It’s been a tough summer to be a Coyotes fan. First, we surprised the hockey world with news of a nasty divorce between the franchise and its General Manager John Chayka, who had just signed a contract extension in November. Next, we got absolutely humiliated by the Colorado Avalanche in our first post-season appearance in eight years, including a pair of 7-1 losses that officially ended our brief playoff run.
Then the story broke that the league had decided on the penalty for the Coyotes’ Combine Testing Policy violations. While new owner Alex Meruelo had recently assured fans that the penalty would be minor, Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the Coyotes would forfeit their second-round pick in the upcoming draft and their first-round pick in the 2021 NHL draft.