NHL: An Open Letter to Wayne Gretzky

Dear Mr. Gretzky:

You will soon be taking over as part owner and person in charge of hockey operations for my beloved Phoenix Coyotes. As you probably know, there are rumors flying from every direction on what will happen when you step into ownership shoes. As a Coyotes fan who bleeds purple and green, please take a few minutes to listen to my concerns for the future of my Yotes.

I realize, yes, even as a die-hard fan that would like nothing better than to bring home the Cup, that there will be financial constraints in signing and extending contracts of the players we need to make this team a winner. We are on the threshold of greatness, Mr. Gretzky. We are THIS CLOSE. And as the month of October has shown us, the chemistry of this team and these goaltenders is clicking. It works. As a new owner, I for one would hesitate on messing with something that is so successful, with a combination of players and a mental attitude in the locker room that is winning games. And it is with that in mind that I make the following requests and comments.

There has been a lot of talk about Khabibulin, both pro and con. Reports are surfacing that Nik and his agent are playing hardball with you, the same as they have played with Richard Burke and Bobby Smith. The question now is, is Nikolai still worth the time and the money? He has not played in over 100 games. He has not faced an NHL shot in over a year and a half. He is now, apparently, not allowed to practice freely at the Ice Den and will be regulated to skating with the Phoenix Mustangs or even the ASU ice hockey team

Do we have the time, or the money, or the patience, to wait any longer for Khabibulin? Under the tutelage of Benoit Allaire, who is a genius, I might add, Sean Burke has blossomed into one of the elite goaltenders in the league. Sean has been underappreciated for years, and his time has come. Do we need Nik? Do we want him? And can we sign Lemeiux, and still afford to keep Tkachuk and Roenick, the best tandem in the NHL?

I for one would prefer to save the money spent on a questionable Khabibulin and spend that money, as short as it is, on keeping the players that are making this team work and helping it win. Extend Roenick’s contract, Mr. Gretzky, whatever you do. Make it 3 years, make it four, load it with incentives so that he won’t cost you $8 million in the first year, just keep him here. The tandem of Tkachuk and Roenick is one that works.

Tkachuk alone will not score as many goals or play as well, this has been proven time and again. The stories are rampant about JR being dealt to Boston, to Chicago, to the Islanders. You have stated that you want to build the team around Keith, and as our Captain, maybe building around him is a good bet. But Jeremy is the heart and soul of this team and to lose him would be like having a leg amputated. And how many hockey teams have you seen with one legged skaters? It has been reported that Lemeiux has been promised upwards of $9 million.

Tkachuk is now making $8 million. Find the money to keep Roenick, Mr. Gretzky. If you are committed to bringing a Cup to Phoenix, you must re-sign JR. (And besides, if he leaves it will break my heart, and I promise you, that will NOT be pretty.)

Mr. Gretzky, I'm sure you are more tired of hearing about the embarrassment inflicted on the game of hockey by Richard Burke than the fans of Phoenix are. While we have voted... and waited... and voted... and waited... now we still wait while Richard Burke bans people from the locker room, refuses to let people skate at the Ice Den, makes stupid comments to the press, and we hide our faces in our hands and "wait for Wayne."

I realize what kind of pressure that must be, having an entire fan base "waiting for Wayne." We want our team to succeed. We want you and Mr. Ellman to succeed. We want Richard Burke packed in a box with a back of pucks tied around it and dropped into the Tempe Town Lake. Please don't make us wait much longer, Mr. Gretzky. We love our Coyotes. We welcome you with open arms. Don't break our hearts and let our team be shipped off to Portland.

Sincerely,

Jo Namio