The smell of doughnuts, the “meep meep” sound effect from the Looney Tunes' Road Runner and mascot Dusty the Roadrunner hyping up fans – all are staples of the American Hockey League's Tucson Roadrunners gameday experience. Last season ended in heartbreak as the Calgary Wranglers swept the Roadrunners in the opening round of the AHL playoffs. The Roadrunners were on the path to success though, as their regular season record was getting better season after season. During the offseason, the Roadrunners' future in Tucson was put into sudden jeopardy.