. It is so uncomfortable.
I’m reminded of a comment that was made about Wayne when he played and lived in LA. “He’s a great, hockey player” a business associate once told me, “but he’s an even better human being”. Good people deserve better.
If Wayne’s World is indeed closing, we’ll be watching a chapter of his remarkable career without a happy ending. And we all will be watching an opportunity slip away that started with so much promise but now is eclipsed by an economic struggle for survival.
Somehow, we’ll all be a little poorer for the experience.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Day Two of Free Agency...Give The Coyotes an "A"
Give the Coyotes an “A” for their latest free agent signing.
A as in Adrian Aucoin. This is more like what I had in mind for this off season. This is a good, potentially great signing.
Aucoin is a horse. He played 22 minutes a game this year for a very good Calgary team. He scored 10 goals in each of the last two seasons totaling 34 and 35 points. And even though he’s slowed down a little at age 35, he still is a strong skater and a steadying influence.
All of this on a very flexible one year contract for $2.25MM. Or said another way, $50,000 less than Jim Vandermeer. Still think that wasn’t part of the Jokinen deal and was made in March?
So what is going on as NHL free agency completes its’ second full day? Well for starters, star players still got star money. Gaborik for $7.5MM in New York. Havlat for $5MM in Minnesota. And Hossa for ever in Chicago.
But the second wave of free agent signings seems to be coming much more slowly. Only about half as many players signed on the second day this year compared to last year. And by my count, there are still over 30 players who made $2MM or more last year who have not yet signed new contracts.
Aucoin was squarely in that group. He made $4MM last year finishing off a 4 year contract he signed after the lockout with the Chicago Blackhawks. He took a big pay cut and a one year contract to get a seat at the table. Others will likely be in the same position.
It’s unlikely that a Robert Lang or Alex Kovalev will drop far enough to be in Don Maloney’s price bracket but some good offensive players who might are Ales Kotalik ($2.5MM last year), Maxim Afinogenov ($3.5MM), Mikael Samuelsson ($1.2MM) and Petr Sykora ($2.5MM). There’s also the possibility of a trade that brings a contracted player to the Coyotes.
Even with the signings of Aucoin, Vernon Fiddler, Jason LaBarbera and the acquisition of Jim Vandermeer, the Coyotes are still hovering around the salary cap floor. It appears there’s room for one more contract and that will almost certainly be a scorer.
Like much of the television advertising we see these days, prices have never been better. And better yet, operators are standing by. That’s great news when dollars are tight and your needs are great.
GMDM, Shop till they tell you to stop!
A as in Adrian Aucoin. This is more like what I had in mind for this off season. This is a good, potentially great signing.
Aucoin is a horse. He played 22 minutes a game this year for a very good Calgary team. He scored 10 goals in each of the last two seasons totaling 34 and 35 points. And even though he’s slowed down a little at age 35, he still is a strong skater and a steadying influence.
All of this on a very flexible one year contract for $2.25MM. Or said another way, $50,000 less than Jim Vandermeer. Still think that wasn’t part of the Jokinen deal and was made in March?
So what is going on as NHL free agency completes its’ second full day? Well for starters, star players still got star money. Gaborik for $7.5MM in New York. Havlat for $5MM in Minnesota. And Hossa for ever in Chicago.
But the second wave of free agent signings seems to be coming much more slowly. Only about half as many players signed on the second day this year compared to last year. And by my count, there are still over 30 players who made $2MM or more last year who have not yet signed new contracts.
Aucoin was squarely in that group. He made $4MM last year finishing off a 4 year contract he signed after the lockout with the Chicago Blackhawks. He took a big pay cut and a one year contract to get a seat at the table. Others will likely be in the same position.
It’s unlikely that a Robert Lang or Alex Kovalev will drop far enough to be in Don Maloney’s price bracket but some good offensive players who might are Ales Kotalik ($2.5MM last year), Maxim Afinogenov ($3.5MM), Mikael Samuelsson ($1.2MM) and Petr Sykora ($2.5MM). There’s also the possibility of a trade that brings a contracted player to the Coyotes.
Even with the signings of Aucoin, Vernon Fiddler, Jason LaBarbera and the acquisition of Jim Vandermeer, the Coyotes are still hovering around the salary cap floor. It appears there’s room for one more contract and that will almost certainly be a scorer.
Like much of the television advertising we see these days, prices have never been better. And better yet, operators are standing by. That’s great news when dollars are tight and your needs are great.
GMDM, Shop till they tell you to stop!
Yawn...
The NHL draft and free agency have not been the buzz builders that the Phoenix Coyotes had hoped for.
Aside from dealing for a couple of minor league prospects, the only NHL player acquired at the draft was defenseman Jim Vandermeer who came over from the Calgary Flames. Now one day into free agency the Yotes’ have added journeyman (don’t you just love that word) goaltender Jason LaBarbera and utility (another cool adjective) forward Vernon Fiddler as free agents.
I didn’t even write a free agent preview because I wasn’t expecting much out of the Coyotes. Everyone assumed GM Don Maloney would be shopping in the bargain aisle this summer. So far, it feels like the clearance bin at the dollar store.
