Arizona Coyotes: 12 Days of Christmas
The Arizona Coyotes are battling their way through December while the rest of us battle our way to a holiday break. To celebrate the season, it’s the Coyotes’ 12 Days of Christmas.
It’s December and the Arizona Coyotes are on the ice on a regular basis.
That also means it’s holiday time. We thought we’d tackle that with a little festive creativity.
As you read this post please feel free to sing it in your head, or aloud, especially if you are at work.
So let’s sit back relax and sing read along to the the Coyotes 12 Days of Christmas.
On the first day of Christmas the Coyotes gave to me… one Jets franchise
Yes, Winnipeg is back in the NHL now after the Atlanta Thrashers failed to work out.
Once upon time, however, the Winnipeg Jets name settled down for a long winter’s nap and moved their franchise to Phoenix and became the Coyotes, although the franchise kept it’s history in tact.
So any Jets records before 1996 are technically Coyotes franchise records, though the new Jets franchise also claims said records. Confusing.
Anyway, thank you Winnipeg because 20 years later we are still going strong.
On the fourth day of Christmas the Coyotes gave to me…four years of Wayne Gretzky
Is this the gift that every Arizona Coyotes fan would like to return?
Probably.
It didn’t go as well as anyone hoped, but at least we had the greatest hockey player of all time in the Valley of the Sun for awhile.
Gretzky went 143-161-24 as head coach, but unlike in his playing days he was missing talent.
On the fifth day of Christmas the Coyotes gave to me …five sweater logos
When the Coyotes first arrived in Phoenix, they arrived with embodiment of the 90’s on their sweater. The variety of color used could have been better suited for a music video than a hockey uniform.
However like all things 90’s nowadays it has comeback as a lovable logo into the rotation.
They have utilized several logos in their time in the Valley.
The first was the Kachina logo with a full body Coyote goalie. The second was a large Coyote terminator face logo.
As for three and four they finally went to an updated look with a clean Coyote head. The Coyote head had a minor adjustment in the angle so that is included as the fourth.
And the fifth sweater logo they donned was when the unveiled black alternate uniforms that had a swift running Coyote logo across the chest.
On the sixth day of Christmas the Coyotes gave to me … six franchise records for Shane Doan
The Captain, who is surely to be immortalized outside of the new arena in Tempe, holds six franchise records.
The guy has only been around 21 short years to accomplish all this.
He holds the franchise record for games played, goals, assists, points, power play goals and game-winning goals.
On the seventh day of Christmas the Coyotes Gave to me…seven years ‘til Matthews can sign in the Valley
Auston Mathews is coming home!
Well maybe, maybe not. And definitely not for awhile.
I fully expect Auston Matthews who hails from Scottsdale, AZ to pull a LeBron James and tell Arizona he’s coming home to win one for his home town.
I also fully expect Matthews won’t have an ESPN special to announce his decision.
On the eighth day of Christmas the Coyotes gave to me…eight playoff appearances
Since moving to the Valley of the Sun the Coyotes have been to the playoffs eight times.
Most recently and most notably was when they made it to the Western Conference Finals in 2012.
Look at that ice. “Stanley Cup Playoffs.”
That would be a nice sight this year at Gila River Arena.
On the ninth day of Christmas the Coyotes gave to me …number nine gets unretired
Bobby Hull wore #9 famously for the Winnipeg Jets and the Chicago Blackhawks.
However, his son infamously wore the number as a Coyote.
The Jets had retired the number nine in honor of Bobby’s contributions to the team, ergo the Coyotes had it retired as well as it is technically the same franchise.
When Brett Hull signed with the Coyotes in 2005, they unretired the number so Brett could wear it on the ice.
On the tenth day of Christmas the Coyotes gave to me …Anthony Duclair
This gift is like one that is given at a white elephant party.
So far this season Anthony Duclair has been a bit of a gag gift.
A gag gift with potential, yes, but nonetheless if you walked away from a general manager’s Christmas with this one you might be on the verge of tears.
On the eleventh day of Christmas the Coyotes gave to me … eleven years of Howler
This lovable Coyote debuted 11 years ago and has been entertaining ever since.
From on the ice to off of it, Howler shows up pretty much everywhere in the Valley.
He is always high fiving and hugging. He’s great with kids too.
On the twelfth day of Christmas the Coyotes gave to me…a Biznasty
When Paul Bissonnette checked in on the ice, one of two things would occur.
The first was that he was intent on fighting you.
The second was that you were intent on fighting him.
The Coyotes enforcer was a fan favorite and he contributed 7 goals in his tenure with the team.
And so we present the Arizona Coyotes’ 12 Days of Christmas
Here we go! All together now for the finale!
On twelfth day of Christmas the Coyotes gave to me…
12 a Bisnasty
11 years of Howler
10 Anthony Duclair
9 gets unretired
8 playoff appearances
7 years ’til Matthews
6 franchise records
5 sweater logos
4 years of Gretzky
3 picked a Stromer
2 Doan hat tricks
and a Jets franchise in the Valley….