Arizona Coyotes to Relocate to Utah, NHL Confirms
New Team in Salt Lake City From Next Season
Future of NHL in Arizona Uncertain
The Arizona Coyotes will move to Utah after this season, the NHL announced on Wednesday. The team will begin play in Salt Lake City for the 2024-25 campaign. The Coyotes have played in Arizona since 1996, but have struggled to build a sustainable fan base and finances. The team has never made it past the first round of the playoffs in its 27 years in the desert. The relocation to Utah is a huge blow to the Coyotes' current home city of Glendale. The team has been a major tenant of Gila River Arena and has generated millions of dollars in economic activity for the city. The future of the NHL in Arizona is now uncertain. The state has never had another NHL team, and it is unclear if there is enough interest to support one. The new team in Salt Lake City will be the first major professional sports franchise in the city since the Utah Jazz relocated to New Orleans in 1979. The team will play in a new arena that is currently under construction. The name of the new team has not yet been announced. However, it is likely that the team will adopt a name that reflects the state of Utah. The relocation of the Coyotes to Utah is a major development for the NHL. It is the first time that a team has relocated to a new state since the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg in 2011. It is unclear what the future holds for the NHL in Arizona. However, the relocation of the Coyotes to Utah is a sign that the league is committed to expanding its reach into new markets.
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