ARIZONA COYOTES

Coyotes had a fair shot at success, right?

Apr 19, 2011, 10:20 PM | Updated: 11:40 pm

The Coyotes have qualified for the playoffs in fewer than half their seasons here and never advanced past the first round. Fan support has been dwindling and financial losses have been mounting, causing potential owners to shy away. A lack of stability causes stars to leave when the opportunity comes up. The situation almost reads like a movie script about how a hockey team leaves an empty arena for the promise of greener fields, until you ask a player how it feels.

“I don’t think that we’ve been given a real shot,” Coyotes captain Shane Doan told Sports 620 KTAR’s Gambo & Ash Tuesday.

Doan, the only player harkening from the franchise’s Winnipeg days, is a man who expects a fair shot at making a living.

Let’s examine just how fair of a shot Doan has had in Arizona:

Doan first played in an arena not meant for hockey. Not only did the ice barely fit inside the building, but the rushed modifications caused several sections to have an obstructed view of play. Don’t get me wrong, watching hockey on TV is great, but not when paying for a lower level seat. The move to Glendale put them in a great stadium, but put a majority of hockey fans a great distance away.

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Coyotes had a fair shot at success, right?