The ball, or shall we say the puck, is in Glendale’s end of the ice. And time is running out.
From day one, we have contended both here and on our frequent calls to sports talk radio that sooner or later, Glendale will have to come forward with lease accommodations or the Coyotes will leave town. Now it’s not only playoff talk that’s heating up. The negotiations to sell the Coyotes have reached a critical stage. Expect news, perhaps big news, in the next few days.
There is a lot of pressure on the Glendale City Council. The Coyotes have become the hot team in town in recent weeks, with their tremendous regular season culminating in a playoff spot. What’s more, as long predicted, the city is responding to the team. Crowds are building. It seems like Coyotes players are everywhere on radio and television. Even chronically disinterested sportscasters like Dave Byrnes and Bob Kemp are starting to pay attention.
The Glendale City Council heard proposals from both groups on Tuesday. No action was taken. There’s been talk that the City is stalling to let Jerry Reinsdorf’s group further their negotiations but little solid proof that is the case. Reinsdorf’s insistence on some kind of an out clause could be a deal breaker for the city.
And while the Coyotes future is the most time sensitive issue, there are a lot of moving parts in Glendale right now. And most of them are moving in the wrong direction. The city continues to fight the Tohono O'odham Indian Nation over their plans to build a casino a mile north of Westgate. Construction has not yet started on the USA basketball development center. And the city’s Main Street development, which is intended to pay for much of the City’s Camelback Ranch debt, has been delayed by financing issues.
Now it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that a) the fate of the Coyotes, b) the construction of the basketball center and c) the lack of the Main Street development to pay for Camelback Ranch all have the potential to be revenue drains on the city. Big revenue drains. At a time where cities are scrambling to keep police and firemen on the street, it’s a litany of issues that Glendale doesn’t need.
The financial issues of car wash entrepreneur Danny Hendon haven’t helped either. Hendon had signed on to the Ice Edge group as an investor and was one of the lead players in financing the Main Street development. He and his money are occupied right now reorganizing his core businesses in bankruptcy court.
Of all of Glendale’s issues, only one, the proposed Tohono O'odham casino, is a potential revenue generator.
I believe the ultimate solution to all of these problems may in some way include revenue from the proposed Indian casino in Glendale. That's how Pittsburgh solved their arena problem. I could never understand why Glendale would not embrace a project that would create jobs and add excitement to the 101 corridor but I do know that money is the mother’s milk of politics. A revenue stream from a proposed casino could be the key to getting all of these disparate projects off the ground. I don’t know what form that may take but I do know the Tribe would certainly like to get building and be good local citizens. This may be their ticket to play in Glendale.
The relative quiet about the casino issue plus the clandestine nature of the Coyote negotiations suggest to me something big is going on. I wouldn’t be surprised if the NHL was briefed about negotiations when Gary Bettman and Bill Daly met with Glendale City officials two weeks ago. Glendale knows they must act to keep the team. They may in fact have already settled on a backup plan (i.e. the favored Coyotes offer) if a bigger deal cannot be struck. Remember, we are talking about politicians. They know that voters are in a firing mood right now. They want to settle this issue quickly and with the greatest possible benefit to Glendale.
The NHL has a lot of clout to wield. The “news” that the NHL can void the Glendale lease at the end of June is not a surprise to anyone who read the court filings last year. The league can’t (and won’t) carry the team forever. But here’s another one you may not have heard – the concert business at Jobing.com Arena is controlled by AEG, a major player in the NHL. AEG owns the Los Angeles Kings and Staples Center. Healthy concert revenue is the one bright spot in the arena’s business plan. Pull the plug on that relationship and Glendale has a building on their hands destined to become a very large warehouse. AEG has a nice fallback in the US Air Center if they ever decided to move their concert business.
Perhaps the most interesting morsel over the last few days came with Ice Edge hiring former Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods to finalize a new lease agreement with the city of Glendale. Woods is a skilled and experienced politician. He’s also highly respected around town. His presence on the Ice Edge team may neutralize any advantage that lobbyist John Kaites provided to the Reinsdorf group. Remember one thing about Ice Edge -- they are very serious.
And remember what we have previously told you. An NHL team executive told me that Ice Edge has the money to do the deal. “Plenty of money” was the exact quote. And from what we’ve read, they apparently have financing lined up from international powerhouse Deutsch Bank to finance the ongoing operation.
Winnipeg? I love the enthusiasm of hockey fans and I truly regret their loss but Winnipeg isn’t the NHL’s first choice to gain a new team. People seem to forget that the Jets were not particularly profitable either. Exactly three years out of 17 in the NHL. They left Winnipeg for a reason. The NHL has serious concerns about the ability of Winnipeg and Quebec City to return to the NHL because both cities do not have enough industry to produce the corporate support and sponsorships necessary for profitability. A second Toronto area team is far more likely to be added.
