Sunday, 30 April 2023

[cactuswings 4549] Storage Update Apr 28

Latest movers.

Regards,

Dave.

MZJ Marana: AZ

GYR Goodyear: AZ

SXI2321/23APR             BGR-GYR                       B738       2-VJGR

UAL2756/29APR           IAH-GYR                         B737       N54711

 

BOE517/21APR             GYR-BFI                          B38M      N17289

ESF203/28APR             GYR-TUS-SLP               B734       XA-GGB

IGM Kingman: AZ

EDV5553/20APR           SLN-IGM                          CRJ7      N690CA

ASH11/26APR               IAH-IGM                           E75L       N82366

EDV5554/28APR           ATL-IGM                          CRJ2      N8928A

EDV5555/28APR           DTW-IGM                         CRJ9      N582CA

 

N8972E/18APR             IGM-BGR                         CRJ2      N8972E

JIA9975/27APR             IGM-CKB                         CRJ7      N510AE

P08 Coolidge: AZ

N480TA/27APR             SAL-TUS-P08                 A319       N480TA

TUS Tucson: AZ582CA

LVKFW/25APR              GYE-TUS                        B738       LV-KFW

 

ICE6038/22APR            TUS-KEF                         B38M      OE-ISM

VCV Victorville: CA

BOE159/17APR             RNT-VCV                        B39M      N77559

QXE9988/18APR           PDX-VCV                        DH8D     N403QX

BOE450/23APR             RNT-VCV                        B38M      TC-MKG

UAL2757/23APR           LAX-VCV                         B78X       N17002

BOE158/25APR             RNT-VCV                        B39M      N77558

FDX9035/25APR           MEM-VCV                       DC10      N321FE

N531BN/26APR             MLB-ABQ-VCV              B722       N531BN

FDX9035/27APR           MEM-VCV                       DC10      N307FE

QFA6070/27APR           YQT-LAX-VCV               B712       VH-YQV

QXE9986/28APR           PDX-VCV                        DH8D     N421QX

BOE208/29APR             RNT-VCV                        B38M      N8872Q

QXE9985/29APR           PDX-VCV                        DH8D     N444QX

UAL2750/29APR           ORD-VCV                       B78X       N12003

 

BOE157/18APR             VCV-BFI                          B39M      N17557

BOE668/21APR             VCV-SKF                        B789       HL8392

UAL2738/21APR           VCV-LAX                         B78X       N91007

N845KW/21APR            VCV-MCI                         B772       N845KW

ELX564/24APR              VCV-ONT-HNL               B763       N564NC (N564WW)

BOE159/25APR             VCV-BFI                          B39M      N77559

UPS9586/25APR           VCV-BFM                        B752       N412UP

BOE237/27APR             VCV-PAE                        B78X       B-17809

BOE305/27APR             VCV-BFI                          B38M      N982BA

UAL2749/28APR           VCV-ORD                       B78X       N17002

SBD San Bernardino: CA

AMX9446/26APR          MEX-SBD                        B789       XA-ADH

OMD179/28APR            MEX-TUS-SBD              B788       XC-MEX

 

DAL9940/19APR           SBD-VQQ                        B739       N937DZ

DAL9940/28APR           SBD-MCI                         B739       N963DZ

ROW Roswell: NM

EDV5553/22APR           MSP-ROW                      CRJ9      N307PQ

AWI9882/25APR            AMA-ROW                      CRJ2      N440AW

JIA9943/26APR             DAY-ROW                       CRJ7      N546FF

UAL2751/26APR           MLB-ROW                       A319       N801UA

OB2158P/26APR           MIA-ROW                        DC87      OB-2158-P

 

EDV5554/22APR           ROW-MSP                      CRJ9      N306PQ

UAL2735/27APR           ROW-EWR                      B763       N658UA

UAL2740/27APR           ROW-SFO                       A320       N430UA

AVA4927/29APR           ROW-ELP-MDE             A320       N282AV

BFM Mobile: AL

NKS9078/21APR           BFM-DTW                       A20N      N978NK

DAL9941/28APR           BFM-MSP                        A21N      N531DA

DAL9944/28APR           BFM-MSP                        A21N      N532DN

BHM Birmingham: AL

SWA8500/22APR          ATL-BHM                         B737       N733SA

SWA8501/22APR          ATL-BHM                         B737       N747SA

 

