NHL: Off-season angst

Although the attention on the Coyotes’ pending free agents has been focused on All-Star center Jeremy Roenick, there are other Yotes eligible for free agency on July 1st, including Louie DeBrusk, Mike Sullivan and Joe Juneau.

While DeBrusk was a healthy scratch for much of the latter part of the season, he remains an important (and relatively inexpensive) intimidating physical presence on a team sadly lacking in that department. Sully is an invaluable part of the Coyote defense, abusing his body on a nightly basis blocking shots and deflecting pucks. No one on the team owns as many bruises and bumps as Mike Sullivan. Joe Juneau, acquired in the off season last summer, is the consummate set-up guy, and his job as the one feeding the puck to goal scorers such as Doan and Briere is one that he has performed well.

While it is undeniably crucial for the Coyotes to get Jeremy Roenick SIGNED TO A LONG TERM CONTRACT, it is also important for the signings of these other free agents to be addressed as soon as possible.

Ellman News

Soon after the announcement of the Coyotes new home in Glendale, rumblings of other major development projects in the area began. Talks have apparently began with Wal-Mart regarding the addition of a "Super Wal-Mart" to the area. Other commercial development projects surrounding the arena sit itself include restaurants, shopping, hotels and other supporting businesses. A local west side developer emphasized the benefits to the City of Glendale and the West Valley for this kind of companion commercial development that will be brought to the area by the Coyotes and their new arena, pointing out the tax benefits of retail and commercial enterprises versus another "1,000 rooftops," the boom in residential building in the West Valley doing little for the tax base but quite a bit for traffic and congestion.

As far as the Los Arcos site goes, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio made national news this week (his favorite thing to do) when he suggested that the partially demolished Los Arcos site be considered for another one of his infamous "tent city" locations, saving taxpayers money and relieving crowding at other jails.

Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross was less than thrilled at the idea, however. Still smarting from the fallout of the "sudden" loss of the Coyotes to Glendale, she immediately vetoed the idea, claiming it was a conspiratorial and vindictive move on the part of Steve Ellman and Sheriff Joe, and a slap at the City of Scottsdale.

I seriously doubt that Joe Arpaio ever really believed that a south Scottsdale tent city facility would become a reality, even though he has insisted he was serious about the plan he suggested. The man does know how to make a media splash, however. And the clever jab at the City of Scottsdale, suggesting the replacement of the "undesireable element" of hockey fans in the neighborhood with a tent city jail of minimum security prisoners was not lost on Coyote fans. As for Mayor Mary? She really needs to cut down on her caffeine intake and stop watching "X-Files" reruns.

Fan Reaction – Glendale

The fan reaction to the new Coyotes Glendale arena came fast and furious, both pro and con, and not without East Side vs. West Side sniping, right out of West Side Story. "Perhaps if Scottsdale residents don’t know where this location is, they can use their OnStar service for directions," one fan wrote. "There is no way I’m doing to drive to East Los Angeles to see the Coyotes play .500 hockey for the next couple years as they rebuild and slash costs. Welcome to the Valley, Wayne, it’s gonna be a helluva commute from P.V.," said another. No middle of the road, wishy washy opinions among Yotes fans. Oh no.

Say what they might, any true Yotes fan will tell you the same thing. Glendale, Arizona beats the hell out of Portland, Oregon any day. Hands down.

2001 Playoffs

You might think that Coyotes fans are disinterested in the on-going race for the Stanley Cup now that the playoffs have begun without our Phoenix Coyotes. But we are hockey fans as well as Yotes fans, and NOTHING is as exciting as hockey’s "second season."

Case in point has been the "second season" of the Los Angeles Kings. While some of us have a hard time with LA succeeding in the play-offs after their treatment of the Coyotes in the final days of the regular season, nothing has been sweeter than the Kings eliminating the dreaded Red Wings from the playoffs, or their overtime win over Colorado in the opening game of the second round. Killing off the Dead Things, LA was behind 3-0 with only five minute sleft in the game, and made a spirited comeback to win in overtime, 4-3. As a diehard Coyotes fan who has RED WINGS SUCK on the back of her car, nothing could have made me happier, except maybe my Roenick holding the Stanley Cup over his head.