So as the off-ice issues continue to play out, we finally get to experience a playoff hockey game at the Job. That will be an extraordinary sight. We do know that the upper levels of the arena are essentially sold out for the first round of the playoffs and total ticket sales are around 12,000 per game. Once the dates are finalized and an opponent is known, I expect the demand for tickets will explode. We’ll be back with more insight on the playoffs once we know who the Coyotes will be playing.
And we’ll be watching the off-ice battles with the same tense anticipation.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
The Olympics, The Coyotes, The Trade Deadline, Ice Edge Holdings and a "No-Show Joe" Update
Today was a glorious day for hockey.
Much like 1980, there are dynamics that can never be duplicated. Canada on home ice. The upstart, overachieving US team. A one game winner take all. Sudden death overtime. And the backdrop of a glorious Olympic tournament. What a game. What a moment for hockey.
And for once NBC did the right thing by going live in all time zones with Olympic coverage. The US ratings will be huge, perhaps the best ever for a hockey game. And the resulting interest will help every level of the sport.
The winner today was hockey. For those of us who have loved the game for so many years, it was great to see our sport honored. And for those just joining us, there’s plenty of room (and beer) on the bandwagon. Hang on, it’s a great ride.
Now about those amazing Coyotes...
How can you not be impressed with this team? With 19 games left in the regular season, the Yotes have 79 points. That’s about 20 points better than you could have gotten odds on last October.
No one thing better illustrates the turnaround than the playoff ticket packages that were mailed to season tickets holders last week. Boy did they look good.
In late December we suggested that the Coyotes needed to be around 70 points by the end of January to be in position to reach the playoffs. That observation was based on an unfavorable home schedule beginning January 31st (just a small part of the mismanagement of the team) of 17 road games against 10 home games.
In January, the Coyotes experienced their most difficult stretch of the season. The Yotes went 4-5-1 and it started to look like the clock may have struck midnight.
Well, there’s nothing like a good road trip to end that conversation. After a late January win in Detroit, the Coyotes left Phoenix on January 30 with 69 points and went back on the road and won in Dallas, Nashville and Chicago. The first two teams are fighting for playoff spots and the Hawks have been among the elite in the NHL this year. It was a glorious trip that vaulted the Yotes into 4th place in the Western Conference and solidified their playoff standing.
Ilya Bryzgalov has been the team’s MVP and after a little rough stretch in January, he has snapped back to form. The Coyotes will need him down the stretch. With 79 points in the bank and 19 games remaining a .500 record will get the team into the playoffs. But now, with a playoff spot squarely in the crosshairs, the team is thinking bigger. Home ice in a 4-5 series against either Los Angeles or Colorado is a real possibility. With a sharp Bryzgalov, the team has a chance to gain home ice in the first round of the playoffs and gain a favorable first round matchup.
The NHL trade deadline approaches...
The Olympics have ended and at midnight the NHL reopens for trading. There will be 63hours until the deadline for deals at 3PM Eastern on Wednesday.
Now the spotlight will shift towards Don Maloney to see what he does to strengthen the team for a playoff run. Maloney had two commodities that most general managers don't have -- salary cap space and excess assets in the form of players not currently in the NHL and additional draft choices obtained in prior trades. For the first time in recent memory, the Coyotes will be buyers at the deadline. Maloney's shopping list will likely include a scoring forward and a depth defenseman.
Maloney was interviewed on a New York Rangers television broadcast before the break and he said that any moves the Coyotes make the balance of the year will be dollar for dollar moves. It will require some creative bookkeeping and ingenuity from GMDM to add the scoring he desperately needs as well as the 7th defenseman he craves.
Looking up and down the Coyotes roster, there’s really not many veterans the team would be willing to move. Kevin Porter is still a borderline prospect who might interest some teams. And we’ve heard that that former first draft choice Chris Summers hasn’t developed at Michigan as much as the Coyotes had hoped and might be available. There is plenty of additional salary in the Coyotes farm system that could be packaged with valuable assets to bring back reinforcements for the playoff push.
I don’t put much stock in Peter Mueller trade rumors. Mules has played much better in the last month and filled in capably when Scottie Upshall went down for the season with a torn ACL. The window for trading Mueller is probably past.
So what does all this mean? The Coyotes will probably have to package some useful assets (draft picks and unsigned players) with some dead wood salary to bring back a scorer. It would also be helpful if they were dealing with a team that has some financial flexibility. And Maloney doesn’t want to offer too many assets for a pure rental who has no interest in resigning in Phoenix.