OMD165/27APR            BHM-BRO-PTY-SCL     A320       N8891

SFB Sanford: FL

N735MA/16APR            SFB-BGR-KEF               B738       N735MA

RME Rome: NY

SWG9916/19APR          RME-YMX                       B38M      C-FMXG

ILN Wilmington Air Park: OH

CFG4592/28APR           BGR-ILN                          B763       D-ABUA

 

N266CM/20APR            SNN-ILN                          B763       N266CM


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Read More :- "[cactuswings 4549] Storage Update Apr 28"

Sunday, 16 April 2023

[cactuswings 4548] Storage Update Apr 15

Latest movers.

Regards,

Dave.

MZJ Marana: AZ

AZU9841/02APR           MCO-MZJ                        A332       PR-AIX

ENY9858/05APR           ABI-MZJ                           E145       N613AE

AZU9840/08APR           MCO-MZJ                        A332       PR-AIT

N999AQ/09APR             MIA-MZJ                          B752       N999AQ

 

SWG9916/02APR          MZJ-RME                        B38M      C-FMXG

OMD174/05APR            MZJ-ARA                         B752       N28833

N102GN/08APR            MZJ-TUS                         A320       N102GN

GYR Goodyear: AZ

UAL2763/06APR           GYR-IAH                         B738       N33286

IGM Kingman: AZ

EDV5553/07APR           ATL-IGM                          CRJ2      N8933B

EDV5554/07APR           ATL-IGM                          CRJ2      N8965E

EDV5553/11APR           ATL-IGM                          CRJ.2     N8970D

EDV5554/11APR           ATL-IGM                          CRJ2      N602XJ

P08 Coolidge: AZ

N494TA/05APR             SAL-TUS-P08                 A320       N494TA

TUS Tucson: AZ

N729AV/26MAR            MEX-TUS                        A321       N729AV

ULS5402/03APR           MDE-TUS                        A320       HK-5402

 

SUSKC/03APR              TUS-BGR                        A320       SU-SKC

N729AV/05APR             TUS-YYR                        A321       N729AV

VCV Victorville: CA

CAY7111/02APR           GCM-VCV                       B38M      VP-CIZ

BOE273/03APR             PAE-VCV                        B789       A9C-FJ

BOE486/05APR             RNT-VCV                        B38M      N17302

FDX9030/06APR           MEM-VCV                       MD11      N628FE

UAL2737/06APR           ORD-VCV                       B78X       N14001

BOE487/08APR             RNT-VCV                        B38M      N17303

BOE157/10APR             RNT-VCV                        B39M      N17557

BOE305/12APR             BFI-VCV                          B38M      N982BA

CAL1750/12APR           TPE-VCV                         B744       B-18706

UAL2735/15APR           LAX-VCV                         B78X       N91007

 

ASA9810/02APR           VCV-GSO                        A320       N638VA

UAL2734/05APR           VCV-IAH                          B789       N35953

BOE426/06APR             VCV-BFI                          B38M      C-GTSW

CAY7112/06APR           VCV-GCM                       B38M      VP-CIZ

BOE845/08APR             VCV-BFI                          B38M      YI-ASY

BOE273/11APR             VCV-PAE                        B789       A4O-FJ

BOE947/13APR             VCV-PAE                        B789       A7-BHK

DAL9936/13APR           VCV-SEA                        A359       N569DZ

T7LOTUS/13APR          VCV-BSL                         B39M      T7-LOTUS

BOE486/14APR             VCV-BFI                          B38M      N17302

DAL9944/14APR           VCV-BFM                        B752       N551NW

N843KW/14APR            VCV-MCI                         B772       N843KW

UAL2736/15APR           VCV-LAX                         B78X       N14001

SBD San Bernardino: CA

DAL9945/07APR           SBD-SAL                         B739       ?

