It’s been around a month since the NHL transferred the sale of the Arizona Coyotes’ hockey operations from Alex Meruelo to Ryan Smith, who has moved them to Salt Lake City. The difference between the two of them has been noticeable, almost like night and day. It shows how strong a good owner can be in the community and within the actual franchise with a little bit of effort.
Treatment of Players
The way Meruelo handled the relocation with the players will go down in infamy. The Coyotes’ players were on their final road trip of the season when the rumors started. While the rumors eventually turned to truth, Meruelo did nothing to alert the players, leaving them to find out their fate through social media.
Eventually, when the Utah news became official, it was general manager Bill Armstrong who traveled to Edmonton to tell the players about the news, not Meruelo. While the former owner might have a gag order imposed on him by the NHL, Armstrong most likely did as well and chose to put the players’ needs in front of his.
Either way, Meruelo didn’t show his face at the final game in Arizona. He didn’t say goodbye to the players or wish them good luck in Utah. He also didn’t appear at any of the potential final Tucson Roadrunners games to inform those players and staff of what is to come.
Outside of the conclusion of the Coyotes’ life in Arizona, there hasn’t been much that has arisen about Meruelo’s treatment of the players. There have been some rumors about Meruelo not paying certain bills but he’s publicly denied every single rumor.
On the other hand, in just a month, Smith has treated the players with a lot of respect. Just hours after the announcement of relocation, the BYU alum flew to Arizona to meet with the players. He introduced himself and met with each of them one-on-one. He asked what the players wanted to see change and when the players said they wanted better hotels on the road, Smith automatically said “done.”
Smith took the whole team golfing while trying to understand what his new players needed to be happy. It impressed the players and gave them hope that the new Utah team would be successful and attract free agents, unlike the Coyotes due to their instability.
“He was a real beauty. He gets it,” one player source told ESPN.
On the staff side, Meruelo himself never came into the limelight. His son Alex Meruelo Jr., however, did. Meruelo Jr. has been revealed as the reason why longtime Coyotes forward and captain…
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