NHL, Kings, Coyotes go the distance for Global Series — Melbourne success

The League tried to bring the sights and sounds of an NHL arena to Rod Laver Arena, with creative touches to connect to the local community. The face-off dots were tennis balls. The red line contained tennis courts. Kings organist Dieter Ruehle played his usual music Sunday, but he also played “Waltzing Matilda,” a folk song that serves as the unofficial national anthem of Australia. The fans buzzed. It was as if you could hear them smile.

“I think the thing that’s really been amazing to me is just the welcoming nature of everything that’s happened here,” Proper said. “From us to the teams to everybody else, it’s been really an incredible experience. [There’s been] enthusiasm just for our participation, our willingness to come here, and then everybody we meet with is just talking more and more about how excited they are that we’re here.”

The NHL came to Australia with the intention of coming back someday, but when it considers returning in the future, it needs to talk to the NHL Players’ Association to see what the players thought about everything. It needs to talk to Ice Hockey Australia and see if there has been an uptick in interest. It needs to talk to its business partners.

Asked what he would tell a fellow NHL coach whose team was being considered to come to Melbourne, McLellan said: “I would tell him that once you get here, it’s an outstanding experience. The people of Melbourne, the organizing people, the life in the city, the energy, the AFL game, the fans, I would say it’s an unreal experience. It’s getting here and getting home that isn’t very convenient. But we committed to it. We’ve done three quarters of it. Now we’ll work hard coming back and starting training camp all over.”

The distance can’t be ignored. It’s what made this difficult. It’s what made this special.

“When we look back on this three months from now,” Proper said, “I think it’s going to be one of those things you just … you can’t believe we actually accomplished and you’re really thrilled with.”