DAL9940/10APR           SBD-MCI                         B739       N942DZ

SKF San Antonio Kelly Field: TX

BOE236/08APR             SKF-CHS                        B78X       B-17808

BOE271/08APR             SKF-PAE                         B789       A9C-FH

ROW Roswell: NM

EDV5555/11APR           MSP-ROW                      CRJ9      N306PQ

UAL2738/11APR           ORD-ROW                      B763       N658UA

UAL2754/12APR           IAH-ROW                        A320       N430UA

N282AD/14APR             DHN-ROW                      B738       N282AD

 

AWI3158/03APR            ROW-ORD                      CRJ2      N451AW

OMD177/05APR            ROW-ADM                      B738       N749MA

AAL1226/06APR           ROW-ARA                       B752       N178AA

UAL2746/06APR           ROW-EWR                      B752       N12114

DHK7P/07APR              ROW-EMA                      B763       G-DHLO

EDV5556/11APR           ROW-MSP                      CRJ9      N304PQ

UAL2739/11APR           ROW-ORD                      B763       N673UA

UAL2750/11APR           ROW-IAH                        A320       N413UA

AAL9786/14APR           ROW-VQQ                      B738       N909AN

AVA4927/14APR           ROW-ELP-MDE             A320       N623AV

BFM Mobile: AL

MXY8220/05APR          BFM-TPA                         BCS3      N219BZ

JBU8691/10APR           BFM-MLB                        BCS3      N3121J

NKS9076/11APR           BFM-DTW                       A20N      N976NK

DAL9960/12APR           BFM-ATL                         A21N      N529DT

BHM Birmingham: AL

SWA8500/08APR          ATL-BHM                         B737       N734SA

GSO Greensboro: NC

ASA9515/07APR           GSO-LCQ                        A320       N836VA

CWF Lake Charles: LA

ELX757/31MAR             CWF-SLN                        B752       N757AG

SFB Sanford: FL

NPT950F/15APR           KEF-YHZ-SFB               B733       G-JMCM

 

N836JM/14APR             SFB-YYR                        A30B       N836JM

RME Rome: NY

SWG9912/03MAR         RME-YYZ                        B38M      C-GMXH

ILN Wilmington Air Park: OH

CFG4592/09APR           BGR-ILN                          B763       D-ABUI

 

N287CM/01APR            ILN-SNN                          B763       N287CM

N230CM/08APR            ILN-HNL                          B763       N230CM


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Read More :- "[cactuswings 4548] Storage Update Apr 15"

Friday, 14 April 2023

{coyotes} 2023 NHL Draft Lottery odds set, drawing is May 8


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NEW YORK (April 14, 2023) -- The National Hockey League announced today the odds for clubs participating in the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery, set for Monday, May 8, at NHL Network's Secaucus, N.J., studio. The event will be broadcast live beginning at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

The 2023 NHL Draft Lottery will determine the order of selection for the first 16 picks in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft. Participants are all teams that did not qualify for the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs (or the teams that have acquired the first-round drafting positions of those non-playoff teams).

REMINDER: The NHL announced changes to the Draft Lottery format on March 23, 2021. Among the changes instituted in 2022 is a limit on the total number of selections (10) a team participating in the Draft Lottery can "move up" in the event it wins one of the Lottery Draws. Thus, only the top 11 seeds will be eligible to receive the first overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft.

The allocation of odds for the 1st Lottery Draw of the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery is as follows:

 

Draft Lottery Participants (Fewest Points to Most), with Odds:

Anaheim Ducks -- 18.5%

Columbus Blue Jackets -- 13.5%

Chicago Blackhawks -- 11.5%

San Jose Sharks -- 9.5%

Montreal Canadiens -- 8.5%

Arizona Coyotes -- 7.5%

Philadelphia Flyers -- 6.5%

Washington Capitals -- 6.0%

Detroit Red Wings -- 5.0%

St. Louis Blues -- 3.5%

Vancouver Canucks -- 3.0%

Ottawa Senators* -- 2.5%

Buffalo Sabres -- 2.0%

Pittsburgh Penguins -- 1.5%

* Under the terms of a March 1, 2023 trade, Ottawa will transfer its 1st-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft to Arizona if it is not a top 5 pick. If it becomes a top 5 pick as a result of the Draft Lottery, Ottawa will retain the pick and instead transfer to Arizona its 1st-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

 

The odds for the remaining teams will increase on a proportionate basis for the 2nd Lottery Draw, based on which team wins the 1st Lottery Draw.

