It’s, uh, hockey weather here in Glendale, Ariz., where the high is expected to reach 94 degrees. But it’s a dry heat. Here’s how things look this morning. Glendale is such a mixed bag. The area immediately surrounding the arena is quite nice, with a massive restaurant/bar/retail scene — seen partially to the right — but the nearby area just hasn’t developed much. I remember coming here in 2005, not long after the arena opened, and hearing all about how the population/construction boom would carry out to Glendale. Well… At one point, the Coyotes were in serious discussions with the city of Scottsdale to build an arena there, but that fell through. One wonders how an arena there might have impacted fan support. It’s a great arena here, though, perhaps my favorite in the NHL. The Kings will be on the ice for their morning skate at 11:30 a.m.
Looks like their arena in about 2 years… empty parking lot.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 11:16 am
@King Kopitar, In 2 years Hammond will be snapping that picture from Kansas.
[Reply]
Belexes Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 11:21 am
@Dominick,
Don’t I wish!
[Reply]
mash-ola Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 12:28 pm
@King Kopitar, The mise en scene says it all… “BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRIIIIIINNNNNGGGG!!”
[Reply]
You should probably start googling places to hang out in Quebec City Rich… That may be useful in 1-2 years…
[Reply]
Where the stadium is located was projected a few years ago as being the center of Phoenix. As you have rightly pointed out, Rich, that didn’t happen. I think Excel center in Minnesota is a better arena but Jobbing.Com in Phoenix is nice.
It will be interesting to see how the Kings handle Doan. He always seems to kill us no matter what we try to do to stop him. Yandle has become a star. Unfortuntely we will probably be seeing Smith tonight as Labs played against the Blackhawks. Tippet is doing a great job with less talent this year. Hoping the two points tonight are not as tough to get as usual against the Coyotes.
[Reply]
puck73 Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 9:52 am
@Crown Royal, Have a blast at the game Crown!
[Reply]
Crown Royal Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 10:36 am
@puck73,
Thanks, Call you from the arena. Hi back to Dom!
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 11:22 am
@Crown Royal, I’m jealous. The only road game I’ve ever attended for the Kings ever is to see the Ducks. I’ve actually passed by that arena once, and thought it would be a nice place to see the Kings play. Enjoy the game.
Stuart Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
@Dom, passed by it too on my way to watch the Kings beat DAL on a New Year’s Eve a few years back…ahhh good times, 23 hour drive.
You get a different hotel or a different window? I’m missing the tumbleweed shot.
[Reply]
kevin from toronto Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 9:20 am
@Dan H., haha i want that as my desktop background.
[Reply]
Just move to Quebec City already…
Good luck tonight Boys! Keep on truckin’ Voinov!
[Reply]
My family lives down the road just east. That area was a long time coming. At least they have a Yard House. Unfortunately, the urban living scene never picked up for area. Too much of a retirement community in Sun City just a bit up the 101 loop.
It is a nice arena though! Too bad it’s empty so often.
[Reply]
kevin from toronto Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 9:29 am
@DFW King, Retirement city in the desert… perfect match for hockey. Thanks Gary!
[Reply]
Win, lose, rain or shine I love my LA Kings. Go get em boys….
[Reply]
At least parking doesn’t seem to be an issue for Coyotes fans. All 20 of them.
[Reply]
Shakes Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
@vplaza,
Well the players take up a few slots and that bastard Doan always takes up 2 slots with his parking.
[Reply]
vplaza Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
@Shakes,
I hate those guys that take up two spots.
[Reply]
OT
Per Bob McKenzie
Ivanans (CGY) and Bagnall (MIN) clear waivers.
2 Ex Kings heading to the minors.
[Reply]
IIRC, the deal fell through because they pulled some sort of unconstitutional stunt to make it happen and they got their butts sued by the Institute for Justice, or a similar group.
[Reply]
If that arena was in Scottsdale, the ‘Yotes wouldn’t be facing nearly the amount of problems they currently face. Scottsdale is in a more densely populated area being closer to Phoenix and Tempe, plus it has a ton of snow birds as well as a more affluent crowd. That west valley is full of football and monster truck fans. It’s actually a shame, I go to Scottsdale about 5 times a year, but have never been to a game because I don’t want to drive over an hour to go to a game. It’s like building a professional hockey arena in Moreno Valley. The whole idea was doomed from the beginning, it was simply a product of the real estate boom. And now it’s bust.
