NHL Hockey thread

[Neil]

That's a self-inflicted wound, since whoever gets Luongo also gets his contract.

[Barrister]

Money quote from a longer article about a conversation with the Commish:

Asked directly if there's any chance of the Coyotes being moved before next season, Bettman replied: "We hope not."

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/bettman-hopes-coyotes-dont-move-in-2013/

The ice is finally starting to crack.  And once it does it's going to move very quickly.

[viper37]

Alain Vignault is apparently fired.

That one was seen coming from a long way off.  They need a change and he's the obvious first choice.  Regular season record of 313-170-57 in his time there.

I'm always skeptical of the "a change needs to happen" when you're dealing with an otherwise successful coach.

In general I agree, but a coaching change is easier for a GM to make than a big trade.  The Canucks have a few guys they can shop but they won't get much return for.  Luongo will be gone, but they ain't get much more than a bag of pucks for him.

but it's the GM who didn't trade Luongo, it's not the coach.

[Barrister]

PKP refuses to confirm or deny whether negotiations taking place:

http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/sports/hockey/201305/23/01-4653742-lnh-a-quebec-peladeau-ne-nie-pas-les-rumeurs.php

(article is in French, I was goong off of google translate, which is getting really good)

[viper37]

Yeah, everyone denies the rumors.

What (serious) people think happens is this: Quebecor has hired lawyers&accountants specifically for this transaction.  Every once in a while, probably same time each year, they communicate with the NHL, formally or informally, to reaffirm their interest in the franchise, should it come to that decision.

Now, seriously.  This is getting ridiculous.  The city of Glendale was supposed to receive bids this week the management of the arena, but it's been pushed to May 31st.  Beacon Sports&Entertainment will submit a proposal to Glendale by July 1st.

When the Arizona Republic revealed the arena management costs to be closer to 6million$ than 15, it kinda screwed all of the potential owners who were hoping to get 10-12 million$ a year from the city.  Parking fees will generate about 1.1million a year, gross.  It's still a lot of money for the city to give with basically no hope of getting it back.  It if costs 5 million to operate the empty arena, and they have to give 12 in order to gain 1,1 million a year, even with the taxation revenue from increased economic activity around the arena, I don't see how they'll get their money back in a reasonable time frame.

Anyhow, when it happens, it happens.  Betman has been stubborn as hell on this, and he sure didn't like moving the Thrashers to Winnipeg.
There's been rumors for the last 3 years now.

Imho, a good sign that nothing is done yet is that Patrick Roy just became the Colorado Avalanche head coach and Vice-President of hockey development.
If there had been a confirmation, even privately, that the Nordiques were soon to be back in Quebec city, he would have stayed here to become head coach of this team, closer to the Remparts.

[Barrister]

Yeah, everyone denies the rumors.

What (serious) people think happens is this: Quebecor has hired lawyers&accountants specifically for this transaction.  Every once in a while, probably same time each year, they communicate with the NHL, formally or informally, to reaffirm their interest in the franchise, should it come to that decision.

Now, seriously.  This is getting ridiculous.  The city of Glendale was supposed to receive bids this week the management of the arena, but it's been pushed to May 31st.  Beacon Sports&Entertainment will submit a proposal to Glendale by July 1st.

Do you know what else?  There is currently no lease for the Coyotes in place for 2013-2014 at Jobing.com.

The NHL appears to be doing the same dance as in years past - holding a gun to Glendale's head and saying "pay us the subsidy or we're moving the team".  BUt it seems like the new mayor and council aren't playing.

I think it's happening this year.

[viper37]

The NHL appears to be doing the same dance as in years past - holding a gun to Glendale's head and saying "pay us the subsidy or we're moving the team".  BUt it seems like the new mayor and council aren't playing.

I think it's happening this year.

I sure hope it's happenning.  The city is moving ahead with its plan of repairing the old arena, making it ok by NHL standards.  Everything is ready, media coverage is excellent, the fans are as extatic as Winipeg's...  But, I've been so disapointed in the past, I don't want to hold my breath.

[PRC]

Alain Vignault is apparently fired.

That one was seen coming from a long way off.  They need a change and he's the obvious first choice.  Regular season record of 313-170-57 in his time there.

I'm always skeptical of the "a change needs to happen" when you're dealing with an otherwise successful coach.

In general I agree, but a coaching change is easier for a GM to make than a big trade.  The Canucks have a few guys they can shop but they won't get much return for.  Luongo will be gone, but they ain't get much more than a bag of pucks for him.

but it's the GM who didn't trade Luongo, it's not the coach.

And it's the GM who meets with the owners at the end of the year to decide the future and not the coach.