All of which points to Toronto. The Leafs are in the middle of a full scale housecleaning and have made it clear that pretty much everyone is available. One player who might interest the Coyotes is Alexei Ponikarovsky. He’s a 29 year old center with a big body who is headed to a career best season with 19 goals and 40 points in 57 games. He has a $2.1MM cap hit and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Toronto needs draft picks to replenish the ones they traded to Boston for Phil Kessel as well as young players. It also helps that Don Maloney and Brian Burke are close friends. Toronto is the leagues richest franchise and can also bury money in the minor leagues to balance a deal. Porter, a salary and a draft pick (probably a 2nd) could bring Alexei to Phoenix. It makes sense because the Coyotes could use another center. In this scenario, Matt Lombardi might permanently swing outside, where he has played well.
And there’s a bonus with Ponikarovsky. While he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, he could be a candidate to stay with the Coyotes. He will likely command a contract that will be in the Coyotes price range. If he likes it in Phoenix, he may be here longer than the average tenure of a rental.
There’s another target that would make even more sense – Keith Tkachuk. With history in Phoenix, not only could he help the team on the ice, he could also sell some tickets. That’s a nice bonus for a team still struggling at the gate. Tkachuk’s base salary is $2.1MM and he has $400K in bonuses available. The same package might interest St. Louis, which a team that is still wavering between being buyer and seller. If the Blues decide to be sellers, Tkachuk will almost certainly be moved somewhere. Tkachuk might not be available to play for a week due to a broken finger but he would add size, versatility and some pizzazz to the Coyotes. He is also a local name brand who could help sell a few tickets.
If Maloney can’t land a big fish, he’ll probably opt for a veteran player with playoff experience. Preferably one who can score a few goals and add depth to a veteran team. Two names to keep in mind are Carolina defenseman Aaron Ward and Atlanta Thrashers forward Colby Armstrong.
And finally…whatever happened to Ice Edge Holdings?
You remember Ice Edge? They signed a 30 day letter of intent to purchase the Coyotes 75 days ago.
I can’t often say I’ve spoken directly to Gary Bettman about an issue, but I can on this one. You see, I called his XM radio show a couple of weeks ago and asked what was going on with Ice Edge.
Bettman’s (very cool) reply? “These deals take time”. He went on to say that even though it was a 30 day letter of intent, “we have not set a deadline for closing the deal.” I tried to ask a follow up question but was cut off mid-question. Bettman and E.J. Hradek sounded a little sheepish about cutting me off however there was no additional discussion or clarification. It seemed to me that Bettman was not very interested in talking about Ice Edge.
His tone didn’t leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling.
There are three compelling reasons that a deal needs to be done soon. The first is that once the playoffs arrive, the Coyotes front office be starting work on next season. That can’t happen soon enough. The playoffs offer a tremendous opportunity to sell season tickets and sponsorships. Another lost summer would doom the franchise. The new ownership needs to be in place to allow fans and sponsors to buy with confidence.
The second and third reasons are Matthew Lombardi and Zbynek Michalek. Both are unrestricted free agents and both are vital parts of the Coyotes. Both will require a minimum three year commitment at least $3MM per year. That will need to come from new ownership.
Possible deal hang ups? There are 3 – long term financing of the group, the arena lease and the whole Saskatoon deal.
Ice Edge has the upfront money to close the purchase. The perspective owners have committed 90% of the purchase price in cash. I was told by an executive of another team that they have plenty of cash. What they may not have is the wherewithal to sustain large losses over a long period of time.
No one expects the Coyotes and the arena to start making money next year. There will be losses. The anticipated magnitude of the losses and the funding necessary to cover them greatly concerns the league. Having the dough in place to cover those losses is part of the greens fees for any purchase to be approved. The league has a number in mind and Ice Edge will have to satisfy the league they can absorb losses over a long enough period to outlive the recession and turn the profitability of the entity around.
One of the things that will help is a new lease arrangement with the City of Glendale. There has been a lot of rustling that indicates conversations are ongoing but secrecy has been the order of the day. You would like to think that something will be done soon here but until a deal is announced one has to withhold judgment.
And about Saskatoon, most people around the NHL agree that a five game package is not going to be approved by the league. We’ve suggested a more modest three game package might gain favor as a trial but there’s not a great appetite to split the schedule. That’s too bad because a few other NHL teams could benefit from a sister city program. If Saskatoon is off the table, you are looking at an additional $5MM in loss projections. Ice Edge is almost certainly looking to line up additional financing.
One way or another, this deal needs to be put to bed soon. Best case, done deal. Worst case, the team goes back on the market in time to entice new owners when the very exciting playoffs are going on.
Oh…and in case you were interested about how No-Show Joe did at the Olympics?
