Doan’s Coyotes are so much fun to watch on the ice despite their problems off it

The Arizona-based NHL team play a grinding, hard-working style of ice hockey, and it is a spirit their legend exemplifies, writes Rob McKenzie.

The Phoenix captain Shane Doan, right, has spent 20 years with the franchise, and this season he has had more occasion than usual to celebrate. Ross D Franklin / AP Photo

As he tied the record, Shane Doan fell to one knee.

He had put all his power into a slap shot from the right circle, bringing his Arizona Coyotes to within two goals of the Chicago Blackhawks and tying him with the great Dale Hawerchuk for the franchise mark at 379 career scores.

Doan seemed weary as much as happy, like a warrior who had won another battle but does not have many more left. He leaned on his stick as he rose, first bending over, then reaching full height.

He has every right to be tired. For 20 seasons he has played for this franchise, and that time is, to an observer, a weight to be borne rather than a banner to be brandished. But borne it he has and today he ranks as the greatest player to have worn a Coyotes jersey, even if the honour is mainly by virtue of endurance.

Doan’s Coyotes, along with the New Jersey Devils, were the surprises of the season’s first half. And while both teams have cooled off, through Friday’s games they remain in the mix for play-off contention.

For Arizona, alas, good times can happen but they cannot last.

Every now and then the Coyotes have a surge and seem like they are building towards a solid future. Inevitably they fall back, because their permanently unsettled finances deter other teams’ free agents from coming aboard and incite Arizona’s own free agents to abandon ship. The Coyotes have new owners every few years, they never make money, and their attendance is the league’s second-lowest (plus, a fair bit of the fans are transplanted northerners who cheer for the visiting team).

The latest twist came on Wednesday, when the city council in suburban Glendale voted to award the contract to manage the Coyotes’ arena to Los Angeles-based AEG. The Coyotes had held the contract but did not even bid this time around. This pretty much signals the end of their time in Glendale. The team say they are exploring their options – among them: a joint stadium project with Arizona State University – but these shenanigans create only more uncertainty for fans and players.

And yet despite it all, Arizona are a fun team to watch, and easy to cheer for. Because they cannot attract premium free agents they are compelled to play a grinding, hard-working style of hockey. It is a spirit Doan exemplifies and he was one of the players out on the ice during a recent passage that showed the team at their best.

It was against the Los Angeles Kings on January 23, about three weeks after Doan had tied Hawerchuk’s record. The Coyotes were ahead 3-2 late in the third. The Kings wanted to pull their goalie and mount an attack but Arizona’s pressing, buzzing forecheckers would not let Los Angeles out of their own zone. This went on for about 90 seconds, with Arizona making one of the league’s best teams look like a bunch of donkeys.

The Coyotes wanted it more. They worked relentlessly. And they won, if just for one day.

Coyote ugly – a franchise history

July 1995: Shane Doan drafted seventh overall by Winnipeg Jets.

December 1995: Group led by US businessmen Richard Burke and Steven Gluckstern buys Jets with plan to move team to Phoenix within a year. Thus begins sad saga.

October 10, 1996: Phoenix Coyotes have first home game at America West Arena in Phoenix.

1998: Burke buys out Gluckstern.

2001: Burke sells team to group that includes hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and property developer Steve Ellman.

December 2003: In mid-season team moves to suburban Glendale Arena.

2005: Ellman sells team to Jerry Moyes, part-owner of baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks.

2005: Gretzky appoints himself head coach.

2008: News reports indicate that the NHL is covering some of team's losses. It emerges that Moyes has given operating control of team to the league.

September 2009: Dave Tippett hired as coach after Gretzky quits.

2010: Faced with possible departure of Coyotes from Arizona, Glendale municipality agrees to cover team's losses for 2010-11.

2010-12: League's various attempts to find buyer for team come to naught.

Spring 2012: High-water mark for Coyotes as they reach western conference final after beating Chicago and Nashville in first two rounds of playoffs. In conference final, Los Angeles Kings defeat Coyotes 4 games to one en route to Stanley Cup conquest.

July 2013: Ice Arizona, an investors' group dominated by Canadian and US energy executives, buys team for US$225m and agrees to 15-year lease at Gila River Arena (the renamed Glendale Arena, which was also called theJobing.com Arena for a while).

2014: Team changes name from Phoenix Coyotes to Arizona Coyotes.

December 2014: Ice Arizona agrees to sell 51 per cent stake in team to Philadelphia hedge-fund manager Andrew Barroway.

June 2015: Barroway backs out, Ice Arizona remains full owner of team.

June 2015: Two years into 15-year lease deal, Glendale council votes to cancel lease deal.

July 2015: After much haggling, team and Glendale agree to two-year lease deal.

Conclusion: Should have stayed in Winnipeg.

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