I don't disagree at all.  I don't think Vigneault should have been fired and more of the blame for falling short belongs on Gillis's shoulders than the Vigneaults.  All i'm saying is that for a team looking for a change, the easiest thing to do is to fire the coach.

[viper37]

All i'm saying is that for a team looking for a change, the easiest thing to do is to fire the coach.

True.  But as we saw sometimes, it's only a short reprive for the GM, as Gauthier learnt with the Habs.

[Barrister]

Okay, so today could be a key, key day for the Yotes (or not - you never can tell for sure in Glendale).

Arizona Republic is reporting that the NHL has an agreement to sell the Yotes to Albertan George Gosbee.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-26/nhl-reaches-agreement-for-sale-of-coyotes-republic-reports.html

(I can't get the AZ Republic link to work, so here is Bloomberg re-reporting it).

The NHL now has a meeting scheduled with Glendale today.  The issue is going to be arena management.  All previous deals hinged around the City paying the Coyotes something in the neighborhood of $15 mil per year to manage the arena.  But now Glendale has sent out a RFP (Request For Proposals) to all interested parties to manage the arena, which are due May 31st.  Best estimates seem to be that private arena operators would ask for around $6 mil per year.

The clock is ticking.  Thrashers to Winnipeg was announced May 31st, and it is now May 28th.  The options seem to be

-Glendale agrees to give the NHL / Gosbee an inflated management contract in order to help offset losses unti deal can close.  New mayor has said they won't do that.
-NHL decides to keep the team in Glendale for one more year in order to close, but with nobody covering the team's losses.  Bettman has said in the past they won't do that.
-team moves.  Of course Bettman has said they don't want to do that either.

I'm not saying an announcement comes today, but the behind-closed-doors decision could be made today.

[viper37]

Leblanc & Gosbee.

Here's a blog from a former city councilor explaining why she thinks it won't work:
http://joyceclarkunfiltered.com/read-carefully/

What I think is going to happen is that the city will tell them politely they'll wait for the result of the RFP before making their decision.  May 31st is the date the RDF is due, but the city will only get the final results around mid-june.

[viper37]

Ah, apparently the Coyotes just made a step further toward their new home.   

I can't find confirmation of that yet, but from what I hear Gosbee and Leblanc are asking 15 million$ a year for 5 years.  After that, if it doesn't work, they're free to move/sell the team.

It's doubtful Glendale would agree.

[Barrister]

Leblanc & Gosbee.

Here's a blog from a former city councilor explaining why she thinks it won't work:
http://joyceclarkunfiltered.com/read-carefully/

What I think is going to happen is that the city will tell them politely they'll wait for the result of the RFP before making their decision.  May 31st is the date the RDF is due, but the city will only get the final results around mid-june.

But mid-June is probably too late for the NHL.  It locks them into playing another year in Phoenix.

So the question is - is the NHL giving Glendale a "take it or leave it" offer to Glendale in order to stay that extra year?  That's what happened in 2010 after all, and it worked.  And 2011 for that matter.

[Jaron]

God damn it.

[viper37]

Sorry Jaron.

Now, onto important matters. The yearly activity is to find an owner for the Coyotes.
Glendale officials meet with NHL

Nothing new here, Glendale is waiting to see the proposals for the arena management.  Wich are exepected to be around 6million$.

Now, going back to that Quebec-NHL discussions rumor.  Everyone is pointing a finger at Quebecor as it was one of their employee after all.  But really, what would Quebecor gain by doing that?  Pissing off the NHL knowing how pricky they are on this?  It doesn't really make sense.

However, if we analyse this from the NHL's point of view, they had everything to gain.  First, they put pressure on RSE, reminding them others want the franchise if they don't want it, so the price can be decent.  Then, they also put pressure on Glendale by reminding them the team will stay if they open their checkbook, otherwise, there are people willing to buy and move the team.

That does not seem to work however.  Glendale city council does not seem as eager as the previous one to finance hockey, or pro sports in general in their town.  So Glendale will take its sweet time deciding what to do.  And the NHL will have to either wait - wich means keeping the team there without city subsidy, or move the team without waiting for the city, in wich case, they'll look silly.

Looks like Glendale is calling Betman's bluff and the Coyotes will play one more year in the desert.  What happens after that though... Will the NHL still try to make it work in Arizona or will they negotiate with a new owner and prepare to move the team for fall 2014?  I doubt they would start negociations with Quebecor to move the team during summer, it's kinda late for that.

At this point, we don't know how stubborn Betman can be.  He never deployed that much effort to keep a team in Winnipeg or Quebec city, that's a given.