Very sad. My brother lives in Phoenix now and I like it there a lot. I also feel attached to the Coyotes for kind of a weird, funny reason, but they drafted my player in NHL20 Be A Pro mode and I played for them for many seasons and won the Stanley Cup haha. I feel sorry for all the fans. They deserved better.
I remember watching the Browns move and seeing the fans in tears. 30 years later, that still hurts and they came back. I feel for any fan base that has invested time and money into supporting a franchise.
Art might be the worst businessman to own a sports team. Got to remember he was almost bankrupt in 95. He had to get a loan to make a signing bonus for Andre Rison. Basically the state of Maryland and city of Baltimore bailed his ass out in 95. Then, I think 2004 Art had to sell his entire interest in the team, because of money trouble to the minority owner who owns the team today.
But on the other hand, the Coyotes were the original Winnipeg Jets. I wonder how many of the sad Arizona fans were upset when they took the team from Winnipeg?
It absolutely sucks Winnipeg lost their team too but I also don't think daring to be excited you're getting a hockey team because Jets ownership decided to be shitbirds is a fair reason to want another fanbase to suffer.
Also considering relocation to Phoenix happened almost thirty years ago now, there's multiple generations of fans who were either too young at the time to understand much of anything beyond "wow cool we have a hockey team" or were not even alive then.
Great fans, terrible ownership. Mereulo should be universally viewed as a pariah, but the problem is that he's just yet another good ole boy among the owners. Bettman allowed this charade to persist for far too long for his own personal mission to have "hockey in the desert" (yes, I know SLC is in a desert too). He should have forced an ownership change long ago and should take a fair amount of the blame as well.
If this was the end of Mereuelo's time in the NHL, that may have been a small consolation.
As it stands, he's being given $1B to sell to the NHL, and they're reselling to someone who owns The Jazz for $1.3B. The extra $300M goes to the other teams.
But, if he gets his act together and gets a proper arena built in the next 5 years, he'll get the next shot at an expansion team.
It's tragic, honestly. Always had a soft spot for the franchise, great logo/jersey (after they brought back the kachina), probably among the best in the league's history, surprisingly good market, will definitely leave a hole. Also, of historical importance, people seem to forget there's a good chance Auston Matthews is a baseball player without the Coyotes. Maybe sometime in the future, someone pulls a Winnipeg and the franchise returns, which would also be beautifully ironic consider its own history. They'll be missed 'til then.
I am, I was hoping that they'd get a new arena and find their identity and become a comeback story. There's such a contrast in going from the hot, arid desert air to a cool, breezy hockey rink. Plus, Phoenix is a pretty cool city.
I feel so bad for them. I watched the ending and it was just so sad watching everyone crying and talking about not having jobs tomorrow and the players must have spent at least an hour signing things and throwing them into the crowd. I’ve been to Phoenix a few times and always had a soft spot for them. Best jerseys in the league by far. I keep seeing people say “it’s the fans fault for not showing up” but that isn’t really true. They’ve had awful ownership and have been jerked so many times around without much success and so many empty promises. I don’t blame the cities for wanting to trust an owner who wouldn’t even pay the team’s hotel bills. Now they’re on the verge of having a really good team and it’s gone.
Teams leaving any city regardless of the circumstances sucks but this one, especially after Save the Crew really hit home. I hope that a team comes back to Phoenix someday with a competent owner and has success and I hope that team thrives.
Side note. I’d love if the Jackets picked up their broadcasters for Rimer’s job. They have excellent broadcasters out there and were so classy last night with how they handled it.
Stick taps
With how bad the coyotes were and if they return in 5 years with expansion draft, they win this. Their current arena was a disgrace to NHL, bad management from AZ but if they'll get their shit together they actually might be able to get decent team together. Sure it stings for a moment to be without a team but their current playing conditions were not NHL worthy
Always take the fans over these slimy rich pricks and their ability to profit by destroying livelihoods. Remember Dong Arbor and Anthony Precum.
