With three first-round picks entering the draft, the Arizona Coyotes were already expected to be the busiest NHL team on Thursday night in Montreal.
They only added to that workload in negotiating two trades, eventually using the third, 11th and 29th picks to respectively draft centers Logan Cooley and Conor Geekie, plus defenseman Maveric Lamoureux by the end of the night.
If they were sweating through the draft, they at least looked good under the pressure. The Coyotes brass wore matching blue suits and red ties, standing out amongst the crowd before the draft got underway.
Game faces on. pic.twitter.com/NT9U2o3yVI
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) July 7, 2022
The outside of the @ArizonaCoyotes synchronized suits was awesome.
The inside was EPIC. #nhldraft2022 pic.twitter.com/qUONAARpBN
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) July 8, 2022
Arizona general manager Bill Armstrong said the suit idea came amid a long pre-draft process once the Coyotes arrived in Montreal.
“It was exhausting for us because there were so many scenarios in the first round because of the picks we could get to,” he told reporters. “It was probably the most strenuous draft in terms of lining up everything and making sure you had all your angles covered.
“We were in town early, I think maybe a couple days too early. We had some fun with it. We put our blue suits on there. … I do believe we were just the best-dressed team, but that was just my opinion. I don’t like when everybody wears different colors. So if anybody has complaints, it’s (on) me. We’re a team, we should look like one.”
Fans didn’t have complaints so much as questions about the matching look, which had details that got down to a Coyotes-logo-patterned lining inside the suit jackets.
The Coyotes front office members, though, did look like they did something other than make decisions for a professional hockey team.
Are the Arizona Coyotes preparing to work for Delta as flight attendants in the off season?! What is with the matching suits? #nhldraft2022 #nhl #arizonacoyotes pic.twitter.com/0nCEWrwYjN
— Jacqueline (@cheekyjac) July 8, 2022
Were the #Coyotes management all groomsmen in a wedding so they decided to reuse the same suits?
#nhldraft2022 #NHL pic.twitter.com/l7AoKSHWHK
— Scotch N Sports Podcast (@scotch_sports) July 8, 2022
Coyotes were like “we got matching outfits, we’re making as many picks as humanly possible. we’ll trade everything and everyone”
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) July 8, 2022
My mom just said the Coyotes’ executives, with their matching suits, look like a “singing group.”
— Mike Gould (@miketgould) July 8, 2022
I can’t get over how silly Coyotes “brain”trust looks in their matching outfits. Are they staffing a restaurant later?
— BoDiva (@bodiva) July 8, 2022
But if you like the look, here’s where to go.
“State and Liberty,” Armstrong said. “They gave us a good deal on ’em and I’ll be honest with you — and not saying this because they probably will sponsor us after this — they’re the most comfortable suits I’ve ever worn in my life.”