[Reply]
Jon Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 10:00 am
@Jay Wad, I have a ton of friends out there, in the Scottsdale area, who say the same thing! They would love to go to the games but don’t want to make the long drive. The decision to put them in Glendale will be the decision that actually lands them in Quebec… Or Seattle?
[Reply]
E-Dog Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 10:28 am
@Jay Wad,
I’ve only been to Arena once to watch a game. It is a great Arena. I remember the surrounding retail area being packed before and after the game. Maybe it was just a good day for them. Isn’t Scottsdale only like a 30 min drive to Glendale? I don’t think it’s that bad if that’s the case.
[Reply]
LittleRhody Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 12:09 pm
@Jay Wad, I drive almost two hours in traffic (to only go about 50 miles) to see the Kings in LA.
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 12:13 pm
@LittleRhody, and, from what people are saying about the cost of a ticket, you might pay as much to park around Staples as it costs to get into the door at Jobing…
[Reply]
Kingsfanone Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 12:15 pm
@Stuart,
True dat!
They should move up here in Washington. Tons of hockey here because some of the teams in the WHL are here and also Canada is just a couple hours away. The two closest WHL hockey teams from me are the Seattle Thunderbirds and Portland Winterhawks. My two cents. GO KINGS GO!!!
[Reply]
thelexsters Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 10:07 am
@tacomakingsfan, I totally agree a team in Washington state is needed grew up playing Hockey in the tri-cities great Hockey town but a team in Seattle seems better choice
[Reply]
tacomakingsfan Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 12:30 pm
@thelexsters,
Yeah no kidding. Tri-cities. Haven’t been around there in a while but glad to see some other people other than 757seattle from these parts. Just a couple miles away from where I live there’s a hockey rink that most locals come to play or just skate. So relaxing to have a rink nearby instead of looking at it on the tube.
[Reply]
PK Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 11:01 am
@tacomakingsfan, i’ve been saying this for years about the Pacific Northwest. I know you are from Washington, but I think Portland would be an awesome place for the Yotes. They have a great arena, Rose Garden, and great fans. My good friend lives in Portland and I have been to multiple Winterhawk (blackhawks) games. They are so much fun and the fans are very passionate about hockey. Not to mention it would help the West Coast teams travel schedule.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 11:28 am
@tacomakingsfan, I agree. Wouldn’t mind seeing a shift in the alignent of the divisional pairings with more teams in the West and the Eastern Division extended more to the west. Panthers should move there in a few years, and move teams like Detroit, and Columbus to the Eastern divisions.
[Reply]
tacomakingsfan Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
@Dominick,
Isn’t the realignment of divisions the topic for next year?
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
@tacomakingsfan, That’s why the Coyotes can’t move quick enough for me. Florida too for that matter.
tacomakingsfan Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 12:41 pm
@tacomakingsfan,
Where do you live?
tacomakingsfan Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
@Dominick,
Where do you live?
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 2:22 pm
@tacomakingsfan, Oceanside, CA
Steve W Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 1:26 pm
@tacomakingsfan, If Seattle and Portland can fill up their stadiums for soccer, then an NHL team will do very well there.
[Reply]
I drove there for a Dodgers game but stopped by the Yotes arena to check it out and their team store sucks. They don’t even sell jerseys.
[Reply]
What is Heidi doing for the Kings now? I miss seeing her during the intermissions. I wonder if Heidi and JMFJ ever hooked up. They are both from Michigan, right?
[Reply]
Trip Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 10:02 am
@Tyler, I was thinking the same thing. Where is Heidi??
[Reply]
Stuart Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 10:05 am
@Tyler, funny you say that because everytime she would interview him you can just see it in his face that he got all “schucks” about her… looked like chubsy-ubsy talking to Ms. Crabtree… lol
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 11:35 am
@Stuart, “Please misses Crabtree……..Call me Chubsy-ubsy”. I’ve had a few mrs. Crabtree’s as teachers growing up.
I always thought she had a thing for Dewey myself. Maybe all the time away from the team is really because he’s been hiding out with Hiedi the whole time.