Fiddler is a nice 3rd/4th line player. He works hard, kills penalties, wins face-offs and was a crowd favorite in Nashville. He will fill the Steve Reinprecht role on the team.
LaBarbera is an enigma. Like most goaltenders he is streaky. But boy is he ever streaky. He can be very good one night and very bad the next. In parts of 5 NHL seasons, it’s been more bad (2.97 GAA) than good.
Maloney has history with the lanky goaltender. When GMDM was in New York, LaBarbera was a Ranger draftee and farmhand.
Here’s a great story about Jason’s roller coaster career…
http://crashingthegoalie.com/2009/02/15/the-ups-and-downs-of-jason-labarbera/
LaBarbera was signed to push Ilya Bryzgalov but in reality he won’t be doing that. He’ll battle another form Ranger, Al Montoya, for the backup position.
But there is still hope for a shot of electricity that the franchise desperately needs. The silver lining here is that even with the three acquisitions made to date, the Coyotes are still below the NHL salary cap floor. I’ll do the math later today but it looks that even with reasonable qualifying offer allowances for players like Keith Yandle and Scott Upshall, the team still has enough money to buy another player or two.
So now what? The team still needs help on defense. Preferably a right hand shot. Derek Morris is still out there but there’s a certain ‘been there, done that’ quality to any potential resigning. And let’s not forget that Morris was awful for much of 2008-09.
And there’s a real need for a proven goal scorer to take some pressure off the young guns. The Coyotes were 29th in the NHL in scoring last year. While there is a lot of hope for internal improvement, there’s still a long way to go. There will be a lot of pressure on the kids to produce if this is the team we go to war with.
As other teams sign shiny new free agents, there may be some salary dumps available. And there’s always the player who won’t have a seat when the music stops playing who may just decide Phoenix in January sounds pretty damn good.
Until there is new ownership in place, Phoenix will simply not have the money or will to compete for premium free agents. There’s no money to take on big contracts from other teams. There is however a need to create news and excitement around the team and the next few days will go a long way to seeing what rabbits GMDM might be able to pull out of the hat.
Aside from dealing for a couple of minor league prospects, the only NHL player acquired at the draft was defenseman Jim Vandermeer who came over from the Calgary Flames. Now one day into free agency the Yotes’ have added journeyman (don’t you just love that word) goaltender Jason LaBarbera and utility (another cool adjective) forward Vernon Fiddler as free agents.
I didn’t even write a free agent preview because I wasn’t expecting much out of the Coyotes. Everyone assumed GM Don Maloney would be shopping in the bargain aisle this summer. So far, it feels like the clearance bin at the dollar store.
Fiddler is a nice 3rd/4th line player. He works hard, kills penalties, wins face-offs and was a crowd favorite in Nashville. He will fill the Steve Reinprecht role on the team.
LaBarbera is an enigma. Like most goaltenders he is streaky. But boy is he ever streaky. He can be very good one night and very bad the next. In parts of 5 NHL seasons, it’s been more bad (2.97 GAA) than good.
Maloney has history with the lanky goaltender. When GMDM was in New York, LaBarbera was a Ranger draftee and farmhand.
Here’s a great story about Jason’s roller coaster career…
http://crashingthegoalie.com/2009/02/15/the-ups-and-downs-of-jason-labarbera/
LaBarbera was signed to push Ilya Bryzgalov but in reality he won’t be doing that. He’ll battle another form Ranger, Al Montoya, for the backup position.
But there is still hope for a shot of electricity that the franchise desperately needs. The silver lining here is that even with the three acquisitions made to date, the Coyotes are still below the NHL salary cap floor. I’ll do the math later today but it looks that even with reasonable qualifying offer allowances for players like Keith Yandle and Scott Upshall, the team still has enough money to buy another player or two.
So now what? The team still needs help on defense. Preferably a right hand shot. Derek Morris is still out there but there’s a certain ‘been there, done that’ quality to any potential resigning. And let’s not forget that Morris was awful for much of 2008-09.
And there’s a real need for a proven goal scorer to take some pressure off the young guns. The Coyotes were 29th in the NHL in scoring last year. While there is a lot of hope for internal improvement, there’s still a long way to go. There will be a lot of pressure on the kids to produce if this is the team we go to war with.
As other teams sign shiny new free agents, there may be some salary dumps available. And there’s always the player who won’t have a seat when the music stops playing who may just decide Phoenix in January sounds pretty damn good.
Until there is new ownership in place, Phoenix will simply not have the money or will to compete for premium free agents. There’s no money to take on big contracts from other teams. There is however a need to create news and excitement around the team and the next few days will go a long way to seeing what rabbits GMDM might be able to pull out of the hat.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Yes Nigel. And Keith. And Scott...
The Coyotes have qualified 12 RFAs including most of those expected including Scott Upshall and Keith Yandle. Bubble players Nigel Dawes and Dan Winnik were qualified as well as Enver Lisin, who has been tendered an offer from a Russian KHL team.
