‘This is a hockey town’: The Coyotes’ surge, optimism in the desert and a looming NHL deadline
ICYMI I spent some time in Tempe, where players tune out “outside noise” + describe something exciting brewing on ice. All they need is an arena @ArizonaCoyotes https://t.co/YP76DmwFsv
– Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) December 9, 2023

Mullett Arena isn’t an NHL amphitheatre, after all, and the Coyotes must comply with league rules.
The organization is expected to announce plans for the new arena in January. We don’t know the location of the field yet…
At the NHL Board of Governors meeting, it was “either the Coyotes finally produce a concrete plan by the end of January, or the team could be moved.” – Joe Smith
For years and years, people have been saying that the NHL needs to settle the Coyotes’ case in Arizona because it tarnishes the NHL’s image.
There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Coyotes’ future in Arizona, and the next few months are likely to be quite revealing in terms of what lies ahead for the desert outfit.
But the fact that the NHL and Gary Bettman have got their knickers in a twist is good news. It’s also a step in the right direction towards improving the league’s image.
Highlights
– Impressive, though.
The Bruins’ footprint is massive https://t.co/cPmQ1mtZ5c
– Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) December 12, 2023
– Promising.
Marie-Philip Poulin’s line-up is knownhttps://t.co/QIHQG3TP1M
– TVA Sports (@TVASports) December 12, 2023
– I especially like her choice of shoes.
Mitch Marner’s(@Marner93) feeling festive.
pic.twitter.com/0xhHN9xWeZ
– NHL (@NHL) December 12, 2023
– The NHL and promoting its stars don’t fit in the same sentence.
McDavid vs Bedard for the first time ever – with a puck drop of 9pm or later for 75% of the North American population.
Pretty curious.
– Dan Tencer (@dantencer) December 12, 2023