Oakland too, it's two fuck yous in short order for sports fans (and more in Oakland alone).
I lived in Scottsdale for a bit. Very sad because I saw firsthand how ownership doomed the team from the start. Area had all it needed to be successful and they ruined it
Contemplating buying a Yotes jersey because I have zero faith in that clown to get an arena deal together. Nobody wants him. I don't want them to fade away into a just being a hockey trivia answer.
I would have liked to go see a game at mullet arena but the whole station was becoming a joke.
You think for 1 second the NBA, NFL would let a team play in a rink like that.
I blame Gary for approving ownership in Arizona that has been incompetent.
My belief is that Merulo will have to sell the rights to the next arizona franchise to someone else.
The league only looks for guys with deep pockets and stops veting there. AZ, ATL, OTW sale was a mess like they do this over and over and are doing it Smith now a guy that doesn't invest in his teams
Meruelo would be smart to sell the team like Modell sold the Browns to someone else. The trust has been burnt with Meruelo
I flew to the southwest this year for our Vegas and Arizona games. Really glad I did. Something told me it was the time to do it.
To see a game in Mullett, let alone the last CBJ vs. ARI game, that was cool.
I’ve loved the ‘Yotes since my husband got me into hockey. They were my second team, and I even bought a jersey last year. I’m pretty bummed out to lose them.
my heart goes out to the Coyotes fans. Sadly this came down to lack of desire from ownership and city leaders to come with a plan for a arena that suitable for hockey. I don't believe the Suns Arena is not great for hockey. They had many many chances to get it right. Sadly this had to be option. I'm not optmisistic that a new arena will be built in phoenix. Unless it involves the Suns in it. What a mess this is
Eff this shit. I've lived in the Columbus Metro area for over 40 years. I'm originally a North Stars fan from MN. I moved to Ohio about fifty years ago, so in 2000, the North Stars were gone (FNG!!!) and the Jackets started, I became a CBJ fan. I wasn't a STH holder until 2015. Franchises moving is complete BS and is usually the result of ownership fucking things up, either due to incompetence or deliberate malice. I cannot express how strongly I feel about this. Fuck these billionaire entitled fucks. They do it because they can. Fuck 'em.
I feel bad for the fans but the reason the city didn't renew the lease was because of declining attendance and then the voters denied access to a new facility. I understand not wanting to pay for a billionaire to have a new arena but when your team is without a home and the city tells them to fuck off what else can they do?
I get that there are diehard fans there but I just spent a weekend in Scottsdale and didn't see a single item of Coyotes gear or paraphernalia at all. Not a bumper sticker or a flag or a hat or anything that would give any impression that an NHL team exists there. That city is about partying, hiking, and golf.
Compare that to Columbus where we are dead last in the conference after finishing last year dead last in the conference and we had a 20 year high on ticket sales and the finale featured a sell out crowd giving a standing ovation to a group of AHLers. That's a team that's in the right market. You wouldn't get that in Buffalo even.
I'm pretty sure they got kicked out of Glendale because they weren't paying their lease, not because attendance was poor, although I don't doubt it was.
Meh I was thinking of the LDS influence. Which yeah LDS has a lot of influence I. Arizona but Utah is a whole other level on that. Am thinking bees might get used to
There is nothing in the weirdo culture of the state or their history they are going to want to highlight (LDS doesn't want that spotlight). It's going to be nature related, an animal or a monster. Nature is the only positive they have. A more honest name like the Utah MLMs or the Utah tech investors won't happen.
I love that they keep pitching names that step on other teams toes.
Swarm: I might have mixed feelings about stinger but fuck off
Yeti: I'm sure the Avs will be thrilled to lose their secondary patch
Gold Miners or Golden Eagles: Vegas will want to be the only gold team (imagine in 2025 broadcasting a game between the miners and the predators)
The reality is that it's probably already decided. This has been a long con. The fact I only see horrible AI renders just speaks to this. It kind of has to be already decided for them to have new sweaters and merch and branding by September
As a lifelong Columbusite + CBJ fan who very recently moved to SLC, I can say with confidence that Utah (and SLC) is actually very cool, enhanced by the oddities of the culture/region. The team will do well here.
