It was a Friday night, four days before the 2020 NHL draft, and members of the Arizona Coyotes front, scouting department and hockey operations team arrived at the CEO’s $ 3.45 million Tuscan-style mansion Xavier Gutierrez at Cholla Gardens, tony community in Phoenix’s Paradise Valley suburb.
Gutierrez was still settling into his new home, which remained sparsely furnished. Large folding tables were placed together so that team members could dine as a group at the meal served. Coyote staff, along with some family members, spent the night enjoying the view of Camelback Mountain and visiting Gutierrez’s 11,639 square foot home, with its six rooms, wine cellar and details in the stone walls.
For most NHL teams, the peak of optimism occurs in the days before recruiting. Any disappointment from last season, any organizational deficiencies, are obscured by the ephemeral shock of hope that comes with …