Does Coyotes GM have the guts to fire Wayne Gretzky if Phoenix doesn't make forward strides this season?

Question

There is a certain axiom involving Wayne Gretzky: if one makes him mad or embarrasses him, the offender is forever villified in NHL circles. To that end, if the Phoenix Coyotes do not make a dent in the 2008-09 post-season picture, does GM Don Maloney have the guts to fire Gretzy and join the select group to irk "The Great One"?

Answer 1

I don't care who you are it is pretty hard to fire your boss.

There was an old series of rules we used to follow.

1. The boss is always right.

2. the boss is wrong

3. see rule 1.

There is another old adage. The boss may not always be right but he is always the boss.

Since Gretzky is an owner he is the boss.

Answer 2

no i think he does not. its not gretzky;s fault his team sucks

Answer 3

yes

Answer 4

I doubt the owners would allow it.  I see what you are saying though, it would take some pretty big kahunas to fire The Great One.

Answer 5

I don't think so.They were one game over 500 last season without a bonafide superstar.I know they haven't made the playoffs since 2001 season but I think they've made strides in their division.Besides the Kings,they play in a very hard division as well.Ilya Bryzgalov had a h**l of a first season with the Yotes as well.Plus the leadership that 99 brings to a club can be inspirational as well.Remember it is his first coaching gig too.

Answer 6

I don't think that will happen. Phoenix is a really good young team. I watched them many times on Center Ice this past season. They are fun to watch. They are putting together a good solid roster. Not to mention their coach is as a big of draw to the arena as the team is. Wayne is doing a pretty good job with that young team.

Answer 7

Don Maloney should fire himself.  I'm not sure their lack of success is Gretzky's fault so much as a lack of talent acquisition.  They've been at the bottom of the league for about 5 years and have yet to begin any significant rebuilding.

Answer 8

Well they made a 16 point improvement last year so I would say they are moving in the right direction.  Do you think Gretzky deserves to be fired from a team that improved nearly 20 points last year, lacks any truly standout talent, and yet finished only 8 points from a playoff spot last year?  Not to mention Pheonix plays in the toughest division in the Western Conference which is far and away the best Conference in the NHL.

So my counter question is: What the heck are you talking about firing the Great One for?

Answer 9

No.  He's a part owner, too, which would make it doubly awkward...

Answer 10

Even if he's got the guts... Gretzky could just fire him right back, then re-hire himself.... he's part owner of the team. Besides the team is getting steadily better, they're just slowly building the team, and not just grasping for out of date superstars.

Answer 11

I think he has to go before a committee to do that, espcially when Gretzky's also his boss. Or have Gretzky publicly step down as coach to avoid media hate.

Answer 12

no he doesnt have the guts the fire the great one, the holy hockey god, the man that made hockey

he would be nuts to fire gretzky