The Arizona Coyotes have announced that they will be relocating to Utah. The team’s general manager, Bill Armstrong, met with the players before their game against the Edmonton Oilers to confirm rumors that the NHL has facilitated a sale of the team to Ryan and Ashley Smith, owners of the Utah Jazz, according to ESPN.
Players had been seeking answers, prompting Armstrong to fly up to Edmonton and break the news. The terms of the sale from current owner Alex Meruelo have not been disclosed.
The Coyotes are expected to begin playing at the Jazz’s Delta Center in Salt Lake City, which is owned by the Smiths. However, the NHL has stated that the arena will need hockey-specific upgrades to be the team’s permanent home. Coyotes players and staff have been invited to visit Salt Lake City after their regular season finale next week.
The sale and move of the team follow years of struggles for the Coyotes to secure a new arena, whether in Phoenix or elsewhere. After the city of Glendale terminated the team’s lease for Gila River Arena in 2021, the Coyotes temporarily played at Mullett Arena, Arizona State’s 5,000-seat rink in Tempe. The team searched for a new home, including in Tempe, and considered bidding on land in Phoenix.
The NHL pushed for a quicker resolution, resulting in