1 Goal in 7 games and a -1 for Thornton as a member of the gold medal winning Canadian team. The only Canadian forward who produced less was the lightly used Patrice Bergeron. As predicted here. Typical of his big game record.
He should package up his gold medal and send it to Shane Doan.
Much like 1980, there are dynamics that can never be duplicated. Canada on home ice. The upstart, overachieving US team. A one game winner take all. Sudden death overtime. And the backdrop of a glorious Olympic tournament. What a game. What a moment for hockey.
And for once NBC did the right thing by going live in all time zones with Olympic coverage. The US ratings will be huge, perhaps the best ever for a hockey game. And the resulting interest will help every level of the sport.
The winner today was hockey. For those of us who have loved the game for so many years, it was great to see our sport honored. And for those just joining us, there’s plenty of room (and beer) on the bandwagon. Hang on, it’s a great ride.
Now about those amazing Coyotes...
How can you not be impressed with this team? With 19 games left in the regular season, the Yotes have 79 points. That’s about 20 points better than you could have gotten odds on last October.
No one thing better illustrates the turnaround than the playoff ticket packages that were mailed to season tickets holders last week. Boy did they look good.
In late December we suggested that the Coyotes needed to be around 70 points by the end of January to be in position to reach the playoffs. That observation was based on an unfavorable home schedule beginning January 31st (just a small part of the mismanagement of the team) of 17 road games against 10 home games.
In January, the Coyotes experienced their most difficult stretch of the season. The Yotes went 4-5-1 and it started to look like the clock may have struck midnight.
Well, there’s nothing like a good road trip to end that conversation. After a late January win in Detroit, the Coyotes left Phoenix on January 30 with 69 points and went back on the road and won in Dallas, Nashville and Chicago. The first two teams are fighting for playoff spots and the Hawks have been among the elite in the NHL this year. It was a glorious trip that vaulted the Yotes into 4th place in the Western Conference and solidified their playoff standing.
Ilya Bryzgalov has been the team’s MVP and after a little rough stretch in January, he has snapped back to form. The Coyotes will need him down the stretch. With 79 points in the bank and 19 games remaining a .500 record will get the team into the playoffs. But now, with a playoff spot squarely in the crosshairs, the team is thinking bigger. Home ice in a 4-5 series against either Los Angeles or Colorado is a real possibility. With a sharp Bryzgalov, the team has a chance to gain home ice in the first round of the playoffs and gain a favorable first round matchup.
The NHL trade deadline approaches...
The Olympics have ended and at midnight the NHL reopens for trading. There will be 63hours until the deadline for deals at 3PM Eastern on Wednesday.
Now the spotlight will shift towards Don Maloney to see what he does to strengthen the team for a playoff run. Maloney had two commodities that most general managers don't have -- salary cap space and excess assets in the form of players not currently in the NHL and additional draft choices obtained in prior trades. For the first time in recent memory, the Coyotes will be buyers at the deadline. Maloney's shopping list will likely include a scoring forward and a depth defenseman.
Maloney was interviewed on a New York Rangers television broadcast before the break and he said that any moves the Coyotes make the balance of the year will be dollar for dollar moves. It will require some creative bookkeeping and ingenuity from GMDM to add the scoring he desperately needs as well as the 7th defenseman he craves.
Looking up and down the Coyotes roster, there’s really not many veterans the team would be willing to move. Kevin Porter is still a borderline prospect who might interest some teams. And we’ve heard that that former first draft choice Chris Summers hasn’t developed at Michigan as much as the Coyotes had hoped and might be available. There is plenty of additional salary in the Coyotes farm system that could be packaged with valuable assets to bring back reinforcements for the playoff push.
I don’t put much stock in Peter Mueller trade rumors. Mules has played much better in the last month and filled in capably when Scottie Upshall went down for the season with a torn ACL. The window for trading Mueller is probably past.
So what does all this mean? The Coyotes will probably have to package some useful assets (draft picks and unsigned players) with some dead wood salary to bring back a scorer. It would also be helpful if they were dealing with a team that has some financial flexibility. And Maloney doesn’t want to offer too many assets for a pure rental who has no interest in resigning in Phoenix.
All of which points to Toronto. The Leafs are in the middle of a full scale housecleaning and have made it clear that pretty much everyone is available. One player who might interest the Coyotes is Alexei Ponikarovsky. He’s a 29 year old center with a big body who is headed to a career best season with 19 goals and 40 points in 57 games. He has a $2.1MM cap hit and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Toronto needs draft picks to replenish the ones they traded to Boston for Phil Kessel as well as young players. It also helps that Don Maloney and Brian Burke are close friends. Toronto is the leagues richest franchise and can also bury money in the minor leagues to balance a deal. Porter, a salary and a draft pick (probably a 2nd) could bring Alexei to Phoenix. It makes sense because the Coyotes could use another center. In this scenario, Matt Lombardi might permanently swing outside, where he has played well.
