Comments from ex-Coyotes owner should concern NHL

Meruelo echoed Bettman's statements before boasting about all the time and energy he and the brass underneath him had put in over the last five years to make the Coyotes successful. 

Only the results saw the franchise sold and moved to Utah after years of turmoil, including allegations of unpaid bills, while the team spent two seasons playing games at a 5,000-seat rink built for a college team. 

Later, Meruelo attempted to address all the issues that led to where things are today. He said he wasn't aware of any unpaid bills.

Meanwhile, when asked about refunding Coyotes season ticket holders, Meruelo seemed irritated, claiming he'd address the situation once given a "chance to breathe." 

The comment prompted former NHL defenseman Mike Commodore to chime in. 

"Every person I have asked in AZ both in the hockey and business world, have said the same thing...Alex Meruelo and his cronies are bad news," Commodore said on X. "Nobody wants anything to do with them." 

Yet, despite Meruelo's history, foolishly, the NHL has backed itself into a corner. Now, he's the only person who can bring hockey back to Arizona, and the league has given him an uncontested five-year window to do so. 

As he said Friday, Meruelo may win a land bid on June 27 to secure a state-of-the-art arena, the only obstacle to an NHL team returning to the desert. However, the franchise's failings during his first go-round as an owner, coupled with Friday's comments, don't paint an optimistic picture for the Coyotes' future.