During a press conference about the Coyotes’ sale and move to Utah, ex-owner Alex Meruelo, appearing alongside NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, seemed flustered and was defended by Bettman after expressing his discomfort with media interactions, highlighting the precarious future of hockey in Arizona.
On a crisp Friday, the scene was set. Alex Meruelo, the now former owner of the Coyotes, stepped up for a rare public appearance. This was it—the press conference that marked the franchise’s move to Utah. And boy, did it highlight the shaky ground hockey in Arizona now stands on.
Meruelo wasn’t alone up there. He had company—NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Together, they faced the barrage of questions from the press. You could see it, though. Meruelo seemed… off. Either flustered or just plain annoyed.
Then came that moment. You know, the kind that makes you cringe? Meruelo tried to brush off his absence during the team’s struggles. His excuse? A simple, “didn’t like the media.” Ouch.
Bettman jumped in. “Let me translate that a little bit,” he said, trying to smooth things over. He wanted to make it clear. “I don’t think anybody should take that personally. I think he doesn’t like being a public person.” Well, talk about a save.
