Last road trip looms to Arizona’s longtime arena
Pete Deboer thought about his answer until the silence started to become awkward.
And even after several seconds, the Golden Knights coach couldn’t come up with any memories of the Arizona Coyotes’ home in Glendale, Arizona.
“I think my pause is probably telling you,” said Deboer, drawing laughter from those in the room. “I always enjoy going back there. That’s probably the best way I would put it.”
The Knights make what is almost surely their final trip to Gila River Arena on Friday, and it doesn’t sound as if they will miss it much.
The Coyotes started playing at the arena in 2003 and are in the final year of their lease. The city of Glendale essentially evicted the team, making this season their last in the building.
While the Coyotes await approval for a new arena in Tempe, Arizona, they will play at Arizona State’s new hockey arena for at least the next three seasons starting in the fall.
“I’m glad that Arizona has an option to keep the team in Arizona,” Deboer said. “I always enjoy going back there.”
The Knights won seven of the 10 matchups at Gila River Arena, including a 7-1 victory Dec. 3 when Max Pacioretty scored twice.
The new arena at Arizona State is expected to have a capacity of approximately 5,000 seats, limiting travel opportunities for Knights fans.
“I know our fan base likes to go down there,” defenseman Shea Theodore said. “It’s always loud, and you always hear the ‘Knight’ during the anthem. We just pretty much go play, try to get some wins.”
Political science
The events in Ukraine are not a topic the Knights are comfortable discussing, and Deboer hasn’t addressed it with the team. But the invasion by Russia does impact the Knights organization geopolitically.
Winger Evgenii Dadonov is from Russia, as are minor leaguers Pavel Dorofeyev, Maxim Marushev and Daniil Miromanov. Prospect Ivan Morozov is in the final year of his contract in Russia and has shown an interest in playing in North America.
Also, defensemen Daniil Chayka (Russia) and Artur Cholach (Ukraine) were drafted in 2021 and play in the Ontario Hockey League.
“It’s sensitive stuff,” said Deboer, whose mother is Ukrainian. “We do have intersects for sure within our group and organization.”
Black History Month game
The Knights will wear special jerseys in warmups honoring Black History Month during Saturday’s game against Colorado at T-mobile
Arena. The jerseys will be signed and available through an online auction.
Professional boxer Nico Ali Walsh and NAACP president Roxann Mccoy will wind the rally siren. Broadway in the Hood, a local youth organization, will perform during the second intermission.
Time change
The Knights’ game March 13 at Columbus will begin at 4 p.m. Pacific, the league announced Thursday. It was originally scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
Back up
The Knights recalled forward Jake Leschyshyn from the Silver Knights on Thursday. Deboer said some players were “out with the flu” and unable to practice.