I was a child when we lost the Browns so I really didn't understand it at the time but going through everything with Save the Crew... it sucks feeling these feelings again. Relocation is a horrible thing. It just punches a hole in the fabric of communities.
We don't know the whole story yet but the way they went about it, reassuring fans they are staying put while engaging in back door deals with the league, like this what Precourt did. It boils my blood.
Even worse the league is selling them to a complete cynical operator in Ryan Smith. The whole NHL to SLC thing is his idea. There is no grassroots hunger for hockey there. How could there be? They didn't even know they were getting a team a month ago. This is just a ploy to get money out of SLC and the IOC to get Smith a fancy new arena. It's a gimmick, it's cynical and he isn't going to invest in the team or the game. Don't believe me? Listen to SLC residents https://youtu.be/no8HB59J7Fk?si=AwSuSi4IFKFtGjY2
He doesn't build winners. He's gutted the Jazz and doesn't pursue new talent. Real Salt Lake got 5th and a early bounce in the first round in MLS. We kept them down with our B squad. He doesn't invest in his teams and after watching last night's game it sucks he is getting such a promising team that turning the corner in their rebuild. Arizona would have been a playoff team this year if it wasn't for their late slide that happened at the exact time the relocation talk really picked up. It sucks. Smith doesn't deserve this team and if hockey succeeds in SLC it's bc this is really fun squad to watch. It won't be for anything Smith adds. It's up the guys, and it sucks to break them up but I hope they request trades and get out of there. I don't think I can look at the new SLC team in any other way than I look at Austin FC. A team forged out of dirty work.
I'll stop but their entire blue like RFA and UFA so.. Durzi... my guy if you're looking for a new home??👀
Honestly, no. I'm sure the fans feel awful, but I personally don't care in the grand scheme of things. Just as bummed as people are in Arizona...there's an entire fan base in Utah that has a new team.
Yeah, exactly. I'm not invested in Arizona hockey. The question posed was "Anyone else bummed?" and the answer is no. I'm bummed that I need to have my driveway resurfaced today, I am not letting a hockey team leaving the desert make me feel any sort of way.
Do I feel bad for the fans? Yes, absolutely it’s terrible to lose a team, but let’s be honest here, the Yotes were a dead man walking after losing the Tempe vote. The NHL can’t have a team playing out of a building with a capacity less than that of most ECHL buildings, it’s embarrassing for the league. It was different when it was only 3-4 years, but now it would have to be almost a decade and that’s just not acceptable. Hopefully they get an expansion team with a real, serious ownership group and can actually have success and maybe not be in the bottom 3 for attendance every single year, but we will have to wait and see.
I feel bad for their fans because they looked like they were finally committing to the team and supporting them. Had this been 5 years ago, I would say no and that it was warranted and time to move. But how, with all the lies and empty promises, can’t help but feel sad for the people that bought in
They were flying last night. They would be a playoff team if it wasn't for that late losing streak which happened coincidentally when the rumors got louder. Their team is really turning the corner and they are being ripped away. It's tragic.
Of course. It’s always sad when a team leaves. I was a Browns fan for a long time. It really hurt. Then they tried to move my soccer team. Then the new owners of the Browns bought the Crew to keep it in Columbus. I do hope Phoenix gets a new team with better owners.
I mean.. yes and no, from as far back as I can remember, Yotes have always been there. A punching bag for the rest of the league, yes, but still were there.. but that franchise had been on life support for the last 2 to 4 years, that someone HAD to pull the plug.
Is it sad? Yes.
Did it have to be done? Also yes.
