Arizona Coyotes Forum

Since I'm not big into the NHL these days, who were the rivals for Arizona?  Dallas? San Jose?  I would imagine a move to Utah would make them natural rivals to the Avalanche.  As far as this news, I've never been a fan of hockey in warm climate cities, so I like the move, but I do feel bad for those fans who supported the team for so many years.  After a few years of dormant relocations, it seems like the pro leagues have been moving a lot these last few years, I wonder where does it end.  Also what that means for expansion.  I have a feeling more teams might be added in the next ten years to NHL,NBA,MLB,and NFL just because the owners are making so much money.  

If the NHL expands again, there will have to be some major changes to the league.  They are now cramming 32 teams into an 82 game schedule.  Maybe they will have to stop playing regular season games between the conferences?  Two games against each team in the other conference.  Three games against each team in the other division in your own conference.  That leaves you playing only three or four games against your division "rivals".  It was eight games within the division when I started watching.  This kills off rivalries.

This team was the original Winnipeg Jets. Became Phoenix Coyotes (1996), then changed the name to Arizona in 2014. I like Buzz but my suggestion is the Slopes. 

I don't think "Slopes" would fly in this day and age as it also has a connotation of being a racial slur. Like in Apocalypse Now when Kilgore says "Scares the hell out of the slopes" in reference to playing Wagner over the loudspeakers during a helicopter attack.

Yikes!

Their main rivals were apathy and indifference.

Sounds like they've already filed trademarks on Utah Blizzard, Fury and Venom. Along with 2 generic hockey club (Ala Washington Football Team) names. No idea if they already had others trademarked though, those were just submitted. 

jupiterhill wrote:

Since I'm not big into the NHL these days, who were the rivals for Arizona?  Dallas? San Jose?  I would imagine a move to Utah would make them natural rivals to the Avalanche.  As far as this news, I've never been a fan of hockey in warm climate cities, so I like the move, but I do feel bad for those fans who supported the team for so many years.  After a few years of dormant relocations, it seems like the pro leagues have been moving a lot these last few years, I wonder where does it end.  Also what that means for expansion.  I have a feeling more teams might be added in the next ten years to NHL,NBA,MLB,and NFL just because the owners are making so much money.  

As far as naming the team is concerned, my choice would be Utah Stingers, again in keeping with the Beehive theme. Seems there is already a team by that name in pro volleyball though. My second choice would be Grizzlies, as that name already exists in hockey there, plus the double zz would fit in with the NBA Jazz.

As a Utahn and hockey fan I can't wait for them to offer tickets.  I've been an Avs fan since Denver picked up the Nordiques, but I gladly will shift my alliances to this team.  You'll see sellouts every night just like you do with the Jazz.  The same goes if we can secure an MLB team.  Rockies have become unwatchable baseball.

A small correction here, don't worry, a lot of people get it wrong. It only became an issue once the current Winnipeg Jets started being referred to as Jets 2.0. They are actually Jets 3.0 and the Coyotes were Jets 2.0.

Winnipeg Jets 1.0 (1967) -> Winnipeg Clubs -> Winnipeg Monarchs -> Calgary Wranglers -> Lethbridge Hurricanes (current)
Winnipeg Jets 2.0 (1972) -> Phoenix Coyotes -> Arizona Coyotes
Atlanta Thrashers -> Winnipeg Jets 3.0

I have always considered my collection to be the Phoenix Coyotes franchise collection, so since the franchise isn't moving, I'm not going to collect cards for the Utah team. And if the Coyotes ever come back (especially if they wear the kachina) then I'll collect them then and probably stop collecting the Jets 2.0.

I really feel for the fans that supported the Arizona coyotes. I really hope that the Arizona coyotes can make a return one day.