The Coyotes appear to be getting iced out of Arizona.
The NHL franchise, which has been playing in a college facility in recent years and has struggled to get a new arena off the ground in the Grand Canyon state, is expected to relocate to Utah for the 2024-25 NHL season, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported Friday, citing sources.
Players reportedly were informed the team has been bought by Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith.
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According to ESPN, the Coyotes are expected to play at the Delta Center, which currently is the home of the NBA's Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City.
The move from one of the four corner states to another comes after current Coyotes owner, Alex Meruelo, struggled to get a new home for the team in the desert. The Coyotes have played the last two seasons in a 5,000-seat rink on Arizona State’s campus, which has become a point of contention for the NHL Players Association.
Prior to playing on a college campus, the Coyotes had played at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Az., since the 2003-04 season. However, the city of Glendale decided to end its relationship with the team and not renew its lease for the venue after the 2021-22 season.
As recently as April 4, the Coyotes under Meruelo said they were pushing ahead with efforts to secure a new arena, with plans to bid on a 110-acre plot of land in north Phoenix when it goes up for auction in June. The starting bid is estimated to be $68.5 million.
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However, ESPN reported that the NHL had skepticism over the June auction timeline and sought a better solution for the upcoming season.
Speculation that the Coyotes would move to Salt Lake City heated up in recent days, with Ryan Smith even asking fans what name an NHL team in Utah should have in a post on X.
Officials from the NHL, Coyotes and the Smiths have yet to comment publicly on the reports of a sale and relocation. This story is developing, stay tuned for more updates later.