The Coyotes' failed plan to build an arena in Tempe served as a major turning point for the team's chances to remain in Arizona.
Unknown to the vast majority of people, the relocation of the Arizona Coyotes has been on the table for quite a while now.
In the coming days, the Coyotes are expected to relocate to Salt Lake City. When did this possibility actually arise?
The Coyotes intended to build a sports and entertainment district in Tempe before their proposed plan was ultimately rejected last May in a special election vote.
Since that moment, there was added pressure on Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo to figure out an arena plan quickly.
“The Coyotes were, for all intents and purposes, on the clock, after they lost the Tempe vote for the new arena in May of 2023,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said. “Everybody kind of recognized that if they didn’t have something sorted out this year, this hockey year, they were going to move.
“I had people who told me on the weekend that the NHL never looked at this Coyotes ownership the same way after they lost the Tempe vote because they kept on selling it as, ‘We’re gonna win, we’re gonna win, we’re gonna win,” and they lost it. They got hammered. And it was always different after that.”
The Coyotes ownership continuously stated throughout this season that they were committed to staying in the Valley, but based on Friedman’s report the damage was already done last year despite NHL commissioner Gary Bettman not hinting at relocation of the franchise at all.
It explains why the NHL still decided to move forward with the sale of the Coyotes to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith even with the Meruelo’s intentions to win a June 27 auction for land in northeast Phoenix.
A deal to relocate the Coyotes seems imminent and the team is set to play their final game of the season on Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers.