Wayne Gretzky resigns effective immediately

[TJ]

Per ESPN

 

[nashman]

Does anyone really care about hockey in the valley? They are gone not going to be staying in Az but I am not a big hockey fan so just don't really care. Kinda said years ago did not think hockey was go to work in Az for too long.

 

[nashman]

Gretzky's salary is a huge part of the financial troubles the Coyotes are in anyway he helped sink that ship, as well as the owners who are just clueless and way in over their heads!

 

[Scott MS]

Does anyone really care about hockey in the valley? They are gone not going to be staying in Az but I am not a big hockey fan so just don't really care. Kinda said years ago did not think hockey was go to work in Az for too long.

Oh give me a break. I get really annoyed by posts like this.

You don't have to like hockey. I love hockey.

Personally, I could care less about basketball. I don't go into the Suns forum and ask "who really cares about basketball".

 

[Yuma]

Personally, I think Gretzky is the greatest player ever. As a coach, I am surprised he lasted so long in AZ. I just didn't see him achieving much. He was an average coach at best in my humble opinion. I've gotta say he was a better coach than Michael Jordan was a GM! LOL!

 

[PDXChris]

Personally, I think Gretzky is the greatest player ever. As a coach, I am surprised he lasted so long in AZ. I just didn't see him achieving much. He was an average coach at best in my humble opinion. I've gotta say he was a better coach than Michael Jordan was a GM! LOL!

He only lasted so long because he was calling a lot of the shots. I wish Dessis Savard would be brought in, but is looks like we are stuck with a Interm coach for a while.

 

[PDXChris]

Oh give me a break. I get really annoyed by posts like this.

You don't have to like hockey. I love hockey.

Personally, I could care less about basketball. I don't go into the Suns forum and ask "who really cares about basketball".

 

[Kel Varnsen]

He only lasted so long because he was calling a lot of the shots. I wish Dessis Savard would be brought in, but is looks like we are stuck with a Interm coach for a while.

Rumors are Tippett would come in. But they brought in Dave King the other day, so he's an option, too, I suppose. I think is good for the team.

 

[PDXChris]

Rumors are Tippett would come in. But they brought in Dave King the other day, so he's an option, too, I suppose. I think is good for the team.

Yup,

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=4500348

I thought for sure they could not afford to hire anyone with the money issues right now.

 

[Yuma]

I always thought Tippett's teams kicked our a$$es. I think this is an upgrade. Just hope the team stays in Glendale!

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I think the team has made tremendous strides in its coaching staff recently. I'm now looking at buying at least a partial season ticket.

 

[nashman]

Oh give me a break. I get really annoyed by posts like this.

You don't have to like hockey. I love hockey.

Personally, I could care less about basketball. I don't go into the Suns forum and ask "who really cares about basketball".

Get annoyed all you want I am simply stating the obvious the valley fans don't support the team. Its the desert and moving a hockey team out here was risky they succeeded for awhile but once moved to the west side that was it no one wants to drive all the way out there for a hockey game, if this team had stayed in scottsdale/tempe area they may not be in the situation they are in, oh and hiring Gretzsky and letting him bring all of his buddys in to work with was the biggest mistake the organization EVER made. You can be annoyed but its fact the NHL is NO WHERE near as popular as the NBA, NFL, or MLB those are the 3 major sports Hockey is no longer relevant to most americans, you know kinda like soccer!

 

[PDXChris]

Get annoyed all you want I am simply stating the obvious the valley fans don't support the team. Its the desert and moving a hockey team out here was risky they succeeded for awhile but once moved to the west side that was it no one wants to drive all the way out there for a hockey game, if this team had stayed in scottsdale/tempe area they may not be in the situation they are in, oh and hiring Gretzsky and letting him bring all of his buddys in to work with was the biggest mistake the organization EVER made. You can be annoyed but its fact the NHL is NO WHERE near as popular as the NBA, NFL, or MLB those are the 3 major sports Hockey is no longer relevant to most americans, you know kinda like soccer!

You are joking right? This has nothing to do with fan support. When the team was at least trying to win, they were in top 10 in attendance. Last year they average 14,000 a night for a bad team, which by the way is 85% full. Before the Cards started winning, they never got to 85% capacity a season. This team is failing because of poor ownership and nothing more.

Also, if you are going to come in here and talk crap, get your facts straight. Gretzky(not Gretzsky) was not hired, he is part owner of the team. He also saved the team from leaving town 10 years ago, so I give him credit for that.

By the way, the NHL had over 90% of the seats filled as a league last year. Baseball can not say that. Three baseball teams were beat by most of the NHL this past year while baseball only fills about 65% of their seats. The NHL also deadeven with the NBA for attendance. The Blackhawks/Redwings game on New Years day had higher ratings than any non playoff NBA game last year.


http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/attendance
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?year=2009
http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Does anyone really care about hockey in the valley? They are gone not going to be staying in Az but I am not a big hockey fan so just don't really care. Kinda said years ago did not think hockey was go to work in Az for too long.

Nashman -- any further attempts to troll this board will not be tolerated. Consider this your only warning.

 

[Lefty]

Nashman -- any further attempts to troll this board will not be tolerated. Consider this your only warning.

Thank you. The one thing I like about this forum is all the people who post actually know about hockey, except for a certain person.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

also as a little tidbit - hockey is the longest running professional sport in this desert

 

[Bert]

2001 - 27th
2002 - 29th
2003 - 29th
2004 - 19th
2005 - Strike
2006 - 22nd
2007 - 24th
2008 - 29th
2009 - 28th

I agree with you to an extent Banky, but you cant really say that this has 'nothing' to do with fan support. Regardless of the % or ratings for other teams, the Coyotes have been at the bottom of the NHL for most of the last decade.

Like you said though, it's all about winning. If the owners could figure out how to put a team on the ice that's entertaining and winning, people would go. Just look at the Dbacks

2002 - 4th (post world series)
2009 - 19th (total suckage)

 

[PDXChris]

2001 - 27th
2002 - 29th
2003 - 29th
2004 - 19th
2005 - Strike
2006 - 22nd
2007 - 24th
2008 - 29th
2009 - 28th

I agree with you to an extent Banky, but you cant really say that this has 'nothing' to do with fan support. Regardless of the % or ratings for other teams, the Coyotes have been at the bottom of the NHL for most of the last decade.

Like you said though, it's all about winning. If the owners could figure out how to put a team on the ice that's entertaining and winning, people would go. Just look at the Dbacks

2002 - 4th (post world series)
2009 - 19th (total suckage)

Like I said though, they were in the top in the playoff years. They have pretty mich been crap since 2001 when there attendance starting taking a hit. It has only gotten worse with the exception of the first year in the new building. Just wait, I bet they will not average 8000 a game. I will be out there as much as possible in case it is the last year.

That fact that the team has been over 85% capacity every year in Glendale says alot given the crap on the ice. A winning team would sell out every game, just look at Chicago for that. 29th in 2007, to 19th on 2008 to 1st last year with a 111.2% capacity. That is standing room only for you non math majors. Over 14,000 fans have supports a losing team 41 nights a year for 10 years now, it would not be that hard to get another 2000 butts in the seats. Poeple act like the arena is half empty every night. If I get a 85% average through out school, I graduate with a 3.5 GPA.

Playoff years since coming to Phoenix -1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002

 

[MigratingOsprey]

bert - here is the other side to that coin

2002 - finished in 4th place in the division - at that time their worst effort in phoenix

2003 - last place in their division (maybe the league?!)

2004 - lockout

2005 - last place in the division

2006 - last place in the division

2007 - got out of the cellar and provided some hope with young players

2008 - found the basement much more to their liking again

this franchise hasn't won a playoff series in over 20 years, yet the expectation is that people will be kicking down the doors to watch last place hockey?!

people hold up st. louis and chicago as great hockey cities - although when those teams were bad the coyotes (also bad) out drew them

 

[Tyler]

Jobing.com arena 17999
BOB/Chase Field 48569
SDS 71706

That kind of flaws your filling 85% of the arena. Its like saying well I have a full 12oz can to your 3/4 full 24oz can. Doesnt really add up. With that said I hope they stay, I rarely go to games but I do like being a town with the
3 1/2 major sports teams in it.

