Per NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reports, Arizona Coyotes players were informed on Friday that the team is moving to Salt Lake City, Utah.
Friedman reported,
“Players and staff may be headed to Salt Lake City right after Wednesday’s game to check out the facilities and the city. More, there is still work to do, timing obviously is fluid, but players were told of the pending move and there will be an opportunity to see the potential new surroundings.”
Arizona Coyotes players have been told the team is moving to Utah, according to @FriedgeHNIC. pic.twitter.com/dswEBdvY2Z
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 13, 2024
The relocation rumor was reported by Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports and confirmed by ESPN via sources. Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong addressed the players ahead of their game against the Edmonton Oilers to confirm the rumored circling all week.
The NHL is working to facilitate a sale to Ryan and Ashley Smith, owners of the Utah Jazz and Coyotes, will begin playing there next season.
Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff as well as ESPN’s Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski broke the news that the NHL was putting together a contingency plan to relocate the Coyotes to Utah.
This plan is possible to come as soon as the 2024-25 season, forced by the franchise’s past and present issues to find a suitable location for a new arena.
On Friday, sources told ESPN that of any sort has been done yet, and there was plenty of work to go before the deal was finalized by the NHL and Smith’s group who were working on a deal.
However, per the reports and sources, Coyotes players and staff members are to be invited to visit Salt Lake City after their season finale to check out the city and facilities.
Moreover, Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo has been on a years-long quest to find a permanent home for the Coyotes, who are temporarily playing their home games at Arizona State’s Mullett Arena.
Sources revealed to ESPN that the NHL has made clear to the Smiths that a hockey-specific upgrade is needed at the Delta Center to become the team’s permanent home.
As of now, the plan is for the team to play at the Delta Center, which is owned by Smith and is also home to the NBA’s Jazz.