And there’s a bonus with Ponikarovsky. While he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, he could be a candidate to stay with the Coyotes. He will likely command a contract that will be in the Coyotes price range. If he likes it in Phoenix, he may be here longer than the average tenure of a rental.
There’s another target that would make even more sense – Keith Tkachuk. With history in Phoenix, not only could he help the team on the ice, he could also sell some tickets. That’s a nice bonus for a team still struggling at the gate. Tkachuk’s base salary is $2.1MM and he has $400K in bonuses available. The same package might interest St. Louis, which a team that is still wavering between being buyer and seller. If the Blues decide to be sellers, Tkachuk will almost certainly be moved somewhere. Tkachuk might not be available to play for a week due to a broken finger but he would add size, versatility and some pizzazz to the Coyotes. He is also a local name brand who could help sell a few tickets.
If Maloney can’t land a big fish, he’ll probably opt for a veteran player with playoff experience. Preferably one who can score a few goals and add depth to a veteran team. Two names to keep in mind are Carolina defenseman Aaron Ward and Atlanta Thrashers forward Colby Armstrong.
And finally…whatever happened to Ice Edge Holdings?
You remember Ice Edge? They signed a 30 day letter of intent to purchase the Coyotes 75 days ago.
I can’t often say I’ve spoken directly to Gary Bettman about an issue, but I can on this one. You see, I called his XM radio show a couple of weeks ago and asked what was going on with Ice Edge.
Bettman’s (very cool) reply? “These deals take time”. He went on to say that even though it was a 30 day letter of intent, “we have not set a deadline for closing the deal.” I tried to ask a follow up question but was cut off mid-question. Bettman and E.J. Hradek sounded a little sheepish about cutting me off however there was no additional discussion or clarification. It seemed to me that Bettman was not very interested in talking about Ice Edge.
His tone didn’t leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling.
There are three compelling reasons that a deal needs to be done soon. The first is that once the playoffs arrive, the Coyotes front office be starting work on next season. That can’t happen soon enough. The playoffs offer a tremendous opportunity to sell season tickets and sponsorships. Another lost summer would doom the franchise. The new ownership needs to be in place to allow fans and sponsors to buy with confidence.
The second and third reasons are Matthew Lombardi and Zbynek Michalek. Both are unrestricted free agents and both are vital parts of the Coyotes. Both will require a minimum three year commitment at least $3MM per year. That will need to come from new ownership.
Possible deal hang ups? There are 3 – long term financing of the group, the arena lease and the whole Saskatoon deal.
Ice Edge has the upfront money to close the purchase. The perspective owners have committed 90% of the purchase price in cash. I was told by an executive of another team that they have plenty of cash. What they may not have is the wherewithal to sustain large losses over a long period of time.
No one expects the Coyotes and the arena to start making money next year. There will be losses. The anticipated magnitude of the losses and the funding necessary to cover them greatly concerns the league. Having the dough in place to cover those losses is part of the greens fees for any purchase to be approved. The league has a number in mind and Ice Edge will have to satisfy the league they can absorb losses over a long enough period to outlive the recession and turn the profitability of the entity around.
One of the things that will help is a new lease arrangement with the City of Glendale. There has been a lot of rustling that indicates conversations are ongoing but secrecy has been the order of the day. You would like to think that something will be done soon here but until a deal is announced one has to withhold judgment.
And about Saskatoon, most people around the NHL agree that a five game package is not going to be approved by the league. We’ve suggested a more modest three game package might gain favor as a trial but there’s not a great appetite to split the schedule. That’s too bad because a few other NHL teams could benefit from a sister city program. If Saskatoon is off the table, you are looking at an additional $5MM in loss projections. Ice Edge is almost certainly looking to line up additional financing.
One way or another, this deal needs to be put to bed soon. Best case, done deal. Worst case, the team goes back on the market in time to entice new owners when the very exciting playoffs are going on.
Oh…and in case you were interested about how No-Show Joe did at the Olympics?
1 Goal in 7 games and a -1 for Thornton as a member of the gold medal winning Canadian team. The only Canadian forward who produced less was the lightly used Patrice Bergeron. As predicted here. Typical of his big game record.
He should package up his gold medal and send it to Shane Doan.
Friday, January 1, 2010
What Were They Thinking?
The Canadian Olympic team was announced on Wednesday. Picking the 23 hockey players to represent Canada is not an easy job. In fact you could make a good case that you could take players 24-46 from Canada and battle the Canadians for the Gold Medal.
But there were two surprises on the roster for me...the inclusion of Joe Thornton and the exclusion of Shane Doan.
