Coyotes squash Oliver Ekman-Larsson trade rumor, talk arena plans at Town Hall
Mar 26, 2016, 7:34 PM | Updated: Mar 27, 2016, 10:18 am
Coyotes GM Don Maloney, pictured in this file photo, and team leadership held a town hall meeting Saturday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Coyotes held a Town Hall meeting at the Renaissance Glendale Hotel and Spa to answer fans’ questions. About 150 fans turned out. Here are some of the highlights from that forum.
— Coyotes president and CEO Anthony LeBlanc said he expects to make an announcement on the team’s future arena plans in the next six weeks, but when pressed on this after the meeting LeBlanc said if it had to be pushed into June that would not pose any problems. A more concrete deadline for the Coyotes would be to make an announcement before the fiscal year expires on June 30 and free agency begins on July 1. Corporate sponsors would like clarity heading into the new fiscal year, as would free agents, but LeBlanc also noted that season ticket holders would like clarity more immediately as they ponder renewing.
— When asked about the possibility of staying in Glendale long-term, LeBlanc said: “I will never say never, but it’s highly, highly unlikely.”
— GM Don Maloney was emphatic in responding to recent reports that the Coyotes might trade defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to the team that wins the NHL Draft Lottery and would presumably select Arizona native Auston Matthews. “That will never happen,” Maloney said. “We’re not trading Oliver for a draft pick,” president and CEO Anthony LeBlanc added. The Coyotes would love to land Matthews, but they consider Ekman-Larsson their best player and a critical piece of the future. They also have more depth at center in their system than they do on defense. When asked what the team’s biggest need was, Maloney said: “We need another impact defenseman.”
— Maloney was asked about captain Shane Doan’s impending unrestricted free agency and the possibility that the 39-year-old, 20-year NHL veteran might retire. “There’s no question he’s going to play next year and in my mind there’s only one place he’s going to play and that’s here,” Maloney said.
— LeBlanc said the team will continue to pursue an outdoor game and expects to land an NHL All-Star Game at some point in the future, but he added those decisions are up to league commissioner Gary Bettman.
— Maloney hints that he does not expect any call-ups from the AHL for the rest of the season, barring injury. He would prefer the players get more ice time at that level. The AHL regular season ends after the NHL regular season.
— LeBlanc called the possibility of playing temporarily at Veterans Memorial Coliseum while a new arena is built “a long shot” because the cost to get the arena up to NHL standards would be steep. The team has toured the arena as a last resort option and LeBlanc told Arizona Sports previously that there exists the possibility of adding temporary suites to add the arena’s capacity of abut 12,500.
— The Coyotes continue to explore options for moving their American Hockey League affiliate west. They signed a one-year agreement with the Springfield (Massachusetts) Falcons last summer.
— Maloney said the team is close to signing defenseman Kyle Wood, a prospect the team acquired from Colorado in the Mikkel Boedker deal. An NHLPA source said the deal is for three years at an average annual value of $717,500. Maloney said the deal is not final yet as the team awaits league approval.
