NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly issued a statement Monday refuting a weekend report that Arizona Coyotes players had filed multiple complaints to the NHLPA about “sub-standard travel, lodging and logistical issues” last season.
The report, from the New York Post’s Larry Brooks, said: “Slap Shots has also learned that Coyotes players filed multiple complaints with the PA during the season about sub-standard travel, lodging and logistical issues that were in violation of the collective bargaining agreement. That will be addressed this week.”
Daly’s statement, via PHNX Sports writer Craig Morgan, said: “There is no factual basis for the blurb. The only issue ever brought to my attention related to player concerns related to construction delays in connection with the completion of Mullett Arena,” Daly said via the statement on Monday. “No other player complaints were ever brought to my attention; no grievances were filed; and no complaints were adjudicated, either formally or informally.”
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A reason why the Coyotes might stay in Arizona
Brooks also reported that the NHL likely wouldn’t be eager to relocate the Coyotes to another city because of the potential loss in expansion fees by having the team leave Arizona.
“The future of the Coyotes franchise is in the same flux it has been since the team moved to Glendale, Ariz., in 2003, remaining the constant drain on hockey-related revenues it has been with the commissioner’s unwavering and zealous support for two decades. ,” he wrote. “This is Gary’s Folly. And no, the league will not leap to relocate the franchise when doing so might eliminate a potential expansion destination that could produce an entry fee of between $750 million and $1 billion that would be shared exclusively among the owners.”
Houston, Kansas City, Salt Lake City and Milwaukee are some of the locations that have come up in Coyotes relocation speculation.
The Coyotes issued a statement after voters rejected a new arena for the team in Tempe last week, saying “We remain committed to Arizona and have already started re-engaging with local officials and sites to solidify a new permanent home in the Valley. We look forward to sharing more with you in the coming weeks.”
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Reach Jeremy Cluff at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: NHL refutes Arizona Coyotes’ ‘sub-standard travel’ issues report