Now naturally I am prejudiced about Doaner. I get to watch him play almost every night and he is relentless on the ice. I have never seen a 33-year-old player who works as hard on every shift. He is a polished humble presence that reflects the soul of Canadian hockey. And he's known as "Captain Canada" because of his many contributions to the national team in the annual world championships.
Shane Doan deserved to be on the Olympic team on merit. I've heard he was devastated by his exclusion. He should be.
But his absence is especially glaring given an analysis of the Team Canada roster. The two flaws I see in the Canadian team are a troubling leadership structure and a lack of sandpaper on the wings. There's no question that these are great players. And there's no question that they have great skills. But in a short tournament it's urgent for the team to come together quickly and establish a work ethic that produces victories. There's little room for error in a 10 day tournament.
Doan's leadership ability will be sorely missed. Scott Niedemeyer is the Canadian captain but he is a quiet leader who, while still very skilled, is clearly on the downside of his career. He has admitted to as much this year. Mike Richards and Chris Pronger are vocal leaders who seem to be at odds in Philadelphia. That's not the dynamic that the Olympic team needs.
Brendan Morrow and Richards will be counted on to provide grit to the Team Canada but you get the feeling that they are a little short in this area. Canadian players will be under a tremendous microscope and all are counted on to play hard. But some players are more equipped to play hard than others. Doan fits that bill.
One player who doesn't is Joe Thornton. Now I know Thornton's stats and there's little question that he is the preeminent regular season player in the National Hockey League. If that sounds a little sarcastic, then I've made my point.
No player in the NHL has choked in the playoffs with the regularity of Thornton. The Boston Bruins got sick of No-Joe after a series on no-shows in the playoffs. They shipped him to San Jose where his disappearing act has continued. You've got to give the guy credit -- he's consistent. Every year Thornton is teeing it up by the middle of May. There were many better options at center -- one that comes to mind is the surprising exclusion of Dallas Star Brad Richards.
A lot of times hockey fans are accused of picking players by statistics only. It's called the fantasy or rotisserie effect. Well that's exactly what seems to have happened here. What evidence is there that Thornton will be any better on hockey's biggest stage than he is every April?
The Canadian team has players for every eventuality. Right and left handed centers for defensive zone faceoffs. A shutdown defensive pair. Great power play specialists. But at the end of the day, they seem shortest on the two qualities that make Canadian hockey great -- grit and leadership. It would be a shame if the team wasn't successful because in their haste to fill every conceivable on-ice need, that Team Canada brass missed having the essence of their sport on the most important Olympic team in history.
But there were two surprises on the roster for me...the inclusion of Joe Thornton and the exclusion of Shane Doan.
Now naturally I am prejudiced about Doaner. I get to watch him play almost every night and he is relentless on the ice. I have never seen a 33-year-old player who works as hard on every shift. He is a polished humble presence that reflects the soul of Canadian hockey. And he's known as "Captain Canada" because of his many contributions to the national team in the annual world championships.
Shane Doan deserved to be on the Olympic team on merit. I've heard he was devastated by his exclusion. He should be.
But his absence is especially glaring given an analysis of the Team Canada roster. The two flaws I see in the Canadian team are a troubling leadership structure and a lack of sandpaper on the wings. There's no question that these are great players. And there's no question that they have great skills. But in a short tournament it's urgent for the team to come together quickly and establish a work ethic that produces victories. There's little room for error in a 10 day tournament.
Doan's leadership ability will be sorely missed. Scott Niedemeyer is the Canadian captain but he is a quiet leader who, while still very skilled, is clearly on the downside of his career. He has admitted to as much this year. Mike Richards and Chris Pronger are vocal leaders who seem to be at odds in Philadelphia. That's not the dynamic that the Olympic team needs.
Brendan Morrow and Richards will be counted on to provide grit to the Team Canada but you get the feeling that they are a little short in this area. Canadian players will be under a tremendous microscope and all are counted on to play hard. But some players are more equipped to play hard than others. Doan fits that bill.
One player who doesn't is Joe Thornton. Now I know Thornton's stats and there's little question that he is the preeminent regular season player in the National Hockey League. If that sounds a little sarcastic, then I've made my point.
No player in the NHL has choked in the playoffs with the regularity of Thornton. The Boston Bruins got sick of No-Joe after a series on no-shows in the playoffs. They shipped him to San Jose where his disappearing act has continued. You've got to give the guy credit -- he's consistent. Every year Thornton is teeing it up by the middle of May. There were many better options at center -- one that comes to mind is the surprising exclusion of Dallas Star Brad Richards.
A lot of times hockey fans are accused of picking players by statistics only. It's called the fantasy or rotisserie effect. Well that's exactly what seems to have happened here. What evidence is there that Thornton will be any better on hockey's biggest stage than he is every April?
