NHL, Arizona Coyotes preparing for possible relocation to Utah

[mikecole141]

As per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

The NHL and the Arizona Coyotes are preparing for the possibility of a move to Utah as soon as April 18, multiple sources confirmed Wednesday.

The team’s final game is at home against Edmonton next Wednesday. One Coyote indicated today that there are rumours of “meeting about the future” before everyone goes their separate ways for the off-season.

The league sent a memo to its Board of Governors indicating progress in talks to move the team to Utah, but several sources warned to be careful about making any absolute proclamations. “There is a lot that needs to be done,” one said, although it is clear this is a major priority, with maximum effort and speed utilized to reach a finish line

NHL, Arizona Coyotes preparing for possible relocation to Utah (sportsnet.ca)



The League seems to be pushing this because even if the Coyotes secure their land auction, they will not be in a new building until the 2027-28 season. Friedman also mentions they haven't said what future promises they have made to current ownership. I would suspect if they get their building sorted out 2027-28 would see an expansion club for Arizona as the League has said they will go back to Arizona if they relocate to anybody and everybody who will listen.

[mikecole141]

Finally, we may get some closure on this embarrassment in the desert, even if it may only for a few seasons.


They were joking around on social media today about possible new names for the team, be interesting to see what ideas are floating around here.

The big lizard in Utah is the Gila Monster, and the Coyotes previous arena was the Gila River Arena, so I'm thinking the Utah Gila Monsters would be one idea, followed by the Utah Salt Lakers.

What else is out there for names?

[pwaldo]

Why does the NHL need a team in Arizona so badly? I know the state has a pretty large population and it continues to grow larger at a faster rate than most other US states but Utah seems like a much better fit for a NHL team to me than one in Arizona.

[mikecole141]

Why does the NHL need a team in Arizona so badly? I know the state has a pretty large population and it continues to grow larger at a faster rate than most other US states but Utah seems like a much better fit for a NHL team to me than one in Arizona.

Personally, I would have done everything humanly possible and possibly even some dark occult stuff to get Houston ready and move the team there. Keep the Coyotes name, keep them in the Central division and start building that rivalry with Dallas.

But like you were asking about why the NHL needs to keep a team in Arizona, I don't know, but listening to Friedman on 32 Thoughts, on Marek's radio show, and all of the other insiders on TV up here, the almost for sure number one spot for expansion will be Atlanta, and Phoenix if and when the Coyotes move.

[zunato]

Why does the NHL need a team in Arizona so badly? I know the state has a pretty large population and it continues to grow larger at a faster rate than most other US states but Utah seems like a much better fit for a NHL team to me than one in Arizona.

There are a lot of people who live in AZ that use to live in some of the colder northern states, (IL, Wis, Minn, Mi). Lots of people from those same states spend their winters in AZ, just like in Florida.

The Fan base has never been the problem in AZ, it's been the stadium issue. First stadium they played in was a piece of crap built for basketball, It had lots of obstructed view seating and had a section of seating that extended over the playing surface. The stadium in Glendale is far from metro Phoenix and took close to two hours to get there from the Mesa, Tempe area where most of the snow birds live.

[cjb]

I'll believe it when I see it

For some reason Bettman has a hard-on for the Arizona market.

[pwaldo]

Personally, I would have done everything humanly possible and possibly even some dark occult stuff to get Houston ready and move the team there. Keep the Coyotes name, keep them in the Central division and start building that rivalry with Dallas.

But like you were asking about why the NHL needs to keep a team in Arizona, I don't know, but listening to Friedman on 32 Thoughts, on Marek's radio show, and all of the other insiders on TV up here, the almost for sure number one spot for expansion will be Atlanta, and Phoenix if and when the Coyotes move.

Atlanta I get though I still think it will fail there as outside of the Braves who were on TBS for decades no team really does well in Atlanta but Arizona unless they think it is some Latino market and it isn't there really isn't a need for one there. IMO if they want to grow the sport of hockey the best bet would be to target states that don't have other sports teams so you will get 100% of the sports fan support instead of competing with the Braves, Falcons, Hawks in Atlanta where you are ALWAYS going to be 4th fiddle.

