Rumor: Gretzky out as coach in Phoenix....maybe

[azsharkfan]

Originally Posted by zyllyx

I'd love to have Gretzky selling corporate sponsorships for this team, doing commercials, making appearances, showing up at kids' leagues for pep talks and so forth. He's a fantastic ambassador for the game. But outside of that I want nothing more to do with the guy in terms of coaching the Coyotes. As much of a mistake as it was to drop the franchise here in the first place without building a hockey culture first, it was an epic misjudgment to put Wayne in a head coaching position without him paying some dues and learning the craft.

As a former resident in the PHX area, I could not AGREE with this more.

One thing, the man is here in Thousand Oaks (Westlake) pulling for his back-up QB son at Oaks Christian HS. His son backs-up Joe Montana's kid who is a SR at one of the best high school football programs in the country. With his boy slated as the starter next year, I really can see Gretzky relieved that his days seem done with the Coyotes.

Hiring Wayne and tossing him into such a huge role was a gamble.

[OEL]

Originally Posted by zyllyx

I'd love to have Gretzky selling corporate sponsorships for this team, doing commercials, making appearances, showing up at kids' leagues for pep talks and so forth. He's a fantastic ambassador for the game.

But he won't. Look, he may be a great ambassador for the game, but as far as the Coyotes are concerned, we're talking about a guy who:

- Felt better about a short-term cash-only contract than a long-term profit-sharing agreement (ownership shares).

- Won't bother showing up at the rink since his salary / contract was in jeopardy. Talk about an example for our players. If he wants to quit, then he should go ahead. If he wants to coach, I expect him to be on the ice. This in-between stuff is total BS.

Gretzky's a good ambassador for the game of hockey. For the Phoenix Coyotes? Not so much.

[mouser]

Originally Posted by zz

- Won't bother showing up at the rink since his salary / contract was in jeopardy. Talk about an example for our players. If he wants to quit, then he should go ahead. If he wants to coach, I expect him to be on the ice. This in-between stuff is total BS.

I'll guess this is not entirely of his own volition.

The NHL's position is that TGO is not an employee of the team, but rather Moyes personally.

[OEL]

Originally Posted by mouser

I'll guess this is not entirely of his own volition.

The NHL's position is that TGO is not an employee of the team, but rather Moyes personally.

Really? I am sooooo confused. His $ 1.6 M / yr coaching contract is with the team, right?

[mouser]

Originally Posted by zz

Really? I am sooooo confused. His $ 1.6 M / yr coaching contract is with the team, right?

From the court proceeding it appears that TGO's employment contract is a personal services contract directly with Moyes the individual, not with the Phoenix Coyotes or with Moyes acting in his role as owner/president of the Coyotes.

The NHL, City of Glendale, and notably the Unsecured Creditors Committee (who represent all the unsecured parties owed money) have all taken the position that TGO is not a creditor in this case and is not owed $ by the bankrupt estate. He is owed by Moyes the individual--who has not declared personal bankruptcy.

If that position is upheld in court, then Moyes is personally responsible for the $ owed to TGO under his contract.

[OEL]

Originally Posted by mouser

From the court proceeding it appears that TGO's employment contract is a personal services contract directly with Moyes the individual, not with the Phoenix Coyotes or with Moyes acting in his role as owner/president of the Coyotes.

The NHL, City of Glendale, and notably the Unsecured Creditors Committee (who represent all the unsecured parties owed money) have all taken the position that TGO is not a creditor in this case and is not owed $ by the bankrupt estate. He is owed by Moyes the individual--who has not declared personal bankruptcy.

If that position is upheld in court, then Moyes is personally responsible for the $ owed to TGO under his contract.

So our head coach is not actually paid by the team? Weird.

I thought $ 1.6 M were paid by the team, the rest by Moyes.

[mouser]

Originally Posted by zz

So our head coach is not actually paid by the team? Weird.

I thought $ 1.6 M were paid by the team, the rest by Moyes.

It appears on the surface that the full amount was paid by Moyes, but can't confirm everything 100% as a lot of the TGO related legal stuff was filed under seal.