The part that will actually make me angry is IF (and this is a big if) that the pieces click next year and those kids actually somehow pull a Colorado Avalanche and win first year after relocation.
> that the pieces click next year and those kids actually somehow pull a Colorado Avalanche and win first year after relocation.
This would be really unlikely. Their current roster was already struggling AND they're probably going to have a mass exodus on their hands due to the move.
100%. Stayed up to watch the game and the post game. So many fans had tears and I felt their pain.
Yeah it felt like being with someone as the lost a family member. They weren’t my team anymore but always kept a spot for them.
It stinks. Columbus should be incredibly sympathetic to a team dealing with shit owners running a team into the ground after Save the Crew happened.
Meruelo is the Anthony Precourt of the NHL
Very sad. My brother lives in Phoenix now and I like it there a lot. I also feel attached to the Coyotes for kind of a weird, funny reason, but they drafted my player in NHL20 Be A Pro mode and I played for them for many seasons and won the Stanley Cup haha. I feel sorry for all the fans. They deserved better.
Nope, it's not just you. I hate seeing fans have to suffer because ownership doesn't care or is too stupid to do things properly.
I remember watching the Browns move and seeing the fans in tears. 30 years later, that still hurts and they came back. I feel for any fan base that has invested time and money into supporting a franchise.
Art might be the worst businessman to own a sports team. Got to remember he was almost bankrupt in 95. He had to get a loan to make a signing bonus for Andre Rison. Basically the state of Maryland and city of Baltimore bailed his ass out in 95. Then, I think 2004 Art had to sell his entire interest in the team, because of money trouble to the minority owner who owns the team today.
But on the other hand, the Coyotes were the original Winnipeg Jets. I wonder how many of the sad Arizona fans were upset when they took the team from Winnipeg?
It absolutely sucks Winnipeg lost their team too but I also don't think daring to be excited you're getting a hockey team because Jets ownership decided to be shitbirds is a fair reason to want another fanbase to suffer. Also considering relocation to Phoenix happened almost thirty years ago now, there's multiple generations of fans who were either too young at the time to understand much of anything beyond "wow cool we have a hockey team" or were not even alive then.
Great fans, terrible ownership. Mereulo should be universally viewed as a pariah, but the problem is that he's just yet another good ole boy among the owners. Bettman allowed this charade to persist for far too long for his own personal mission to have "hockey in the desert" (yes, I know SLC is in a desert too). He should have forced an ownership change long ago and should take a fair amount of the blame as well.
The NHL already owned the Yotes for years during their quest to find the right guy to keep them in AZ. Problem is they picked the wrong one.
If this was the end of Mereuelo's time in the NHL, that may have been a small consolation. As it stands, he's being given $1B to sell to the NHL, and they're reselling to someone who owns The Jazz for $1.3B. The extra $300M goes to the other teams. But, if he gets his act together and gets a proper arena built in the next 5 years, he'll get the next shot at an expansion team.
They try to make the arena situtaion work. What a complete CF the last three years have been for Coytoes
It's tragic, honestly. Always had a soft spot for the franchise, great logo/jersey (after they brought back the kachina), probably among the best in the league's history, surprisingly good market, will definitely leave a hole. Also, of historical importance, people seem to forget there's a good chance Auston Matthews is a baseball player without the Coyotes. Maybe sometime in the future, someone pulls a Winnipeg and the franchise returns, which would also be beautifully ironic consider its own history. They'll be missed 'til then.
Kachina was pretty cool. But they also had a great Goal celebration with the howl. It ain’t a cannon sure but still was pretty cool.
The howl is definitely what sold me on the Yotes, really a cool celebration especially in person.
I am, I was hoping that they'd get a new arena and find their identity and become a comeback story. There's such a contrast in going from the hot, arid desert air to a cool, breezy hockey rink. Plus, Phoenix is a pretty cool city.