By issuing a qualifying offer, the team essentially keeps the players rights. Players can sign the QO or negotiate for a longer, larger contract. 4 players -- Dawes, Upshall, Winnik and Lepisto have the right to file for arbitration.
Joakim Lindstrom was the only player who spent the majority of his time with the big club last year who was not qualified. He is now a unrestricted free agent.
Here's the official announcement...
http://coyotes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=432288
By issuing a qualifying offer, the team essentially keeps the players rights. Players can sign the QO or negotiate for a longer, larger contract. 4 players -- Dawes, Upshall, Winnik and Lepisto have the right to file for arbitration.
Joakim Lindstrom was the only player who spent the majority of his time with the big club last year who was not qualified. He is now a unrestricted free agent.
Here's the official announcement...
http://coyotes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=432288
Monday, June 29, 2009
No Nigel?
The 5PM Eastern deadline for qualifying restricted free agents has passed. we'll likely get an update from the Coyotes later today on what players they have qualified and perhaps a couple of contract signings.
Seven players who finished the 2008-09 season on the Coyotes roster are RFAs and must be qualified by today. They are Nigel Dawes, Keith Yandle, Scott Upshall, Daniel Winnik, Joakim Lindstron, Enver Lisin and Brian McGrattan. Petr Prucha was also in this group but he signed a two year contract last week. In addition to players from the NHL roster, Josh Tordjman heads a group of 11 players from the San Antonio Rampage who are also RFAs. Defensemen Sami Lepisto and Shawn Heshka, obtained during the draft weekend and forward Stefan Myers who came over in the Steven Rupprecht trade are also RFAs.
So what does this mean?
Well we expect Yandle and Upshall will be qualified without exception. Both of these players are strong NHL assets and will be looking for long term contracts and big raises. Don Maloney has said he would like to get a fair two way contract in place for Enver Lisin. They would mean making a deal before he is qualified. Lepisto, Heshka and Torjdman are probably in the same boat as Lisin. The Coyotes have already announced that McGrattan is not coming back and Winnik may get an AHL contract.
That leaves Nigel Dawes and Joakim Lindstrom as question marks. Both are depth players who a) have flashed some scoring ability and b) are relatively cheap. Lindstrom had 9 goals in 44 games after coming over in a trade with Anaheim and he made $500,000 last year. Dawes made $587,500 and he potted 10 goals, splitting the season between the Yotes and the New York Rangers.
It's hard to see room for both of them in Phoenix. And in what may or may not be a predictor of what is happening, Dawes has been removed from the Coyotes roster on the team web site. Maloney was disappointed in his play after joining the Coyotes and signals seem to point to Nigel moving on next year.
Once the Coyotes publish their qualifying offers and contract signings, it will give a good picture of what roster moves to expect in the next few days.
Seven players who finished the 2008-09 season on the Coyotes roster are RFAs and must be qualified by today. They are Nigel Dawes, Keith Yandle, Scott Upshall, Daniel Winnik, Joakim Lindstron, Enver Lisin and Brian McGrattan. Petr Prucha was also in this group but he signed a two year contract last week. In addition to players from the NHL roster, Josh Tordjman heads a group of 11 players from the San Antonio Rampage who are also RFAs. Defensemen Sami Lepisto and Shawn Heshka, obtained during the draft weekend and forward Stefan Myers who came over in the Steven Rupprecht trade are also RFAs.
So what does this mean?
Well we expect Yandle and Upshall will be qualified without exception. Both of these players are strong NHL assets and will be looking for long term contracts and big raises. Don Maloney has said he would like to get a fair two way contract in place for Enver Lisin. They would mean making a deal before he is qualified. Lepisto, Heshka and Torjdman are probably in the same boat as Lisin. The Coyotes have already announced that McGrattan is not coming back and Winnik may get an AHL contract.
That leaves Nigel Dawes and Joakim Lindstrom as question marks. Both are depth players who a) have flashed some scoring ability and b) are relatively cheap. Lindstrom had 9 goals in 44 games after coming over in a trade with Anaheim and he made $500,000 last year. Dawes made $587,500 and he potted 10 goals, splitting the season between the Yotes and the New York Rangers.
It's hard to see room for both of them in Phoenix. And in what may or may not be a predictor of what is happening, Dawes has been removed from the Coyotes roster on the team web site. Maloney was disappointed in his play after joining the Coyotes and signals seem to point to Nigel moving on next year.
Once the Coyotes publish their qualifying offers and contract signings, it will give a good picture of what roster moves to expect in the next few days.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Coyotes Reading Room
Some interesting stuff from around the Internet on the eve of the NHL draft
Gretzky would consider a pay cut to stay in his position. Hmmm...
Gretzky would consider a pay cut to stay in his position. Hmmm...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/gretzky-would-consider-salary-cut/article1194684/
Why would Jerry Reinsdorf want to buy the Coyotes?
http://espn.go.com/chicago/columns/blog?post=4281827&name=cimaglia
sounds a lot like our assessment originally posted on May 22nd.
And colorful Leafs GM Brian Burke thinks hockey can be a success in Phoenix...
a position that no doubt most of us will agree with.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
What To Watch For On Draft Day(s)
If you’re taking in the NHL draft on Friday afternoon (4PM, Versus) there are several things to be watching for as the Coyotes are scheduled to pick at #6 and #36. Here are some things keys to look for as the draft develops.
The Bombshell Trade – There’s only one available player out there worthy of the Yotes’ #6 draft pick and that’s Boston Bruin Left Wing Phil Kessel. If there is going to be a major trade at the top of the draft, it will almost certainly include Kessel. The Coyotes have interest in trading for the 21-year-old and if the Bruins are inclined to move him, a package of #6 plus Chris Summers could get it done. Kessel might not last this long because Atlanta at #4 and Los Angeles at #5 could also be interested. If he’s going to be moved, it will almost certainly be to a team with a high draft pick as the salary cap constrained Bruins will be looking for non-NHL assets in return. This could be where Don Maloney drops his second annual draft bombshell (see Olli Jokinen) Of course, this could depend on…
The First 5 Players Picked – Most NHL observers think that John Tavares (no relation to Tony), Victor Hedman, Matt Duchesne, Brayden Schenn and Evander Kane are the top five players available in the draft. If all 5 go before the Coyotes pick at # 6 a trade down becomes more likely. Don Maloney would love to see one of these players slide to #6 so he can select that player or extract a high price from another team to trade down. And that team might be…
The Toronto Maple Leafs – Colorful Leafs GM Brian Burke wants to make his team tougher and more North American. He also wants to move up in the draft to select John Tavares or Brayden Schenn. If Burke cannot get into the top 2 and Schenn falls to 6, he and Maloney could do business. If not the Leafs, the Coyotes are unlikely to trade down below the #9 pick owned by Ottawa because players they value highly will still be available…
And The Coyotes Select – Either Defenseman Jared Cowen of the Spokane Chiefs or Forward Nazim Kadri of the London Knights. Listening to Don Maloney speak earlier this spring, he talked about the top players in the draft as “Tavares, Hedman, Duchene, Kane, Cowen and possibly Kadri”. When it became clear that the Coyotes were drafting at six and that five players were getting the most press (Tavares, Hedman, Duchesne, Kane, Schenn) he changed his tune to list those 5 players. June is liar’s month in the NHL. Players do move up and down the draft board. But it makes sense that Maloney took the easy way out by saying there are 5 great players and we get the next best. Maloney is always thinking.
What unites Cowen and Kadri is the 2008 Memorial Cup. Cowen’s Spokane Chiefs bested Kadri’s (and Mikkel Boedker) Kitchener Rangers in a terrific series. Maloney scouted that tournament heavily, went on to draft Boedker and brought along high opinions of both players. Cowen missed the second half of the 2008-09 season with a knee injury. Kadri was traded to the London Knights where his game really took off in the second half of the season.
Maloney has also alluded to cutbacks in scouting expenses this year. That could mean a less than thorough vetting of the two Euros (Oliver Ekman-Larson and Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson ) ranked in the next group of the top 10 available players. That translates to a higher comfort level with players the team is more familiar with.
Cowen is rated higher in most mocks and by NHL Central Scouting. If the Coyotes pick at 6 or 7 he could be the pick. If they go lower or if Cowen is gone, Kadri will likely be the choice. And then on Saturday morning…
The Coyotes Pick at #36 – Or at least they are scheduled to. The early second round choice could go in a number of directions. Maloney has talked about possibly trading down in the 2nd to pick up an additional third round choice. The Coyotes sent their third round choice to Calgary in the Jokinen/Lombardi trade. It could also be packaged, perhaps with Calgary’s #1 in 2010 to move into the second half of the first round. If a player Maloney really likes starts to drop, he could try to trade back into the latter part of the first round.
And don’t discount the possibility of this pick being packaged with other assets to bring back immediate help. This pick won’t realistically help the big club for 2 or 3 years. For a win now team, that may not be good enough. Our guess is that whatever the course, Maloney won’t be picking at #36. He’ll either add assets by trading down or pursue a win now strategy by trading for a younger roster player or a late first round draft choice.
It will be an interesting draft. With uncertainty about how aggressive the Coyotes will (or can) be in the free agent market, trading and drafting are the keys to improving the team. With the pressure of new ownership and the urgency to win sooner rather than later, the Coyotes will be active this weekend. It will be interesting to see how active they are.
The Bombshell Trade – There’s only one available player out there worthy of the Yotes’ #6 draft pick and that’s Boston Bruin Left Wing Phil Kessel. If there is going to be a major trade at the top of the draft, it will almost certainly include Kessel. The Coyotes have interest in trading for the 21-year-old and if the Bruins are inclined to move him, a package of #6 plus Chris Summers could get it done. Kessel might not last this long because Atlanta at #4 and Los Angeles at #5 could also be interested. If he’s going to be moved, it will almost certainly be to a team with a high draft pick as the salary cap constrained Bruins will be looking for non-NHL assets in return. This could be where Don Maloney drops his second annual draft bombshell (see Olli Jokinen) Of course, this could depend on…
The First 5 Players Picked – Most NHL observers think that John Tavares (no relation to Tony), Victor Hedman, Matt Duchesne, Brayden Schenn and Evander Kane are the top five players available in the draft. If all 5 go before the Coyotes pick at # 6 a trade down becomes more likely. Don Maloney would love to see one of these players slide to #6 so he can select that player or extract a high price from another team to trade down. And that team might be…
The Toronto Maple Leafs – Colorful Leafs GM Brian Burke wants to make his team tougher and more North American. He also wants to move up in the draft to select John Tavares or Brayden Schenn. If Burke cannot get into the top 2 and Schenn falls to 6, he and Maloney could do business. If not the Leafs, the Coyotes are unlikely to trade down below the #9 pick owned by Ottawa because players they value highly will still be available…
And The Coyotes Select – Either Defenseman Jared Cowen of the Spokane Chiefs or Forward Nazim Kadri of the London Knights. Listening to Don Maloney speak earlier this spring, he talked about the top players in the draft as “Tavares, Hedman, Duchene, Kane, Cowen and possibly Kadri”. When it became clear that the Coyotes were drafting at six and that five players were getting the most press (Tavares, Hedman, Duchesne, Kane, Schenn) he changed his tune to list those 5 players. June is liar’s month in the NHL. Players do move up and down the draft board. But it makes sense that Maloney took the easy way out by saying there are 5 great players and we get the next best. Maloney is always thinking.
What unites Cowen and Kadri is the 2008 Memorial Cup. Cowen’s Spokane Chiefs bested Kadri’s (and Mikkel Boedker) Kitchener Rangers in a terrific series. Maloney scouted that tournament heavily, went on to draft Boedker and brought along high opinions of both players. Cowen missed the second half of the 2008-09 season with a knee injury. Kadri was traded to the London Knights where his game really took off in the second half of the season.
Maloney has also alluded to cutbacks in scouting expenses this year. That could mean a less than thorough vetting of the two Euros (Oliver Ekman-Larson and Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson ) ranked in the next group of the top 10 available players. That translates to a higher comfort level with players the team is more familiar with.
Cowen is rated higher in most mocks and by NHL Central Scouting. If the Coyotes pick at 6 or 7 he could be the pick. If they go lower or if Cowen is gone, Kadri will likely be the choice. And then on Saturday morning…
The Coyotes Pick at #36 – Or at least they are scheduled to. The early second round choice could go in a number of directions. Maloney has talked about possibly trading down in the 2nd to pick up an additional third round choice. The Coyotes sent their third round choice to Calgary in the Jokinen/Lombardi trade. It could also be packaged, perhaps with Calgary’s #1 in 2010 to move into the second half of the first round. If a player Maloney really likes starts to drop, he could try to trade back into the latter part of the first round.
And don’t discount the possibility of this pick being packaged with other assets to bring back immediate help. This pick won’t realistically help the big club for 2 or 3 years. For a win now team, that may not be good enough. Our guess is that whatever the course, Maloney won’t be picking at #36. He’ll either add assets by trading down or pursue a win now strategy by trading for a younger roster player or a late first round draft choice.
It will be an interesting draft. With uncertainty about how aggressive the Coyotes will (or can) be in the free agent market, trading and drafting are the keys to improving the team. With the pressure of new ownership and the urgency to win sooner rather than later, the Coyotes will be active this weekend. It will be interesting to see how active they are.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Coyotes Auction August 5th. Only Local Owners Need Apply
The news is good for Coyotes fans tonight.
For starters, the NHL announced in a court filing and later confirmed in court that the Jerry Reinsdorf-John Kaites (-Tony Tavares?) group would be filing a bid to buy the team by the Friday deadline.
Then Judge Tom dropped a Baum-shell on Jim Balsillie’s bid to move the team to Canada by setting an August 5th auction date for owners who want to operate the team in Arizona. The Judge indicated that he likes the ease of selling the team locally, noting that there would be multiple legal complications to any offer that would move the team, especially if it was against the will of the NHL. Should no local owner be selected or qualified on the August 5th, a second auction would be held on September 10th that could potentially open the team to relocation. Think of this date as “if necessary” and hope that the game is never played.
The NHL has long held that a bid to purchase the team and keep it in Arizona was forthcoming and the news that the bid is imminent is good. Additionally, minority owner John Breslow has talked of offering a bid and there are still others who may be lurking. It remains to be seen if Breslow will enter the bidding by Friday’s deadline but one possibility is that he may join the Reinsdorf- Kaites (-Tavares?) group.
Negotiations with the City of Glendale will be following. The City expressed concern that August 5th was an aggressive deadline. After looking at the alternatives, that will seem like an eternity for them to close a deal.
Still to be revealed are the other members of the bidding group. There has been speculation that Hollywood producer (and aspiring NHL owner) Jerry Bruckheimer may be part of the action. We believe that Arte Moreno, the owner of baseball’s Los Angeles Angels and a Phoenix resident may also be a potential investor.
