Coyotes match with maroon suits, Arizona belt buckles for NHL Draft

It seems the Arizona Coyotes front office has a tradition on its hands. For the second year in a row, the team’s executives attended the NHL Draft in matching suits, and this year it’s all about maroon.

The Coyotes, led by general manager, Bill Armstrong, walked into the draft in Nashville wearing maroon suits and pants, pink ties and — most boldly — brass belt buckles.

The custom buckle features a classic Coyotes logo painted in color along with red highlights and the team’s name in natural brass that brackets the imagery.

pic.twitter.com/eW0FYkWPze

— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) June 28, 2023

Arizona holds the No. 6 overall pick and the 11th pick via Ottawa.

Last year for a busy draft that included three first-round picks, the Coyotes brass wore matching blue suits and red ties, standing out amongst the crowd before the draft got underway.

Arizona general manager Bill Armstrong said the suit idea came amid a long pre-draft process once the Coyotes arrived in Montreal.

Look good, feel good, pick good. pic.twitter.com/NnQ5ROqmxJ

— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) June 28, 2023

“It was exhausting for us because there were so many scenarios in the first round because of the picks we could get to,” he told reporters. “It was probably the most strenuous draft in terms of lining up everything and making sure you had all your angles covered.

“We were in town early, I think maybe a couple days too early. We had some fun with it. We put our blue suits on there. … I do believe we were just the best-dressed team, but that was just my opinion. I don’t like when everybody wears different colors. So if anybody has complaints, it’s (on) me. We’re a team, we should look like one.”

It appears that a little idea that sprouted out of circumstance has now become a tradition.