The 14 teams not selected in the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery will be assigned the remaining 2023 NHL Draft selections (among 1 through 16 in the first round), in inverse order of regular-season points.

NHL Central Scouting will release its final rankings for the 2023 NHL Draft on Tuesday, April 18. Click here to view mid-season ranking information.

The 2023 NHL Scouting Combine, showcasing the top draft-eligible North American and international prospects, will be held from June 4-10 at KeyBank Center and LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo, N.Y.

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Read More :- "{coyotes} 2023 NHL Draft Lottery odds set, drawing is May 8"

Thursday, 13 April 2023

{coyotes} Garland's hat trick gives Canucks 5-4 OT win over Coyotes


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TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) Conor Garland capped his first career hat trick 1:19 into overtime, and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-4 Thursday night in the season finale for both teams.

Elias Pettersson scored his 39th goal and J.T. Miller got his 32nd for the Canucks. Rick Tocchet finished 20-12-4 after replacing Bruce Boudreau as Vancouver's coach. Quinn Hughes had three assists to give him 69 for the season, and Andrei Kuzmenko had two assists and Collin Delia had 24 saves.

Liam O'Brien scored twice and Nick Schmaltz and Travis Boyd each had a goal for the Coyotes, who completed their first season at Mullett Arena with a 21-16-4 home record. Clayton Keller assisted on Boyd's goal in the waning seconds of the first period, allowing him to tie Keith Tkachuk for the most points in a season (86) since the Coyotes moved to the desert in 1996.

Karel Vejmelka finished with 19 saves for Arizona.

Vancouver dominated the opening portion of the game; at one point the Canucks had four goals and the Coyotes had just three shots on goal.

Pettersson opened the scoring 3:53 into the game. On Monday he reached the 100-point mark, just the sixth to hit that milestone for the Canucks since they entered the NHL in 1970-71.

After O'Brien tied it up at 5:08, Keller was penalized for delay of game at 6:06 after putting the puck out of play. With 3 seconds left in the power play, Garland scored to give the Canucks a 2-1 lead.

Miller scored on the power play with 7:39 remaining in the first with Boyd off for holding, and Garland's second of the period with 5:44 left put Vancouver in control at 4-1. However, Boyd scored with just 7 seconds to go in the period to give Arizona some momentum heading to the break.

After the Canucks had 16 shots on goal in the first period, they managed only two in the second and were fortunate to keep the lead. O'Brien's second, with the same duo of Michael Kesselring and Jack McBain assisting, came midway through the period. The Coyotes also managed to stay out of the penalty box in the second.

Schmaltz tied it with 3:40 remaining, getting career goal No. 100.

UP NEXT

Both teams head into the offseason after missing the playoffs.

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Read More :- "{coyotes} Garland's hat trick gives Canucks 5-4 OT win over Coyotes"

{coyotes} Bettman says Coyotes will 'be here forever' if new Tempe arena is built


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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman believes an upcoming vote on a new arena could finally put an end to the relocation rumours that have followed the Arizona Coyotes for years.

"Once this project is built, this team is never going anywhere,'' Bettman said on Thursday. "It's going to be here forever.''

Bettman travelled to Arizona to voice support for the proposed Tempe Sports and Entertainment District, which would include a new arena for the Coyotes.

The Coyotes have a three-year deal to share Arizona State's 5,000-seat Mullett Arena and have worked with the city of Tempe to build the entertainment district.

The development is set to go to a referendum next month, but it hit a snag when the city of Phoenix and Sky Harbor International Airport asked in a legal filing that the entertainment district not include multifamily housing due to noise issues under airport flight paths.

The Coyotes and owner Alex Meruelo countered by filing a $2.3 billion notice of claim against the city of Phoenix for alleged breach of contract.

"This development is going to enhance the community,'' Bettman said. "It's going to create jobs. It's going to create a greater identity than Tempe already has. It's something the Coyotes need. Frankly, I'm having trouble understanding what the downside of it is.''

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Wednesday, 12 April 2023

Re: [cactuswings 4547] REQ - Help with ID of Remaining Delta B747-400's at MZJ (Marana Pinal)

All,

The last remaining DAL 747 is N676NW.