[Reply]
Ahhh, the beautiful desert. I keep waiting for Clint Eastwood to come ridkng into town from out of the desert, pulling up in the slot and taking a slapshot.
[Reply]
Crown Royal Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 10:37 am
@DesertKing,
If he’s riding a King’s horse he would have to back check first before having a shot mentality. LOL
[Reply]
I unfortunately will miss the first half of the game due to taking the “you’re about to have a baby hospital tour” tonight. But I’m definitely going to try to catch the end of it. Let’s go boys
[Reply]
Belexes Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 10:50 am
@Klong,
I suppose that’s a good enough excuse, but let’s not make this a regular thing ok?
Good luck on the arrival of the little Kings fan. I hear that “Anze” is going to be a very popular name this year!
[Reply]
Kingsfanone Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 11:03 am
@Klong,
You do know that anything you schedule MUST be done whilest looking at a Kings schedule, right? Tell your wife the baby delivery should be correlated also! Give het a schedule to consult! LOL!
BTW Good luck on the new baby and congrats!
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 11:37 am
@Klong, Congatulations, and best wishes for a healthy baby.
[Reply]
DFW King Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 1:18 pm
@Klong, CONGRATS! I’m assuming you live in the market for the games. I watch all games on gamecenter and they have an app for my iphone now. There are no longer any boundaries! Baby-shmaby, nothing would be better than my baby being delivered and the Kings in the palm of my hand!
[Reply]
Klong Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 1:21 pm
@Klong,
Thanks guys. I made the sacrifice of tonight being the scheduled tour so long as he comes home in a Kings’ onesie. It’s all laid out and ready to go. It says “I’m told I’m a Kings’ fan”….
[Reply]
Love the picture Rich! especially this new (quite honestly don’t know how new is it really) zoom fixture…
[Reply]
Just off the phone with a friend of mine who has season seats to the Yotes. He said his were $45 a game and he’s about 16 rows up in the lower bowl at the blue line where they shoot twice! How ridiculous is that?! He said there were lower bowl seats available to tonight’s game for as low as $22, $56 on the glass! Wicked…
[Reply]
Kingsfanone Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 11:05 am
@Ben,
Yeah, try finding those prices for Staples!
[Reply]
tacomakingsfan Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 12:33 pm
@Kingsfanone,
maybe from a scalper you can get those prices lol
[Reply]
vplaza Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 1:39 pm
@Ben,
$22 gets you parking next to Staples. LOL
[Reply]
Lets hope the Yotes move to Quebec City before too long. One of the most beautiful cities in North America.
[Reply]
Dominick Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 11:40 am
@edwood2, They just need to build an arena that holds at least 18 to 20 thousand. Very passionate fans from what I can remember from the Nordiques.
[Reply]
@lafan13, You’d be surprised. There are great mountains only about an hour and a half from the city. To the east there are big mountain ranges that my family and I used to go stream fishing in when I was a kid. I think people hunt bighorn sheep out in the desert as well. Not sure if it’s legal or not but they do it. A lot of Arizonans are the hunter/nascar type too.
[Reply]
Dont forget to visit Cabella’s while you are there. It’s a short walk across the parking lot
[Reply]
Hey stop talking smack about phx coyotes leaving phx. That’s the only time I can go watch them play unless I’m in la. But we need hockey to stay in phx. And these fans can get nasty. But that’s Polly kuz when I’m at the game I annoy them lol. Go Kings Go. Can’t wait. I’m excited for the game. I’ll be in section 102!
[Reply]
I lived and worked in Phoenix for 6 years, and was part of the hockey community there. The poor attendance and other woes the Coyotes have faced are not a result of the arena being built in Glendale. The fact of the matter is that it’s a culmination of a ton of factors from the recession, collapse of the housing market there…the largest mall in Arizona was scheduled to be built only 4 miles WEST of the arena before all construction came screaching to a halt.
Most notably, one can’t forget Gretzky coaching the team into the ground over a period of four years. As much as we all love him, he was one of the worst coaches of all time and anyone “in the know” around Phoenix, knew he was doing a horrible job with the team. If you don’t put a winning product on the ice, no one will show…especially in a non-traditional hockey market.
Locating the team in Scottsdale is good for a few fans, but is not the life line that saves the team.
[Reply]