The NHL’s Board of Governors officially approved the relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Salt Lake City on Thursday. The franchise will relocate to Salt Lake City for the 2024-25 season with Ryan and Ashley Smith owning the team. “As everyone knows, Utah is a vibrant and thriving state, and we are thrilled to be a part of it,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “We are also delighted to welcome Ashley and Ryan Smith to the NHL family and know they will be great stewards of the game in Utah. We thank them for working so collaboratively with the League to resolve a complex situation in this unprecedented and beneficial way.” Ryan Smith owns the Utah Jazz and has been very public about his desire to take over an NHL franchise. “We are honored to bring an NHL team to Utah and understand the responsibility we have as stewards of a new NHL franchise,” Ryan and Ashley said. “This is a transformative day for our state and our fans. Our intention had always been to pursue an expansion team. Commissioner Bettman conceived and proposed an ingenious plan that would allow us to acquire an NHL franchise while also helping to address and remedy an immediate need of the NHL. When he approached us and asked us for help resolving this situation, we made the bold decision to introduce a new franchise in Utah, fully understanding that we are stepping up to do something in a time frame and way that has never been done before in professional sports under these circumstances. 20240412_MorningSkate_Keller_FTP “We are committed to building a Stanley Cup contending team and are thrilled to welcome incredible players, coaches, staff, and their families to Utah. Today is a great day for Utah, for hockey, and for building a legacy that will have a lasting impact for generations to come,” The Coyotes’ franchise will transfer the totality of its existing hockey assets to Salt Lake City including its full Reserve List, roster of Players and draft picks and its Hockey Operations Department. As part of this deal to send the Coyotes to Salt Lake City, Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo will have the opportunity to revive the Coyotes in Arizona if he has fully constructed a new, state-of-the-art facility appropriate for an NHL team within five years. Meruelo has stated his commitment to winning an auction for land in northeast Phoenix that will take place on June 27 in hopes to construct a new sports and entertainment district. “I agree with Commissioner Gary Bettman and the National Hockey League, that it is simply unfair to continue to have our Players, coaches, hockey front office, and the NHL teams they compete against, spend several more years playing in an arena that is not suited for NHL hockey,” Meruelo said. “But this is not the end for NHL hockey in Arizona. I have negotiated the right to reactivate the team within the next five years, and have retained ownership of the beloved Coyotes name, brand and logo. I remain committed to this community and to building a first-class sports arena and entertainment district without seeking financial support from the public.”