Dave

On 27 Mar 2023, at 01:09, 'Michael' via cactuswings <cactus-wings@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Chris,

Thanks for your help/input,but this is were many photographers appear to have "assumed" identification and gas been a bit of a challenge at many places for me for years Rosewell,Victorville and Moscow etc

Yes took iphone photos for blemish and cut out marks.

I had looked at Javier's excellent photos from last year but he appears to have assumed the photo id to be N662US

My CASE from firm registrations before blanking, so not the positions at this time

Here is N662US in a photo in flickr by Stella Semeraro (Taken dated as 17th July 2020)

shorturl.at/buO57     (Hopefully this URL shortner works if not ,I will resend)

In this photo (Tail Left side)

1. By 2020 N662US already has a panel chunk removed from the base front of the tail (this is present on the assumed airframe 2022)
2. In 2020 N662US has 3 equipment boxes removed from the left side of the tail by the rudder 2 together, 1further up (in Javiers assumed N662US photo from Nov 2022 ,the tail has ony 2 equipment boxes missing the top one and one of the other ones below)

My id photo does of course match Javier's photo including the large cut in the front (which is common on a couple of airframes) and the silver window blanking.

The 2 fully painted a/c were N675NW and N676NW Neither in the top area leving the rest as "whitewashed"tails.

So the challenge continues

Thanks

Michael

On Sunday, March 26, 2023 at 12:55:56 PM UTC+1 Chris Watson wrote:
Hi Michael,

I take it that you saw 9 Delta aircraft, did you take photos or are you checking note pages, as N662US does have a complete Delta Tail.

Perhaps, this might help.

Chris

On Saturday, 25 March 2023 at 08:36:55 UTC Dave wrote:
Thanks Michael

Hopefully someone else on the list can confirm in due course

Dave



On 24 Mar 2023, at 22:18, 'Michael' via cactuswings <cactus...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

I got nothing on any forum ,I cant even who owns them ,to e-mail ,so continued my trawling of photos on site after site.

So eventually found a photo from Nov 2021 of the top corner when they were still marked and checking my Feb 2023 positions

I am (90% sure from exact position,scrape marks and pieces missing)

Top

N671US (with the P3 behind) next
N673US (on 671's nose) facing Silver Bell Gate House
N672US (facing 673)     tail facing Silver Bell Gate House

the next 3 have not moved but could not id the 2 to the right of 673 facing same way and the one to left of 672 may 30% was 669 photo blurred.

That is as much as the others  have moved with furth down with of course one gone completely.

Best I could do after many hours of finding a good photo after many wrongly ID's of the blanked ones.

Michael L


On Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 4:03:42 PM UTC Dave wrote:
Hello Michael

I'd be interested to know if you resolved your question?

Thanks
Dave


On 20 Feb 2023, at 22:00, 'Michael' via cactuswings <cactus...@googlegroups.com> wrote:


Is there anyone on this site that knows the idendities of the above aircraft.
Database's give 10 but we now have only 9 (2 which still have full id)

Having visited on FEB 4th, there were
6 up by Silver Bell
1 in scrapping are mid way beteen them an the main ramp
N675NW is now in Southeast Scrapping Area (Moved since tu154b2 ,Jakob's excellent report)
N676NW remains in West Outer Storage Area

The remaining 8 ,of which one has gone are

N662US
N666US
N669US
N670US
N671US
N672US
N673US
N674US

I have trawled Jetphotos,Flikr and airliners.net ,some of which have had the wrong ID for photo captions due to certain missing parts not matching.

Unfortunately known of the obvious parts were femoved while the registrations wer visible.
Any help would be appreciated,Delta must know but unfortunatley never went down the nice large c/n painted on the side like much of thr airfield.

Michael L

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Read More :- "Re: [cactuswings 4547] REQ - Help with ID of Remaining Delta B747-400's at MZJ (Marana Pinal)"

Tuesday, 11 April 2023

{coyotes} Australia to host preseason games in 2023 NHL Global Series Melbourne


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The NHL will appear in Australia for the first time when the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings play preseason games in the 2023 NHL Global Series -- Melbourne on Sept. 23 and 24.

The Coyotes and Kings will skate inside Rod Laver Arena, home of the Australian Open tennis tournament, on a rink the NHL will construct with many of the same parts used for outdoor games. The retractable roof will remain closed.