[Seahawks Fan]

Personally, I would have done everything humanly possible and possibly even some dark occult stuff to get Houston ready and move the team there. Keep the Coyotes name, keep them in the Central division and start building that rivalry with Dallas.

But like you were asking about why the NHL needs to keep a team in Arizona, I don't know, but listening to Friedman on 32 Thoughts, on Marek's radio show, and all of the other insiders on TV up here, the almost for sure number one spot for expansion will be Atlanta, and Phoenix if and when the Coyotes move.

I agree with Houston. Huge growing population, instant rival with Dallas, and Texans have some huge hype behind Stroud that Houston could piggy back on to boost sporting hype in the area.

-Imo Atlanta has had too many chances,
-AZ has had too long to put a solid team on the ice and haven't put the pieces together since Sean Burke was in net. Living in Tucson for 7 years I noticed that their pro sports fans were very fairweather and only liked the teams when they are winning..you hardly ever see Suns/Cards/Coyotes/Diamond Backs fans in the wild/wearing team apparel.
- Utah is an odd fit and a complete mystery to see if it will work.
-Omaha was another name mentioned which would be a complete mystery but I will say that it would have bridged a big gap in other teams. Colorado, St Louis, Minnesota, and Chicago are all 6 and a half-8 hours away. Putting a team in nebraska would have given Iowa, Kansas, and South Dakota their closest chance at seeing a team aswell. Plus the Huskers fill up a stadium with 85-90k people every game so you know they have sports fans...Utah stadium holds 51k so a bigger unknown imo.

[pwaldo]

I agree with Houston. Huge growing population, instant rival with Dallas, and Texans have some huge hype behind Stroud that Houston could piggy back on to boost sporting hype in the area.

-Imo Atlanta has had too many chances,
-AZ has had too long to put a solid team on the ice and haven't put the pieces together since Sean Burke was in net. Living in Tucson for 7 years I noticed that their pro sports fans were very fairweather and only liked the teams when they are winning..you hardly ever see Suns/Cards/Coyotes/Diamond Backs fans in the wild/wearing team apparel.
- Utah is an odd fit and a complete mystery to see if it will work.
-Omaha was another name mentioned which would be a complete mystery but I will say that it would have bridged a big gap in other teams. Colorado, St Louis, Minnesota, and Chicago are all 6 and a half-8 hours away. Putting a team in nebraska would have given Iowa, Kansas, and South Dakota their closest chance at seeing a team aswell. Plus the Huskers fill up a stadium with 85-90k people every game so you know they have sports fans...Utah stadium holds 51k so a bigger unknown imo.

I don't know how enamored Nebraska is with hockey but you can't really compare it to college football IMO. If I had to rank the sports in America it would be the NFL and then college football next in popularity not the MLB or the NBA. America likes teen guys in tights grappling with other teen guys in tights for some reason.

[Seahawks Fan]

I don't know how enamored Nebraska is with hockey but you can't really compare it to college football IMO. If I had to rank the sports in America it would be the NFL and then college football next in popularity not the MLB or the NBA. America likes teen guys in tights grappling with other teen guys in tights for some reason.

It's definitely one of those what ifs? Nebraska did just set the world record for largest womens sporting event where they sold 92,000 tickets for their womens volley ball game in Lincoln. They hold the college world series in Omaha every year...The state is professional sports starved imo. The area inbetween Lincoln and Omaha called Gretna is doing all it can to expand/make a name for itself. It just made a 60 million dollar park and they bought a huge chunk of land called the Gretna crossing with malls and such. That is where they were going to build the stadium which again would have been perfect because its a 25 min drive from Omaha and a 25 min drive from Lincoln. Utah has the Jazz ... time for Nebraska to get a team in some sport.