 

[PDXChris]

Jobing.com arena 17999
BOB/Chase Field 48569
SDS 71706

That kind of flaws your filling 85% of the arena. Its like saying well I have a full 12oz can to your 3/4 full 24oz can. Doesnt really add up. With that said I hope they stay, I rarely go to games but I do like being a town with the
3 1/2 major sports teams in it.

Then why buy a 24oz can if you are only going to use a 12oz can? Why don't the D-Backs just play at Camelback Ranch. It holds 13,000. Your argument is flawed since more than 50% of D-Backs tickets are cheaper than Coyotes tickets. And the NFL only has 16 homes games. Where is your argument for the NBA? Those areas are all about the same in size.

The 85% is in comparison to what they built and what is expected to be able to reach capacity on a regular basis. So, no, it is not flawed at all.

 

[Bert]

Jobing.com arena 17999
BOB/Chase Field 48569
SDS 71706

That kind of flaws your filling 85% of the arena. Its like saying well I have a full 12oz can to your 3/4 full 24oz can. Doesnt really add up. With that said I hope they stay, I rarely go to games but I do like being a town with the
3 1/2 major sports teams in it.

Yeah bro I'm with Banky I really dont get what your point is?

Not trying to be rude or anything.

 

[Bert]

bert - here is the other side to that coin

2002 - finished in 4th place in the division - at that time their worst effort in phoenix

2003 - last place in their division (maybe the league?!)

2004 - lockout

2005 - last place in the division

2006 - last place in the division

2007 - got out of the cellar and provided some hope with young players

2008 - found the basement much more to their liking again

this franchise hasn't won a playoff series in over 20 years, yet the expectation is that people will be kicking down the doors to watch last place hockey?!

people hold up st. louis and chicago as great hockey cities - although when those teams were bad the coyotes (also bad) out drew them

Shane Doan was on the radio yesterday and he said he's excited for this year and made the point that a stretch of about 3 weeks last season completely took them out of things but prior to that they had been playing well.

I know he HAS to be optimistic about the team but he seemed genuinely excited about the coming season.

How much of the teams downfall last year can you attribute to Wayne's lack of coaching/motivational skill? It seemed like once things started going downhill in past years, the wheels come off and the team loses focus...

 

[MigratingOsprey]

honestly, it looks like it's been that way the past couple years and it seemed to happen around the same time each season (around the ASB) - they go from in contention, to falling out of the picture, slight rebound, fall into the basement and then close OK with some promise towards next year

to me, i think they just run out of steam in the nightly grind - i don't think the team as a whole plays mentally strong enough and I think their special units have been absolutely terrible ....... this I have attributed to coaching

i know i've gone back and forth with some on this board over the value of wayne and although I don't think he was the worst coach ever - i think this was a bad role for him in the organization ....... he lost all his power as a team figurehead and someone who could wine and dine as the "great one", while having to adapt to a different style of game than when he played, deal with loyalty issues to his old comrades and learn the nuance of coaching ......... people view phoenix as a low pressure gig, because who cares, right?!

to me, it's more pressure because the stakes are high to get people to care - to win - and putting out a bland team that doesn't win doesn't attract interest

i think the team is moving in the right direction and when you see the types of teams that st. louis, chicago and even columbus have put together (young, fast, exciting) in a relatively short period it provides a blueprint that the coyotes can use

last year phoenix was 28th on the PP and 28th on the kill

the year prior they were respectable on the PP @ 11th in a bundle of other teams - but were 24th on the kill

before that they were 22nd on the PP and 28th on the PK

and the year before that they were 19th and 22nd respectively in the PP & PK

the past couple of years they were able to be fairly competative - they were skating with some of the big name teams

however, they lost a lot of close games and didn't perform consistently enough

i definitely think if they get both specials units into the top 16 league wide that they will force more OT situations and get a point or secure 2 points instead of going into OT, etc

although it's a long season, the margins are slim and they do add up substantially when teams are jockeying at the end of the year - every point counts

 

[IAWarnerFan]

Hopefully this will turn things around and be a start for a competitive Coyotes fan for a while. I've wanted Gretzky out ever since some of the wacky moves he made years and years ago. I never did like the idea of trading your best talent and not getting much in return. Also, the fact that Gretzky had never been a HC before should have been a clue that it wasn't a good idea in the first place.