Coyotes Open Training Camp in Melbourne, ‘This Community Loves Sports’

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA -- Melbourne residents sure love their sports.

That should come as no surprise considering fans turn out in droves for Australian Football, rugby, cricket, soccer, and tennis. Massive crowds are expected at the Melbourne Cricket Ground this weekend, in fact, as Collingwood faces Greater Western Sydney in the Australian Football League’s Preliminary Final – a location that hosted a record-setting crowd of over 90,000 spectators for a cricket match between India and Pakistan last October.

As it turns out, though, Australians love their ice hockey, as well.

The Arizona Coyotes arrived in Melbourne on Monday, opening training camp ahead of their much-anticipated preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 22 and 23 (9/23 and 9/24 in Melbourne), which will air on NHL Network at 9 pm MST in Arizona.

Steve Dimopoulos, the Victorian Minister of Sport, Tourism and Major Events, said on Monday both games at historic Rod Laver Arena – which plays host to the Australian Open – are expected to be at full capacity.

“It’s pretty extraordinary when you think about it. Imagine next time it happens,” Dimopoulos said. “Obviously the US and Canada are the preeminent hockey-loving countries, but we have a significant following here. It will absolutely get more people on board who see it and get excited by it.”

Forward Clayton Keller, who posted a career-best 86 points in 82 games last season, said the Coyotes have already felt the love in Melbourne. The team was on the road for nearly 21 hours before finally arriving in Australia, but showed no signs of jetlag during an intense skate just hours after landing, marking the official opening of training camp.

The three-time All-Star skated on a line with Nick Schmaltz and Barrett Hayton on Monday and said the Coyote have been impressed with their time in Melbourne to this point.

“It’s my first time here, but I’ve heard great things,” Keller said. “I’m super excited to be here and be able to enjoy the game and spend some time away from the rink, too.”

Arizona is also using the trip as a valuable team-building exercise, especially considering the new-look Coyotes added Jason Zucker, Alex Kerfoot, Logan Cooley, Matt Dumba and Sean Durzi during an extremely busy offseason for General Manager Bill Armstrong and his staff.

It’s not commonplace for a team to open training camp with a roster that virtually mirrors its opening-day lineup, but that’s exactly what both the Coyotes and Kings are doing in Australia.

“We have a lot of new faces, so it’s great to get that team bonding in that you can sometimes miss early on with a bigger group,” Keller said. “It’s nice to have, basically, our full team here, spend time together and get to know everyone. That ultimately helps you on the ice.”

Head coach André Tourigny said he wasn’t sure what to expect from the group following a draining day of travel, but the Coyotes responded well throughout the spirited practice, often pushing the tempo while engaging in various drills.

Even with less sleep than normal the team appeared energized, something Tourigny was happy to see.

“I did not know what to expect, honestly, after a long flight and a long day, but it was a good practice,” he said. “We had video sessions and everything, and the attention to detail was there. I’m really happy about the first day, the jet lag will hit in 48 hours, 72 hours, so we expect later on in the week it may be a little bit tougher, but so far, so good.”

As the week presses on, Keller said he’s proud to be part of the first-ever NHL game in Australia and hopes the exposure can help create new fans of the game that will aid the league’s growth throughout the upcoming years.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity for the NHL to grow the game here and get more people into hockey. We play such a unique sport; a lot of people don’t realize how special it is and how fun it is to watch. The more people that come to a real NHL game, the more people will get hooked on it.”

Dimopoulos agreed.

“This community loves sports,” he said. “To have these guys here -- the Coyotes and the Kings -- up close and personal, is quite special.”