It was a Friday night, four days before the 2020 NHL draft, and members of the Arizona Coyotes’ front office, reconnaissance department, and hockey operations staff met with team president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez for $ 3.45 million in Tuscan style in Cholla Gardens, a tony community within the Paradise Valley suburb of Phoenix.
Gutierrez was still settling into his new home, which remained sparsely furnished. Large folding tables were pulled together so that the staff members could eat as a group during the pre-meal. Coyotes employees spent the night with a few family members to take in the views of Camelback Mountain and tour Gutierrez’s 11,639-square-foot home, with its six bedrooms, walk-in closet and stone wall accents.
For most NHL teams, there is optimism in the days before the draft. Any disappointment of the past season, any organizational shortcomings, is obscured by the fleeting shock of hope that accompanies …