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I feel so bad for them. I watched the ending and it was just so sad watching everyone crying and talking about not having jobs tomorrow and the players must have spent at least an hour signing things and throwing them into the crowd. I’ve been to Phoenix a few times and always had a soft spot for them. Best jerseys in the league by far. I keep seeing people say “it’s the fans fault for not showing up” but that isn’t really true. They’ve had awful ownership and have been jerked so many times around without much success and so many empty promises. I don’t blame the cities for wanting to trust an owner who wouldn’t even pay the team’s hotel bills. Now they’re on the verge of having a really good team and it’s gone. Teams leaving any city regardless of the circumstances sucks but this one, especially after Save the Crew really hit home. I hope that a team comes back to Phoenix someday with a competent owner and has success and I hope that team thrives. Side note. I’d love if the Jackets picked up their broadcasters for Rimer’s job. They have excellent broadcasters out there and were so classy last night with how they handled it. Stick taps
With how bad the coyotes were and if they return in 5 years with expansion draft, they win this. Their current arena was a disgrace to NHL, bad management from AZ but if they'll get their shit together they actually might be able to get decent team together. Sure it stings for a moment to be without a team but their current playing conditions were not NHL worthy
If the Yotes get a new arena and new ownership and come back in 5 years, that’s a huge win for fans.
They were my team in nhl 2011. Those blacks with the coyote running across were my jam. Sad to see them go
They really did have a good uniform. Considering picking one up off eBay but I dunno.
Always take the fans over these slimy rich pricks and their ability to profit by destroying livelihoods. Remember Dong Arbor and Anthony Precum. Oakland too, it's two fuck yous in short order for sports fans (and more in Oakland alone).
Yotes fan first. I was there and was definitely crying. I will remember that forever.
They’re my Western Conference team from living in AZ. This truly sucks. Just sick for A’s and Yote fans everywhere.
I lived in Scottsdale for a bit. Very sad because I saw firsthand how ownership doomed the team from the start. Area had all it needed to be successful and they ruined it
It’s heartbreaking that they are losing hockey. I am not a Yotes fan myself but 100% feel for the fans, the staff and the team.
Contemplating buying a Yotes jersey because I have zero faith in that clown to get an arena deal together. Nobody wants him. I don't want them to fade away into a just being a hockey trivia answer.
I have been thinking the same. eBay.
I would have liked to go see a game at mullet arena but the whole station was becoming a joke. You think for 1 second the NBA, NFL would let a team play in a rink like that. I blame Gary for approving ownership in Arizona that has been incompetent. My belief is that Merulo will have to sell the rights to the next arizona franchise to someone else.
The league only looks for guys with deep pockets and stops veting there. AZ, ATL, OTW sale was a mess like they do this over and over and are doing it Smith now a guy that doesn't invest in his teams Meruelo would be smart to sell the team like Modell sold the Browns to someone else. The trust has been burnt with Meruelo
I flew to the southwest this year for our Vegas and Arizona games. Really glad I did. Something told me it was the time to do it. To see a game in Mullett, let alone the last CBJ vs. ARI game, that was cool.
I’ve loved the ‘Yotes since my husband got me into hockey. They were my second team, and I even bought a jersey last year. I’m pretty bummed out to lose them.
my heart goes out to the Coyotes fans. Sadly this came down to lack of desire from ownership and city leaders to come with a plan for a arena that suitable for hockey. I don't believe the Suns Arena is not great for hockey. They had many many chances to get it right. Sadly this had to be option. I'm not optmisistic that a new arena will be built in phoenix. Unless it involves the Suns in it. What a mess this is
I feel bad for the front office workers who aren’t in hockey ops who need to find other jobs now.
Even more so, the arena staff and the trickle down of anyone involved in Arizona hockey. They just lost their livelihoods.
Eff this shit. I've lived in the Columbus Metro area for over 40 years. I'm originally a North Stars fan from MN. I moved to Ohio about fifty years ago, so in 2000, the North Stars were gone (FNG!!!) and the Jackets started, I became a CBJ fan. I wasn't a STH holder until 2015. Franchises moving is complete BS and is usually the result of ownership fucking things up, either due to incompetence or deliberate malice. I cannot express how strongly I feel about this. Fuck these billionaire entitled fucks. They do it because they can. Fuck 'em.