The League announced the event at 10 a.m. Wednesday (8 p.m. Tuesday ET) at a press conference in Federation Square in Melbourne.

It will be one of the boldest moves the NHL has made to grow the game, one of the most difficult projects the League has pulled off logistically and could be just the beginning.

"The intention would not be to come to Australia, play and never come back," said David Proper, NHL senior executive vice president, media and international strategy. "The intention is to make this a recurring set of games and help continue to grow hockey in the market."

The trip will be the NHL's first to the Southern Hemisphere, the farthest it has trekked from North America after playing often in Europe and making a few forays to Asia. Australia represents its fourth continent.

The Coyotes and Kings will report to training camp ahead of the rest of the NHL. Each will split into two squads, the primary traveling to Melbourne on Sept. 16 and the other remaining in North America.

The teams will practice at O'Brien Icehouse, a local rink, on Sept. 19 and 20. They'll take Sept. 21 off before practicing at Rod Laver Arena on Sept. 22. The Coyotes will be designated as the home team Sept. 23, the Kings on Sept. 24. They will depart for home Sept. 25.

Rod Laver Arena

The League sees potential in Melbourne and has extensive experience adapting to unique venues overseas and outdoors. This will be a product of almost a decade of discussions and more than a year of planning, including meetings around the world -- from Melbourne to Amsterdam to Hamilton, Ontario.

"We don't jump into any of this stuff without doing a fair amount of research and making sure that this makes sense," Proper said, "and everything that we're seeing is that this a good market for us and a market that is just going to be a lot of fun for the NHL and its players and hopefully for the fan base in Australia."

* * * * *

Melbourne, a city of 5 million people in the state of Victoria in southeastern Australia, loves sports and big events. Fans flock to watch rugby and Australian rules football, which combine skill and physicality like hockey does.

Rod Laver Arena is near the Melbourne Cricket Ground, an iconic stadium with a capacity of more than 100,000. The Coyotes and Kings will visit during the Australian Football League playoffs.

"If there's a game in Melbourne, we could see 150,000 fans in that area," Proper said.

Hockey has been played in Australia since the early 1900s but has much room to grow there.

The semi-pro Australian Ice Hockey League plays for the modern version of the Goodall Cup, for which hockey teams have competed in Australia since 1911. The original Goodall Cup is in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Australia has been a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation since 1938 and played ice hockey at the 1960 Squaw Valley Olympics, though it went 0-2-0, outscored a combined 30-2 by Czechoslovakia and the United States.

The country has 6,150 registered hockey players and 20 indoor rinks, according to IIHF.com.

Nathan Walker became the first Australian to play in the NHL when he debuted with the Washington Capitals on Oct. 7, 2017. Born in Cardiff, Wales, he moved with his family to Sydney when he was 2 and began playing hockey in Australia. Eventually, he left to play in Europe and North America, and now the forward has 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 109 games for the Capitals, Edmonton Oilers and St. Louis Blues.

St. Louis Blues left wing Nathan Walker (26) follows                the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game

Event promoters have asked the NHL about coming to Australia since 2014, said Lynn White, NHL senior vice president, international.

"People approach us from all over the world about playing events," White said. "We're constantly getting pitched that we should play a game in 'X.' You fill in the city. We're fairly certain that with the right mix of teams and the right marketing and promotion that we would sell out games, because it's a spectacle.

"But one of the things that we're very cognizant of from an international strategy standpoint now is that we do not want to be the circus coming to town. We don't want to go in, make a big splash and leave. What we really want to do is grow the fan base, grow the brand and more generally grow the culture of ice hockey."

The NHL feels now is the time to visit Melbourne for several reasons.

Teams of former NHL and American Hockey League players from Canada and the United States have played exhibitions in Australia, including in Melbourne at Rod Laver Arena, and tickets have sold well.

ESPN broadcasts 3-5 NHL games per week on linear and digital platforms in Australia.

Australia accounted for 7.7 million visits to NHL digital platforms in 2022, seventh among countries outside of Canada and the United States. It ranked fourth among countries overseas in visits to the NHL App.

The country has ranked fifth among countries overseas in purchasing NHL gear from Fanatics International since 2015, and Victoria ranks first among Australian states.

