Why the Coyotes Won't Be Moving to Footprint Center
Also, why Hayton and Durzi deserve long-term contracts & more
Welcome to the THW Arizona Coyotes Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Coyotes writers.
In today’s edition, we have a piece on why the Coyotes aren’t moving to Footprint Center along with why Durzi and Hayton deserve long-term contracts.
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Why the Coyotes Won’t Be Moving to Footprint Center
January 24, 2024 by Chase Beardsley
Over the past couple of months, the Arizona Coyotes have been through the rumor mill arena-wise. The team is still playing out of Mullett Arena: the 5,000-seat arena originally built for Arizona State’s NCAA D1 hockey team and hasn’t announced any plans to purchase land as of late. Many have called for the team to try to play in Footprint Center: the 18,422-seat arena that is home to the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. However, that’s not as easy as it seems. Here are three reasons why the Coyotes won’t move to downtown Phoenix.
Coyotes Fans Deserve Transparency Amid Arena Search
January 27, 2024 by Cooper Krigbaum
Twenty-eight years ago, when the Arizona Coyotes were established in the Grand Canyon state, it was the dawn of a new era. The Kachina was born, and all-time greats such as Shane Doan, Jeremy Roenick, and Teppo Numminen rose up and created hockey as we know it in Arizona. While sustaining success and building a long-term contender has been one thing, the team has had its issues finding a permanent home.
Not too long ago, PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan wrote, “Coyotes president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez told PHNX Sports on Tuesday that the team expects to announce its chosen arena site by the end of the calendar year, or shortly thereafter.”
Now that we are nearly a month into 2024 and closing in on the All-Star Break, the fans want updates, which have been scarce. Rarely, if ever, owner Alex Meruelo speaks to the public or media, leaving more questions than answers. While president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez does most of the talking, it’s been a while since fans have heard from him. It’s mostly outside noise spreading false and inaccurate reports.
Coyotes’ Hayton & Durzi Merit Long-Term Contracts
January 24, 2024 by Cooper Krigbaum
When former Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka abruptly resigned from the organization mere days before the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, questions loomed. There was plenty of glitz and glamor in making the playoffs, but being throttled by the Colorado Avalanche allowed the team to look in the mirror. By doing so, they hired their next GM, Bill Armstrong, the long-time St. Louis Blue, who was filled with excitement.
Fans have praised Armstrong for building the team properly and drafting players such as Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, and Dmitri Simashev. While scouting and drafting is one part of the puzzle, making acquisitions for the team’s betterment is another. It’s just one of many nuances of building a long-term contender. An aspect that often gets overlooked is re-signing players, locking up players who are thought to be core pieces of the organization, and bringing a championship to Arizona.
This upcoming offseason, two pivotal players, Barrett Hayton and Sean Durzi, enter restricted free agency (RFA). Hayton has been absent, and it’s clear even when the points aren’t consistent, he’s a driving factor for players like Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. The same can be said for Durzi, who the Coyotes acquired in the offseason via trade. He has contributed more and more, surpassing initial expectations set for the 24-year-old.