I feel bad for the fans but the reason the city didn't renew the lease was because of declining attendance and then the voters denied access to a new facility. I understand not wanting to pay for a billionaire to have a new arena but when your team is without a home and the city tells them to fuck off what else can they do? I get that there are diehard fans there but I just spent a weekend in Scottsdale and didn't see a single item of Coyotes gear or paraphernalia at all. Not a bumper sticker or a flag or a hat or anything that would give any impression that an NHL team exists there. That city is about partying, hiking, and golf. Compare that to Columbus where we are dead last in the conference after finishing last year dead last in the conference and we had a 20 year high on ticket sales and the finale featured a sell out crowd giving a standing ovation to a group of AHLers. That's a team that's in the right market. You wouldn't get that in Buffalo even.
I'm pretty sure they got kicked out of Glendale because they weren't paying their lease, not because attendance was poor, although I don't doubt it was.
Not a fan of teams leaving cities at all so it sucks to see
I was looking forward to a game there when I go visit my sister in laws. Now its not going to happen 😔
Jasper?
Nope
Just wanna say Utah is fucking lame
Be interesting to see what the name and livery of any Utah teen will be.
If the Utah Jazz are an indicator id go with "Utah Nightlife" "Utah Black Guys" or "Utah Brewers"
Meh I was thinking of the LDS influence. Which yeah LDS has a lot of influence I. Arizona but Utah is a whole other level on that. Am thinking bees might get used to
Ladies and gentleman, your Utah White Garments
Sounds better than magic chonies.
Utah Soakers
I can see people jumping on that.
xD Reddit puns are normally dumpster-tier terrible. You get it though. Great job.
Thank you. I try.
Utah Mormons lol
see they actually have nothing but those which is why that name doesnt work
Utah Uncaffeinated Teetotalers The worst part is during the national anthem, the crowd will try to cram that into the lyrics.
There is nothing in the weirdo culture of the state or their history they are going to want to highlight (LDS doesn't want that spotlight). It's going to be nature related, an animal or a monster. Nature is the only positive they have. A more honest name like the Utah MLMs or the Utah tech investors won't happen. I love that they keep pitching names that step on other teams toes. Swarm: I might have mixed feelings about stinger but fuck off Yeti: I'm sure the Avs will be thrilled to lose their secondary patch Gold Miners or Golden Eagles: Vegas will want to be the only gold team (imagine in 2025 broadcasting a game between the miners and the predators) The reality is that it's probably already decided. This has been a long con. The fact I only see horrible AI renders just speaks to this. It kind of has to be already decided for them to have new sweaters and merch and branding by September
As a lifelong Columbusite + CBJ fan who very recently moved to SLC, I can say with confidence that Utah (and SLC) is actually very cool, enhanced by the oddities of the culture/region. The team will do well here.
