As NHL outdoor games near, Coyotes hoping for chance to take part in league showcases

When it comes to the NHL's showcase games, the Arizona Coyotes have hardly been given the opportunity to take part.

They're one of just a handful of teams never to have been part of a Winter Classic or Stadium Series game, events the league has put on annually since 2008, with the exception being 2013 due to a labor dispute that season. 

There are a variety of theories as to why the Coyotes aren't in the mix. But as the NHL prepares for its two NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe games in northern Nevada this weekend, team President and CEO Xavier Gutierrez hopes the Coyotes can be one of the teams to play where the NHL has never had a game: Mexico. 

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"That's something that is very top of mind for me," Gutierrez said, "because I just think that the international expansion into Latin America, into Mexico, is an incredible opportunity. And you've seen it in the NBA, you've seen it in the NFL, you've seen it in Major League Baseball. I think the NHL has an opportunity to do that and we want to be at the forefront."

The NHL has a history of playing games abroad. The league has held regular season games in Sweden and the Czech Republic — several time zones away from North America — since 2017, putting those visits on hiatus in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The 2020 Global Series games were to be held in the Czech Republic and Finland. 

The NHL has had games in Japan, China and Puerto Rico, too. The Coyotes played two games in Prague in October 2010, but haven't been involved in a stadium or outdoor game. 

A game in Mexico City would make sense. The Coyotes are the first NHL team in history with a Latino majority owner, Alex Meruelo, and president in Gutierrez, who was born in Mexico. 

No NHL teams are based closer geographically to the Mexican border than the Southern California teams and the Coyotes. And if not the Los Angeles Kings or Anaheim Ducks, the Vegas Golden Knights would make for a sensible opponent, as all four Southwest markets have large Mexican and Mexican American populations. 

The Phoenix Suns have enjoyed successful trips to Mexico City for NBA regular season games. The Arizona Diamondbacks have held games in Mexico, and the Arizona Cardinals have played in Mexico City as well. 

The Coyotes are trying to tap into the Latino fan base in the Valley to an extent the franchise never has before, and a game or series in Mexico, only one to two hours in time difference depending on what time of year it is, could have a lasting effect in those efforts. 

Plus, it's uncharted territory for the NHL.

While Gutierrez admitted being disappointed the Coyotes weren't considered for Lake Tahoe this weekend, he said such special games are the kinds of things of which the organization wants to be a part. Two of Arizona's division rivals play Saturday afternoon when the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas meet alongside the lake. The next day, the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers play each other.

"We've made it clear to the league that we understand what it means to be about experiences and entertainment," Gutierrez said. "I do have to give a lot of credit to the NHL, that in the middle of this pandemic, (Tahoe) is what they thought of. And I think it's an incredible idea." 

Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet said such special games would mean a lot to the players. He took part in a Winter Classic legends game played at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh in late 2010. 

"Each player should experience it, it's a lot of fun," Tocchet said. "So maybe one day our players can experience that."

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Get in touch with Jose Romero at Jose.Romero@gannett.com. Find him on Twitter at @RomeroJoseM.