The Arizona Coyotes are officially moving to Salt Lake City, Utah, following the NHL Board of Governors’ unanimous approval of a $1.2 billion sale from owner Alex Meruelo to Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith. The move clears the way for the franchise to relocate to Utah next season.
The deal includes a provision for Arizona to get an expansion team if a new arena is built within the next five years. The sale will be facilitated through the NHL, with $200 million going to league owners as a relocation fee.
Ryan Smith will take over the franchise’s hockey operations, while Alex Meruelo will maintain his business operations in Arizona in an effort to secure and develop a tract of land for a new arena in north Phoenix. Meruelo retains ownership of the Tucson Roadrunners, the franchise’s AHL affiliate, and hopes to move them to Mullett Arena, the Coyotes’ temporary home shared with Arizona State University for the past two seasons.
“The NHL’s belief in Arizona has never wavered,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “We thank Alex Meruelo for his commitment to the franchise and Arizona, and we fully support his ongoing efforts to secure a new home in the desert for the Coyotes.”
Meruelo will retain the Coyotes’ name, logo, and trademark, so Smith’s group will have to rename the team. The new team will play at Delta Center, home of the Jazz, until a new arena can be built.
Arizona’s quest for a permanent home has spanned decades, moving between arenas since the franchise relocated from Winnipeg. Meruelo had been adamant about not wanting to sell the team, despite numerous offers since purchasing the team in 2019. An auction for the land in north Phoenix was pushed back to June, making a deal for a new arena uncertain. With the NHL and players’ association hesitant about the Coyotes playing another season at 5,000-seat Mullett Arena, Meruelo decided to sell the team and focus on securing a new arena and expansion team.
“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 in a statement. “But this is not the end for NHL hockey in Arizona. I remain committed to this community and to building a first-class sports arena and entertainment district without seeking financial support from the public.”
The Coyotes played their final game in Arizona on Wednesday night, defeating the playoff-bound Edmonton Oilers 5-2. Players celebrated on the ice with team personnel and some handed their sticks to fans in the crowd.
Salt Lake City officials and the city’s 2034 Olympic bid supported Smith’s attempt to bring hockey to Utah, providing the state with two major professional franchises.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall celebrated the news, stating, “This announcement is about more than bringing an NHL team to Salt Lake City — it’s a defining moment in our trajectory, becoming a catalyst for a positive vision that integrates community, connection, and more possibilities for families, residents, and visitors to experience our capital city.”