So now that the Reinsdorf- Kaites (-Tavares?) group is officially out of the water, many questions emerge. There was much speculation early on that Wayne Gretzky would not be retained in his current role if the ownership went in this direction. We’ll find out soon if that is the case. It’s unlikely that the iconic and ever-gracious Gretzky would simply be dismissed but he may be asked to take a lesser and lower paying role in the management of the team.
The player budget floor 2009-10 is also on the table. If Gary Bettman is directing Don Maloney with the understanding that NHL money was paying the bills, you can bet the Coyotes would be close to the floor minimum. With new money and ownership was coming to the table, that could mean a bigger player budget for next year. And with shopping season right around the corner, it’s fair to assume that this issue has already been vetted with the R-K-(T?) group.
And finally, changes in the off-ice management of the team may be on the table. If Tony Tavares is an active participant, that will likely signal some realignment of the front office. One can assume that based on the reports of high administrative expenses, Tony would be a tiger in holding down costs. Tavares has a reputation for being a hardnosed operator but his experience and marketing background could be a large asset to the franchise.
We’ll know a lot more later this week. For now, we’ll take solace in knowing that the cavalry is on the way, they are bringing a checkbook and they seem willing to dig in a make this franchise a success. And they are doing all of these things without dragging the team off to Hamilton.
For starters, the NHL announced in a court filing and later confirmed in court that the Jerry Reinsdorf-John Kaites (-Tony Tavares?) group would be filing a bid to buy the team by the Friday deadline.
Then Judge Tom dropped a Baum-shell on Jim Balsillie’s bid to move the team to Canada by setting an August 5th auction date for owners who want to operate the team in Arizona. The Judge indicated that he likes the ease of selling the team locally, noting that there would be multiple legal complications to any offer that would move the team, especially if it was against the will of the NHL. Should no local owner be selected or qualified on the August 5th, a second auction would be held on September 10th that could potentially open the team to relocation. Think of this date as “if necessary” and hope that the game is never played.
The NHL has long held that a bid to purchase the team and keep it in Arizona was forthcoming and the news that the bid is imminent is good. Additionally, minority owner John Breslow has talked of offering a bid and there are still others who may be lurking. It remains to be seen if Breslow will enter the bidding by Friday’s deadline but one possibility is that he may join the Reinsdorf- Kaites (-Tavares?) group.
Negotiations with the City of Glendale will be following. The City expressed concern that August 5th was an aggressive deadline. After looking at the alternatives, that will seem like an eternity for them to close a deal.
Still to be revealed are the other members of the bidding group. There has been speculation that Hollywood producer (and aspiring NHL owner) Jerry Bruckheimer may be part of the action. We believe that Arte Moreno, the owner of baseball’s Los Angeles Angels and a Phoenix resident may also be a potential investor.
So now that the Reinsdorf- Kaites (-Tavares?) group is officially out of the water, many questions emerge. There was much speculation early on that Wayne Gretzky would not be retained in his current role if the ownership went in this direction. We’ll find out soon if that is the case. It’s unlikely that the iconic and ever-gracious Gretzky would simply be dismissed but he may be asked to take a lesser and lower paying role in the management of the team.
The player budget floor 2009-10 is also on the table. If Gary Bettman is directing Don Maloney with the understanding that NHL money was paying the bills, you can bet the Coyotes would be close to the floor minimum. With new money and ownership was coming to the table, that could mean a bigger player budget for next year. And with shopping season right around the corner, it’s fair to assume that this issue has already been vetted with the R-K-(T?) group.
And finally, changes in the off-ice management of the team may be on the table. If Tony Tavares is an active participant, that will likely signal some realignment of the front office. One can assume that based on the reports of high administrative expenses, Tony would be a tiger in holding down costs. Tavares has a reputation for being a hardnosed operator but his experience and marketing background could be a large asset to the franchise.
We’ll know a lot more later this week. For now, we’ll take solace in knowing that the cavalry is on the way, they are bringing a checkbook and they seem willing to dig in a make this franchise a success. And they are doing all of these things without dragging the team off to Hamilton.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
A Sigh of Relief
The news today is good. Judge Redfield “Tom” Baum ruled against the Moyes/Balsillie motion that would have forced the bankrupt team to auction next Monday. The team will remain in Phoenix for the near term and under the agreement between Moyes and the NHL, it will likely be auctioned sometime in September. An auction that the NHL hopes will bring new local ownership that will stabilize the franchise for years to come.
The ruling is a big win for the NHL and Phoenix hockey fans. The league argued that the bid was an attempt to circumvent the league rules on where teams play and franchise ownership. The court clearly sided with the NHL on franchise relocation. “Simply put, the court disagrees with the assertions by the Debtors and PSE that the relocation requirement can be excised from the contract”, said the Judge. It did not address the franchise ownership issue directly but implied that the league has the right to approve ownership groups.
So for now, Mr. Balsillie can consider the side door closed. Slammed in his face might be a better description.
And pardon us if we enjoy a laugh at some of the self serving spin coming out of Canada today. “A setback, not a defeat” according to Team Balsillie. As Shane Doan might say (in those annoying Desert School commercials) “Really”?