The Canadian team has players for every eventuality. Right and left handed centers for defensive zone faceoffs. A shutdown defensive pair. Great power play specialists. But at the end of the day, they seem shortest on the two qualities that make Canadian hockey great -- grit and leadership. It would be a shame if the team wasn't successful because in their haste to fill every conceivable on-ice need, that Team Canada brass missed having the essence of their sport on the most important Olympic team in history.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Half Way Home
The Coyotes concluded the first half of the 2009-10 season last night by beating the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in a shootout. It's the continuation of a wonderful story that is quickly becoming the talk of hockey.
Since the disaster of this summer, the franchise has far exceeded expectations on the ice, been sold to a new investment group and has seen attendance start to grow after a disastrous start. It's the kind of Christmas story that warms the heart. You can almost hear Jimmy Stewart saying “It ranks right up there at the top”.
For starters, the Yotes now have 53 points in 41 games. Only San Jose, Chicago, New Jersey and Washington have more. Unthinkable for a team that most pundits picked to finish 30th this year. And frankly surprising to those of us who thought the team would do well to battle for a playoff spot.
Right now, Dave Tippett is a lock as NHL coach of the year, Don Maloney likewise as GM and Ilya Brzygalov, he of the inconsistent game, a leading contender for both the Jennings and Vezina Trophies. And the team, which badly lacks star power, finds a way to win every night. Young kids have stepped up, different players have contributed every night and no team in the league outworks the Coyotes. In fact, I've been watching hockey for a long, long time and I have to go back years to think of a team that works as hard as the Coyotes.
The current 10 game home winning streak is a franchise record. Not just for the Phoenix franchise, but the entire 30 year Jets-Coyotes NHL history. As we told you earlier this month the Coyotes need to win their home games now to build a cushion when the schedule turns against them in February and March. Since we wrote that piece, the team hasn't lost at home.
Consider this, if the Coyotes play .500 hockey over the last 41 games of the season it would give them 94 points, which would very likely be enough to make the playoffs.
Point totals aside, the Coyotes look like a playoff team. Monday night, they played San Jose even for 65 minutes in the Shark tank before losing the shootout. The next night, they did the same against a red hot Canuck team that had been sitting in Phoenix waiting for them. Both games had a playoff look and feel. And in both cases they were playing elite teams with a distinct advantage.
Better yet, there's still room to improve the product. GMDM has available budget (the Coyotes are still barely above the salary cap floor) and tradeable assets to strengthen the team. The team still needs scoring help and as the trade deadline approaches, many useful players will be available. Maloney has been a shrewd trader with a tight budget and many pressing needs. With fewer needs and some financial room to move, he could be on the prowl for an difference making acquisition at the deadline.
Also reaching the halfway point this week is the time fuse on the letter of intent signed by Ice Edge Holdings to purchase the team.
While news has been sparse since the agreement was signed, there are several important facts that have leaked out.
Ice Edge and The City of Glendale appear to have an agreement in place that will generate additional revenue for the franchise in some way shape or form. Importantly, the lease will not contain any type of out clause that might dampen fan interest. As soon as Ice Edge and the NHL have a sales contract in place, it will be time for Glendale to show their hand.
Negotiations with the league appear to be centered around the group proving their wherewithal to absorb losses over the next few years. With 90% of the purchase price committed in cash, there's reason to believe that additional money is available to cover losses as well as the credit line all franchises are required to have. As I told you earlier this month, I've been told by people within the hockey universe that these guys have money. That's good because they won't be turning a profit on day one, but the recent performance of the team has to be heartening given the size of the project and the scope of the investment. A contract should be signed with the NHL in the next 15 days.
And as for the Saskatoon option, that idea has not been well received by NHL Governors. We suspect a compromise is in order here -- a lighter schedule (say 3 games for a two year test period)at a neutral (still likely Saskatoon) site. Ice Edge can schedule those games in the first half of the year when weekday crowds are light in Phoenix. That move as well as a shift in the home schedule to include more March games (to coincide with spring training and sport oriented tourists) should address much of the schedule concern. It gives Ice Edge additional revenue and helps the NHL move the team off their books.
Perhaps best of all, attendance is growing. Yes the crowds are certainly being bumped by cut rate and free tickets but the building is getting fuller and more enthusiastic every night. Saturday's game against Detroit is almost certain to be the teams first non-promotional sell out crowd in a long time.
The stocking are full for Coyote fans this year. The team is vastly improved, new owners are on the horizon and as anticipated fans are turning out to watch the much improved product. Here's a scoop -- hockey may, may yet work in Phoenix. How great is that?
