Evan’s NHL Daily: Coyotes Arena Proposal Rejected, Avalanche Will Pick 27th

The NHL has been patiently awaiting the voting results in Tempe, AZ, which may have decided the future of the Coyotes in Arizona. Unfortunately, the league did not get the news they were hoping for.

Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche officially know when they’ll be picking in the first round on June 28 at the NHL draft…if they decide to keep the pick.

All that and more in this Wednesday edition of Evan’s Daily.

Colorado Hockey Now

Patrick Roy keeps coming up when people talk about some head coach openings around the NHL. He’d certainly make the league more interesting…as long as he’s not coaching your team.

Ryan Merkley has a lot of talent, but a lot of holes in his game as well. Check out the most recent film room. (+)

The Avalanche will officially pick 27th in the NHL Draft. The question is – will they keep the pick? Late first rounders are far from a sure thing, and this team is looking to win now. A trade is not out of the question.

Evan Rodrigues had a strong season with the Avalanche and provided a ton of value. Will they be able to retain him?

Around the NHL

The future of the Arizona Coyotes has always been a little murky, but they were hoping for some clarity on Tuesday night, when the results of a Tempe vote were to be released for their proposed arena and entertainment district.

Well, the votes are in, and it was a resounding no. Now, there are more questions than answers. Coyotes President and CEO seemed at a loss for words.

Gutierrez said that what is next for the Coyotes will be evaluated by the team and the NHL in the coming weeks.
Gutierrez departed without taking questions. He was visibly shaken. https://t.co/0ZpuiiJ8ey

— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) May 17, 2023

The NHL, meanwhile, released a statement saying they’re “terribly disappointed” by the results of the vote. Then you have people like Kevin Weekes tweeting out photos of Houston, perhaps hinting at what the next option might be.

👀🔬 .@espn @NHL @NHLNetwork @TSNHockey @DKSportsbook #HockeyTwitter pic.twitter.com/DoVKuLSOqM

— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) May 17, 2023

So what happens next? Who knows. The NHL has really tried hard to get this thing figured out in Arizona, and there are good fans there, but the league may just be out of patience.

National Hockey Now

PHN: A Q+A on the Penguins, with a lot of questions revolving around – who the heck is going to be their next GM?

BHN: The Bruins beat goes crazy (very crazy) with some wild trade ideas for the Bruins.

SJHN: With the fourth pick in the NHL draft, who should the Sharks take? Some scouts chime in with their thoughts.

WHN: How much longer will T.J. Oshie be a member of the Capitals?

MHN: The Canadiens might not be able to ignore the potential of Matvei Michkov at fifth overall.

LAHN: Grading Rob Blake‘s moves as GM.

BHN: The Sabres need to find a veteran goaltender to pair with Devon Levi.

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