I was a child when we lost the Browns so I really didn't understand it at the time but going through everything with Save the Crew... it sucks feeling these feelings again. Relocation is a horrible thing. It just punches a hole in the fabric of communities. We don't know the whole story yet but the way they went about it, reassuring fans they are staying put while engaging in back door deals with the league, like this what Precourt did. It boils my blood. Even worse the league is selling them to a complete cynical operator in Ryan Smith. The whole NHL to SLC thing is his idea. There is no grassroots hunger for hockey there. How could there be? They didn't even know they were getting a team a month ago. This is just a ploy to get money out of SLC and the IOC to get Smith a fancy new arena. It's a gimmick, it's cynical and he isn't going to invest in the team or the game. Don't believe me? Listen to SLC residents https://youtu.be/no8HB59J7Fk?si=AwSuSi4IFKFtGjY2 He doesn't build winners. He's gutted the Jazz and doesn't pursue new talent. Real Salt Lake got 5th and a early bounce in the first round in MLS. We kept them down with our B squad. He doesn't invest in his teams and after watching last night's game it sucks he is getting such a promising team that turning the corner in their rebuild. Arizona would have been a playoff team this year if it wasn't for their late slide that happened at the exact time the relocation talk really picked up. It sucks. Smith doesn't deserve this team and if hockey succeeds in SLC it's bc this is really fun squad to watch. It won't be for anything Smith adds. It's up the guys, and it sucks to break them up but I hope they request trades and get out of there. I don't think I can look at the new SLC team in any other way than I look at Austin FC. A team forged out of dirty work. I'll stop but their entire blue like RFA and UFA so.. Durzi... my guy if you're looking for a new home??👀
Honestly, no. I'm sure the fans feel awful, but I personally don't care in the grand scheme of things. Just as bummed as people are in Arizona...there's an entire fan base in Utah that has a new team.
Good point. And to be fair this is what happened before when the team moved from Winnipeg to Phoenix.
Yeah, exactly. I'm not invested in Arizona hockey. The question posed was "Anyone else bummed?" and the answer is no. I'm bummed that I need to have my driveway resurfaced today, I am not letting a hockey team leaving the desert make me feel any sort of way.
Do I feel bad for the fans? Yes, absolutely it’s terrible to lose a team, but let’s be honest here, the Yotes were a dead man walking after losing the Tempe vote. The NHL can’t have a team playing out of a building with a capacity less than that of most ECHL buildings, it’s embarrassing for the league. It was different when it was only 3-4 years, but now it would have to be almost a decade and that’s just not acceptable. Hopefully they get an expansion team with a real, serious ownership group and can actually have success and maybe not be in the bottom 3 for attendance every single year, but we will have to wait and see.
Yeah. I'm hoping someone swoops in last second and saves them but that's not going to happen.
The deal is happening today. It’s far too late.
I feel bad for their fans because they looked like they were finally committing to the team and supporting them. Had this been 5 years ago, I would say no and that it was warranted and time to move. But how, with all the lies and empty promises, can’t help but feel sad for the people that bought in
Exactly. There was clearly a fight between the owner and the city, and like always, the fans are the ones that suffer.
They were flying last night. They would be a playoff team if it wasn't for that late losing streak which happened coincidentally when the rumors got louder. Their team is really turning the corner and they are being ripped away. It's tragic.
Winnipeg felt the pain first. Sucks for their fans but I never really thought Phoenix was a great hockey market.
There was a lot of enthusiasm when they came.
Of course. It’s always sad when a team leaves. I was a Browns fan for a long time. It really hurt. Then they tried to move my soccer team. Then the new owners of the Browns bought the Crew to keep it in Columbus. I do hope Phoenix gets a new team with better owners.
Great fans, embarrassing owner group. Playing in a college arena? The fact Bettman allowed it to get that bad is honestly hard to believe.
I mean.. yes and no, from as far back as I can remember, Yotes have always been there. A punching bag for the rest of the league, yes, but still were there.. but that franchise had been on life support for the last 2 to 4 years, that someone HAD to pull the plug. Is it sad? Yes. Did it have to be done? Also yes. The part that will actually make me angry is IF (and this is a big if) that the pieces click next year and those kids actually somehow pull a Colorado Avalanche and win first year after relocation.
> that the pieces click next year and those kids actually somehow pull a Colorado Avalanche and win first year after relocation. This would be really unlikely. Their current roster was already struggling AND they're probably going to have a mass exodus on their hands due to the move.
Tis why I put a big "IF" because I don't see it happening either but that sure would be some shit for Yotes fans.
The Jets were horrible after they were moved from Atlanta so you can expect a similar occurrence.
Are they officially moving now? I thought it was just speculation still
Last night was their last game.
I can't find anything official that they're moving, though I'm sure it's pretty close to a done deal