Since the disaster of this summer, the franchise has far exceeded expectations on the ice, been sold to a new investment group and has seen attendance start to grow after a disastrous start. It's the kind of Christmas story that warms the heart. You can almost hear Jimmy Stewart saying “It ranks right up there at the top”.
For starters, the Yotes now have 53 points in 41 games. Only San Jose, Chicago, New Jersey and Washington have more. Unthinkable for a team that most pundits picked to finish 30th this year. And frankly surprising to those of us who thought the team would do well to battle for a playoff spot.
Right now, Dave Tippett is a lock as NHL coach of the year, Don Maloney likewise as GM and Ilya Brzygalov, he of the inconsistent game, a leading contender for both the Jennings and Vezina Trophies. And the team, which badly lacks star power, finds a way to win every night. Young kids have stepped up, different players have contributed every night and no team in the league outworks the Coyotes. In fact, I've been watching hockey for a long, long time and I have to go back years to think of a team that works as hard as the Coyotes.
The current 10 game home winning streak is a franchise record. Not just for the Phoenix franchise, but the entire 30 year Jets-Coyotes NHL history. As we told you earlier this month the Coyotes need to win their home games now to build a cushion when the schedule turns against them in February and March. Since we wrote that piece, the team hasn't lost at home.
Consider this, if the Coyotes play .500 hockey over the last 41 games of the season it would give them 94 points, which would very likely be enough to make the playoffs.
Point totals aside, the Coyotes look like a playoff team. Monday night, they played San Jose even for 65 minutes in the Shark tank before losing the shootout. The next night, they did the same against a red hot Canuck team that had been sitting in Phoenix waiting for them. Both games had a playoff look and feel. And in both cases they were playing elite teams with a distinct advantage.
Better yet, there's still room to improve the product. GMDM has available budget (the Coyotes are still barely above the salary cap floor) and tradeable assets to strengthen the team. The team still needs scoring help and as the trade deadline approaches, many useful players will be available. Maloney has been a shrewd trader with a tight budget and many pressing needs. With fewer needs and some financial room to move, he could be on the prowl for an difference making acquisition at the deadline.
Also reaching the halfway point this week is the time fuse on the letter of intent signed by Ice Edge Holdings to purchase the team.
While news has been sparse since the agreement was signed, there are several important facts that have leaked out.
Ice Edge and The City of Glendale appear to have an agreement in place that will generate additional revenue for the franchise in some way shape or form. Importantly, the lease will not contain any type of out clause that might dampen fan interest. As soon as Ice Edge and the NHL have a sales contract in place, it will be time for Glendale to show their hand.
Negotiations with the league appear to be centered around the group proving their wherewithal to absorb losses over the next few years. With 90% of the purchase price committed in cash, there's reason to believe that additional money is available to cover losses as well as the credit line all franchises are required to have. As I told you earlier this month, I've been told by people within the hockey universe that these guys have money. That's good because they won't be turning a profit on day one, but the recent performance of the team has to be heartening given the size of the project and the scope of the investment. A contract should be signed with the NHL in the next 15 days.
And as for the Saskatoon option, that idea has not been well received by NHL Governors. We suspect a compromise is in order here -- a lighter schedule (say 3 games for a two year test period)at a neutral (still likely Saskatoon) site. Ice Edge can schedule those games in the first half of the year when weekday crowds are light in Phoenix. That move as well as a shift in the home schedule to include more March games (to coincide with spring training and sport oriented tourists) should address much of the schedule concern. It gives Ice Edge additional revenue and helps the NHL move the team off their books.
Perhaps best of all, attendance is growing. Yes the crowds are certainly being bumped by cut rate and free tickets but the building is getting fuller and more enthusiastic every night. Saturday's game against Detroit is almost certain to be the teams first non-promotional sell out crowd in a long time.
The stocking are full for Coyote fans this year. The team is vastly improved, new owners are on the horizon and as anticipated fans are turning out to watch the much improved product. Here's a scoop -- hockey may, may yet work in Phoenix. How great is that?
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Coyotes To Open in Europe?
The Coyotes may be headed to Europe to open the 2010-11 season. I've heard that Phoenix is on the short list of teams slated to open in Europe next year. The Euro tour is becoming a staple for the NHL and the Coyotes would play two games overseas. Likely opponents for the home and home far away from home are the San Jose Sharks.
One likely destination for the Coyotes? Prague. With 5 Czechs in their current lineup, Phoenix could be a nice attraction in that historic venue. The New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning played two games in Prague in October 2008 before large, enthusiastic crowds.
One likely destination for the Coyotes? Prague. With 5 Czechs in their current lineup, Phoenix could be a nice attraction in that historic venue. The New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning played two games in Prague in October 2008 before large, enthusiastic crowds.
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