SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 12, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Arizona Coyotes players and coaches were informed Friday of plans to relocate the National Hockey League franchise to Salt Lake City, according to multiple reports.
The pending move stems from the Coyotes’ failed attempts to build a new arena in the Phoenix area and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith‘s successful lobbying to bring the NHL to Salt Lake City.
The Coyotes, who currently play in the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena at Arizona State, would begin play next season at the Delta Center, sharing the arena with the Jazz, under Smith’s proposal to the NHL.
An official announcement about the move could come as soon as next week, according to Arizona Sports. Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong reportedly informed the team that relocation is likely.
Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported that Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo agreed to sell the team after securing contractual rights to reactivate the franchise within five years if an arena is built. That would trigger an expansion draft and require Meruelo to pay back the $1 billion he is getting from the sale, Gambadoro reported.
The Coyotes are scheduled to play their last game this season — and perhaps ever — at Mullett Arena on Wednesday. The team had been planning to play at the ASU arena again next season.
The writing was on the wall Thursday when several media outlets covering the NHL reported the league was creating two schedules for the 2024-25 season — one with the team playing in Tempe and the other in Salt Lake City.
Smith, chairman of Smith Entertainment Group and governor of the Utah Jazz, made a formal request in January that the NHL begin the process of expanding into Utah.
Smith and his wife, Ashley, have been in discussions with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman since early 2022 about why they believe Utah is an ideal market for an NHL franchise.
Smith ultimately envisions either renovating the Delta Center or building a new arena designed for both NBA and NHL games.
That effort found support earlier this year in the Utah Legislature, which passed legislation to create a “capital city revitalization zone” to support the renovation or new construction.
“SEG envisions a near future where the NHL will thrive in Utah, and we are 100% focused on making this happen as soon as possible,” Smith said at the time.
“We are passionate about sports and entertainment in the state and are committed to providing premium sports and entertainment experiences for the people of Utah and visitors from around the world. We are ready to welcome the NHL and are confident that the time and attention being spent by all parties will bring one of the most exciting and dynamic leagues in the world to our community on a permanent basis.”
It’s been a much different story in Arizona, where voters in Tempe rejected a proposal in May 2023 to purchase property and develop an entertainment district there.
Meruelo announced plans earlier this month to purchase state land in northeast Phoenix scheduled to go up for bid on June 27. The NHL, however, either didn’t want to wait that long or didn’t have faith in the project becoming a reality.
The mayor of Scottsdale, which borders the northeast Phoenix property, publicly opposed the new development. Meruelo has said the auction was the Coyotes’ final attempt to keep the team in the Valley of the Sun.
Now, it appears the team’s 28-year run in Arizona is coming to an end.
The Delta Center has hosted five NHL games since 2018 as part of the Los Angeles Kings’ “Frozen Fury” preseason exhibition series.
Professional hockey in Utah dates back to 1969, with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles, who played until 1994.
In 1995, the International Hockey League’s Denver Grizzlies relocated to Utah and became the Utah Grizzlies. The Grizzlies ended up winning the Turner Cup in the 1995-96 season.
Today, the Grizzlies are the East Coast Hockey League affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche and play at the Maverik Center in West Valley City.
SEG purchased the Utah Jazz and the Delta Center in December 2020. Since then, the ownership group has acquired Real Salt Lake (January 2022) and the Utah Royals (March 2023).
In June 2023, Smith announced the launch of SEG Media, which began distributing Utah Jazz games through a combination of an over-the-air TV channel, a subscription-based streaming service and other network partnerships.
