Arizona Coyotes: Desert Digest, Vol. I
Apr. 26, 2013; Glendale, AZ, USA; Phoenix Coyotes right wing Shane Doan (19) and defenseman Keith Yandle (3) skate off the ice after losing to the Colorado Avalanche 5-4 in a shootout at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
During the past week, things have started to heat up a little bit in the hockey community. Here’s a look at some of the news, worthy or not, that’s come out in the past week for the Arizona Coyotes:
According to an article on the NHL Official Coyotes Website, the Arizona Coyotes and Fox Sports are going to do a three-episode series about the team’s preseason, to be aired on Fox Sports Arizona over the next couple of weeks.
"“The “Coyotes Camp: Building The Pack” show will follow the team from the beginning of Rookie Camp on September 12 through the end of Veterans Camp on October 3. The Coyotes All Access show will feature highlights and footage from all eight of the Coyotes preseason games including road trips to Anaheim, Edmonton, San Jose and Vancouver and the Coyotes’ Kraft Hockeyville game versus the Calgary Flames in Sylvan Lake, Alberta.”"
The team also got a couple respectable nods from the gurus over at ESPN and NHL in terms of fantasy rankings- both Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Keith Yandle were ranked in the top ten fantasy defenseman for the league overall.
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Howlin’ Hockey did a comprehensive look at fantasy hockey last week, telling you which players you would be best served to select- and in what round to select them- and which desert dogs should most likely be avoided. OEL and Yandle obviously made the list, along with Mikkel Boedker, while HH explicity advised fans against drafting Sam Gagner and a couple others altogether.
With fantasy hockey season right around the corner, it’s important to start to draft up a tentative list in your head of the players you’ll most want to reach for. This season is looking to be bigger and more dynamic than ever- I know that my fantasy team is already being manifested on way too many Excel spreadsheets during office hours. Sorry I’m having fun?
For the full list and story, click here.
The team itself also made some headline-worthy announcements this week. In addition to the team’s official release of the fan giveaway games schedule, ICE Arizona unveiled the new name of what was formerly known as Jobing.Com Arena in Glendale, AZ.
The arena, now named Gila River Arena, was renamed in honor of the multi-million dollar naming rights partnership the team made with the Gila River Indian Community. The partnership is particularly noteworthy, since it is the first partnership between a sports franchise in one of the four major sports leagues in North America and a Native American tribe. The story was reported on by Howlin’ Hockey’s own Richard Flores, who was in attendance at the unveiling.
"“Coyotes CEO Antohny Leblanc added that the partnership between the Gila River Arena and the Coyotes is just the latest in a long line of brand new business relationships. Leblanc reiterated partnerships that have been struck with Fox Sports Arizona, Levy Resturant Group, Ticketmaster, and Fanatics, but Leblanc said that Wednesday’s announcement was one that the team takes particular pride in.”"
Finally, in the interest of providing news for both the Arizona Coyotes and the NHL as a whole, here is the link to the full list of rule changes and amendments made by the league, effective at the start of this upcoming season.
Tune in next week for a look at the Arizona Coyotes’ top stories. Anything we left out? We’d love to hear from you! Let us know.