The entire decision goes into much richer detail. And it refutes the Moyes/Balsillie contentions at most every point. You can read it here...
http://multimedia.thestar.com/acrobat/58/ef/9fa676434959a4de525fe6a8a7c3.pdf
Judge Tom did throw Jim Balsillie a bone by saying that since he was already approved by the league as an owner in 2007 (and unless things had dramatically changed) it would be no less than good faith to assume that he would be approved today. “Absent… material changes in PSE’s conditions since 2006, it appears to the court that the NHL cannot object or withhold its’ consent to PSE becoming the controlling owner of the Phoenix Coyotes.”, he said. I wonder if challenging the league in court and trying to circumvent league rules might constitute a change in circumstances.
Woven through Judge Tom’s bankruptcy decision was plenty of homespun advice to all parties.
For Jerry Moyes, there was a very pointed message. You signed up to be a member of the NHL. You agreed to play by these rules. And your filings were late, in some cases incomplete and did not comply with league rules.
For the NHL, it was a message that while today’s ruling pretty much guaranteed that the Coyotes will stay this season in Phoenix, the future of the franchise is still murky. The team will be auctioned off in the future. And the Judge also made it clear that moving a franchise has not “wreaked havoc” on professional sports leagues. That argument won’t work here.
And Glendale, the big winner in yesterday’s ruling can take some solace in the judges’ words. “It is proper for the court to refuse to authorize rejection of an executor contract where the party whose contract is to be rejected would be damaged disproportionately to any benefit to be derived by the general creditors.” The judge, however, went on to chastise Glendale for a less than complete accounting of the general creditors. Nevertheless, he made his point loud and clear. Breaking this contract will take a lot. That’s probably the best news for the long term prospects of the franchise.
So today, the Coyotes live. It’s hardly a clean bill of health but for it sure beats the alternatives. Like most big wins in the hockey, the franchise needs to build on this win. Simply getting a stay of execution is not enough. The organization needs to make big changes in the on-ice product, off-ice marketing and slash organizational expenses to make certain that hockey grows its’ appeal in Phoenix. It’s good to get one win under your belt. Now the organization and the NHL need to think about closing out the series.
Always keeping in mind that the last win of any series is always the hardest.
The ruling is a big win for the NHL and Phoenix hockey fans. The league argued that the bid was an attempt to circumvent the league rules on where teams play and franchise ownership. The court clearly sided with the NHL on franchise relocation. “Simply put, the court disagrees with the assertions by the Debtors and PSE that the relocation requirement can be excised from the contract”, said the Judge. It did not address the franchise ownership issue directly but implied that the league has the right to approve ownership groups.
So for now, Mr. Balsillie can consider the side door closed. Slammed in his face might be a better description.
And pardon us if we enjoy a laugh at some of the self serving spin coming out of Canada today. “A setback, not a defeat” according to Team Balsillie. As Shane Doan might say (in those annoying Desert School commercials) “Really”?
The entire decision goes into much richer detail. And it refutes the Moyes/Balsillie contentions at most every point. You can read it here...
http://multimedia.thestar.com/acrobat/58/ef/9fa676434959a4de525fe6a8a7c3.pdf
Judge Tom did throw Jim Balsillie a bone by saying that since he was already approved by the league as an owner in 2007 (and unless things had dramatically changed) it would be no less than good faith to assume that he would be approved today. “Absent… material changes in PSE’s conditions since 2006, it appears to the court that the NHL cannot object or withhold its’ consent to PSE becoming the controlling owner of the Phoenix Coyotes.”, he said. I wonder if challenging the league in court and trying to circumvent league rules might constitute a change in circumstances.
Woven through Judge Tom’s bankruptcy decision was plenty of homespun advice to all parties.
For Jerry Moyes, there was a very pointed message. You signed up to be a member of the NHL. You agreed to play by these rules. And your filings were late, in some cases incomplete and did not comply with league rules.
For the NHL, it was a message that while today’s ruling pretty much guaranteed that the Coyotes will stay this season in Phoenix, the future of the franchise is still murky. The team will be auctioned off in the future. And the Judge also made it clear that moving a franchise has not “wreaked havoc” on professional sports leagues. That argument won’t work here.
And Glendale, the big winner in yesterday’s ruling can take some solace in the judges’ words. “It is proper for the court to refuse to authorize rejection of an executor contract where the party whose contract is to be rejected would be damaged disproportionately to any benefit to be derived by the general creditors.” The judge, however, went on to chastise Glendale for a less than complete accounting of the general creditors. Nevertheless, he made his point loud and clear. Breaking this contract will take a lot. That’s probably the best news for the long term prospects of the franchise.
So today, the Coyotes live. It’s hardly a clean bill of health but for it sure beats the alternatives. Like most big wins in the hockey, the franchise needs to build on this win. Simply getting a stay of execution is not enough. The organization needs to make big changes in the on-ice product, off-ice marketing and slash organizational expenses to make certain that hockey grows its’ appeal in Phoenix. It’s good to get one win under your belt. Now the organization and the NHL need to think about closing out the series.
