The news that the Arizona Coyotes would not have a hockey home at Gila River Arena after the 2021-2022 season spurned much discussion on social media and elsewhere yesterday.
While Gary Bettman insisted that the Coyotes will remain in Arizona, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff states the obvious: with an NHL-ready arena in Quebec City’s Centre Videotron, and some sort of move possible but not probable, it’s conceivable to suggest that, should the Coyotes head to Quebec City, Detroit would be the team moving West, as unlikely as a Coyotes move might be:
Suppose they go to Quebec. The NHL already has 16 teams in the Eastern time zone. Some club would need to head to the Western Conference to balance the books and the budget.
Logically, that team would probably be the Red Wings. In 2013, the Wings were moved from the West to the East. Going back to the West would increase the team’s travel budget but considered the dearth of quality clubs on that side of the NHL, might improve their playoff chances during the current rebuild.
Duff continues; I don’t expect the Coyotes to relocate anywhere outside of Arizona, either, but a Yotes-to-Quebec scenario would have many Wings fans stocking up on Visine and caffeine for more West Coast swings.
