NHL in Utah
Report: Arizona Coyotes Players Told Team Relocating to Salt Lake City
The Arizona Coyotes players have been reportedly told the franchise is moving to Salt Lake City. An official announcement could come as soon as April 18th.
Is Salt Lake City getting an NHL franchise?
It would appear the answer is now almost a definitive ‘yes’.
On Monday, Scottsdale, Ariz., mayor David Ortega publicly blasted the Coyotes’ plan to purchase land to build a new arena and entertainment district in Scottsdale.
Things moved quickly from there.
Now, a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has revealed that the Arizona Coyotes players have been told that the team is moving to Salt Lake City:
“According to several sources, Arizona Coyotes players and staff were informed before Friday’s game in Edmonton that the team is headed to Utah, and there will be attempts to help those affected visit Salt Lake City.”
The news was reportedly delivered to the players straight from Arizona GM Bill Armstrong.
Earlier this year, Smith Entertainment Group, the owners of the Utah Jazz, asked the NHL to initiate the expansion process to move a team to the city. While it didn’t specifically mentioned the Coyotes, they were an obvious relocation target. The team is without a home, basically nomadic, wandering the desert waiting for Phoenix or Scottsdale or anywhere to build them a stadium. Every plan has been summarily rejected and the Coyotes have spent the 2023-24 season at Mullett Arena, the tiny 5,000 seat capacity home of the Arizona State Sun Devils.
The move is not official, as the NHL and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith are still negotiating the details. But the move seems likely.
Sources told ESPN on Friday night that will there is a deal being worked on between the NHL and Smith, but it’s not done yet.
The word I got from the players meeting was a distinct sense the move is happening. We’ll see what the next few days bring.. https://t.co/kd19ekuMNI
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) April 13, 2024
If the Coyotes do indeed move to Salt Lake City, the team will play in the Delta Center, the current home of the Utah Jazz, which will be renovated to allow for an NHL franchise to play there until a new multi-sport arena can be built in downtown Salt Lake City.
Northwest side of the Delta Center, taken on 18 June 2005 by Paul Kucher. | CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1508710
The addition of an NHL franchise would also solidify the city’s bid for the 2034 Winter Olympic Games, which Salt Lake City is already the “preferred bidder” for.
Per multiple sources, the Coyotes have been informed that relocation to Salt Lake City is real.
Now hearing it could actually be announced on April 17; the date of the Coyotes’ final game at home vs. Edmonton.
It’s going to be quite an atmosphere that night at Mullett Arena.— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) April 13, 2024
If the move is approved by the league, the next step could be the sale of the Coyotes, currently owned by Alex Meruelo to Smith. The transaction could happen as soon as the conclusion of the regular season finale on April 17th.