Always keeping in mind that the last win of any series is always the hardest.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Tick, Tick, Tick
The earliest we will be hearing from Judge Tom is Monday June 15th. If he were to rule in favor of the Moyes-Balsillie arguments in the Coyotes bankruptcy hearing, the team would be auctioned off on Monday June 22nd.
Of course, that assumes nothing gets in the way of the bankruptcy decision and the auction. And "nothing" is not a likely outcome.
If Judge Tom (and we now have confirmed that's what he likes to be called) drops a Baumshell says the auction is on, then there will likely be two immediate appeals (the NHL and The City of Glendale) and the possibility of additional flanker lawsuits from involved parties like ARAMARK. In the cases of the NHL and Glendale, appeals to the 9th District Court of Appeals will almost surely ask for injunctions against the auction based on all of the the legal issues that have been catalogued here and elsewhere.
Which puts this entire debate squarely on the clock. The auction is scheduled in 7 days. The NHL draft is in 12 days. Free agency opens 5 days after the draft. And the NHL schedule is traditionally announced right after the 4th of July. (It is in fact completed) And Judge Tom is leaving on vacation a week from Tuesday.
So?
Well, I think that the good Judge has clearly helped the short term hand of the NHL by delaying the decision until at least Monday. He knows there will be appeals and injunctions. He knows that getting all issues cleared so that there can be an auction in 7 days is highly unlikely. And he knows that the Balsillie bid could expire, although no one really expects him to stop chasing the team. He also knows that the NHL has offered to fund the team until a September auction can be held.
And for all we know, he may have decided that the thought of having an auction on June 22nd simply isn't going to work.
Some Canadian reporters have speculated that the judge may be making time for the two sides to reach a negotiated settlement. That's highly unlikely. If there were talks underway, it would have been leaked to the Canadian press by now. And any negotiation that would move the team would still be subject to the full wrath of Glendale and their lawyers. No one is going to work a deal with them.
And he also knows that there are antitrust implications. The league would likely vote quickly to deny the franchise transfer. That would only set off more court battles and a less swift recovery for the creditors.
The logical explanation is that The Judge has decided to delay the auction to September. The Judge knows that the asset is not going to lose value. And he also knows the NHL will fund the team until a new owner is found. Whether or not he sides with Moyes/Balsillie or the NHL, he also knows that any decision to conduct the auction next Monday will be appealed and likely delayed by injunction.
Of course, any time a lay man (or in this case, a blogger) decides to interpret the law and predict what judges are going to do, it comes with no guarantee.
So for now, we wait. I would much rather be writing about the very interesting draft, free agent and trade market that will open later this week. Hopefully we can get on to that by the middle of the week.
Of course, that assumes nothing gets in the way of the bankruptcy decision and the auction. And "nothing" is not a likely outcome.
If Judge Tom (and we now have confirmed that's what he likes to be called) drops a Baumshell says the auction is on, then there will likely be two immediate appeals (the NHL and The City of Glendale) and the possibility of additional flanker lawsuits from involved parties like ARAMARK. In the cases of the NHL and Glendale, appeals to the 9th District Court of Appeals will almost surely ask for injunctions against the auction based on all of the the legal issues that have been catalogued here and elsewhere.
Which puts this entire debate squarely on the clock. The auction is scheduled in 7 days. The NHL draft is in 12 days. Free agency opens 5 days after the draft. And the NHL schedule is traditionally announced right after the 4th of July. (It is in fact completed) And Judge Tom is leaving on vacation a week from Tuesday.
So?
Well, I think that the good Judge has clearly helped the short term hand of the NHL by delaying the decision until at least Monday. He knows there will be appeals and injunctions. He knows that getting all issues cleared so that there can be an auction in 7 days is highly unlikely. And he knows that the Balsillie bid could expire, although no one really expects him to stop chasing the team. He also knows that the NHL has offered to fund the team until a September auction can be held.
And for all we know, he may have decided that the thought of having an auction on June 22nd simply isn't going to work.
Some Canadian reporters have speculated that the judge may be making time for the two sides to reach a negotiated settlement. That's highly unlikely. If there were talks underway, it would have been leaked to the Canadian press by now. And any negotiation that would move the team would still be subject to the full wrath of Glendale and their lawyers. No one is going to work a deal with them.
And he also knows that there are antitrust implications. The league would likely vote quickly to deny the franchise transfer. That would only set off more court battles and a less swift recovery for the creditors.
The logical explanation is that The Judge has decided to delay the auction to September. The Judge knows that the asset is not going to lose value. And he also knows the NHL will fund the team until a new owner is found. Whether or not he sides with Moyes/Balsillie or the NHL, he also knows that any decision to conduct the auction next Monday will be appealed and likely delayed by injunction.
Of course, any time a lay man (or in this case, a blogger) decides to interpret the law and predict what judges are going to do, it comes with no guarantee.
So for now, we wait. I would much rather be writing about the very interesting draft, free agent and trade market that will open later this week. Hopefully we can get on to that by the middle of the week.
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