Clayton Keller #9 of the Arizona Coyotes skates with                the puck against the Los Angeles Kings at Gila River                Arena

The NHL is receiving strong support from Left Field Live and TEG Sports, the event promoters, and Visit Victoria, the state's tourism arm.

"We think that we're poised in Australia to really grow the game and grow the brand, despite the fact that there are very few ice hockey rinks or players in that market, because they over-index in terms of their interest in all of our platforms," White said.

Proper said the NHL believes it will be a transformative experience for people in Melbourne to see the best hockey players in the world live.

"The truth of the matter is, if it weren't so far away, it's a complete layup," Proper said. "Nobody would be questioning why you'd go there. But it's the logistics hurdle that makes everybody question it."

* * * * *

The NHL has been working on clearing the logistics hurdle for a long time.

The League has invested in equipment to build two outdoor rinks for its tentpole events. Usually, it pumps glycol from a Mobile Refrigeration Unit in a semitrailer through aluminum pans in the floor of the rink to freeze the ice. But as it discussed potentially playing at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, it didn't want to ship that system to Australia because of the wear and tear of the trip.

So when the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs played in the Heritage Classic at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario, on March 13, 2022, the NHL hosted the event promoters from Australia and a company called Ice World from Amsterdam, which has a different system.

"Hamilton was kind of the main deep dive, showing them how we do everything, how our boards and glass work," said Dean Matsuzaki, NHL executive vice president, events.

The Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets played regular-season games in the 2022 NHL Global Series at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland, on Nov. 4 and 5. Derek King, NHL senior director, facilities operations, stopped to visit the Ice World warehouse in Amsterdam on his way home.

In late November, Matsuzaki and King were part of an NHL contingent that traveled to Melbourne for a site visit. They spent five days dissecting every detail from the airport to the hotels to the local rink to the arena, trying to anticipate anything that could come up on the other side of the globe.

"Once you're there, you're isolated," Matsuzaki said. "We need to think through this five times to make sure we're checking all the boxes."

Rod Laver Arena was built for tennis and normally seats 14,820. A tennis court is much smaller than a hockey rink, but one end of the stands is retractable, allowing just enough room for a regulation NHL ice surface.

The NHL will use the same boards it used outdoors in Hamilton and a new set of glass. The League will build the rink tight against the seats on three sides, creating a horseshoe in the lower bowl. The upper-bowl seats on one end will be limited view, like when the Coyotes played at America West Arena in Phoenix.

"It's a very intimate setting," King said. "When I say we don't have much room to play with, that's an understatement. Our surface just fits."

The NHL will put down a layer of plywood over the tennis court. Instead of putting aluminum pans on top of that, the League will use Ice World's system. Pipes will sit inside a rubber liner, which will be filled with water.

After freezing an initial base of about 1 inch of ice, the NHL will build the ice much the same way it does for an outdoor game, painting it white, laying lines and logos made of fabric, and using a spray boom to mist fine layers to water to ensure a dense, thick sheet.

"It's exciting to see that there's another system out there similar to ours," King said.

Instead of shipping ice resurfacing machines, the NHL will borrow some from O'Brien Icehouse, the local rink.

The NHL will create two locker rooms behind the scenes in an area designed for individual tennis players. It will install a temporary center-hung scoreboard to give the games an authentic feel, even though that will add an extra day and a half of work and stretch the build process to 12 days.

"It's tradition in hockey rinks, so the locals want to do that," Matsuzaki said.

* * * * *

The trip is so long that time is already short.

Later this month, with all eyes on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the NHL will start packing equipment in 40-foot shipping containers in Toronto -- everything from the boards to the glass to the player benches to the skate sharpeners to the glove dryers. They'll need every last part and tool.

"Yeah, we need to do our due diligence to make sure that we have everything when it leaves, because we're not running out to the store to get dasher bolts or dasher screws," King said. "We'll have redundancy to what we need."

The plan is to ship the containers June 10. They will travel about 2,700 miles by ground to Vancouver, then about 8,000 miles by sea from Vancouver to Melbourne. The journey is expected to take 45-60 days.

"It's kind of like an outdoor game, but it's an outdoor game in Australia," King said. "We'll get there and unpack everything, build a rink, and then when it's all over, pack it back up and ship it home. So, it's exciting, right? To be involved in these games in Australia is pretty, pretty amazing."

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