MAJOR | Insider reveals the frontrunners for the Coyotes' relocation
It is well established that the Arizona Coyotes have had many struggles, especially in the last few years. The Coyotes are the least valuable team in the NHL. They have been a sub-par team for more than a full-decade. On top of that, the entire hockey world has been tuned in on the never-ending Coyotes arena situation, which ended up with the team having to play in Mullet Arena, which is a University arena that can only seat 5000 people. With all these problems, the speculation has been that the writing maybe on the wall for the Coyotes.
On the Sept 8th edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman put more to the thought that it could be it for the Coyotes. Friedman briefly explained that should a Coyotes relocation be required, Salt Lake City is the expected move. Friedman says "The biggest question there is not in (Bill) Armstrong's control. The shadow of Salt Lake City looms large over Arizona...".
There is still time for the Coyotes to find a new home rink that is sustainable. with the young players coming into the system, they could potentially increase attendance from fans but this quote from Friedman seems to suggest that the Coyotes window maybe closing sooner rather than later.
Naturally, the question moves to why Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City has been home to the Utah Jazz. The team has had some very devoted fans. Last season, The Jazz finished the season outside of the playoff picture. According to ESPN, the team still finished in the top-15 in attendance despite the tough performance. This is the type of fan attendance that the NHL is looking for.
Salt Lake City has yet to officially create an arena for the team to play in but they have options. The Jazz use the Delta Center and it could be a prime spot for a rink. They could have the same agreement that the Lakers and Kings have at the Staples Centre.
For now, it is just a suggestion that Utah could be a potential destination but we will see if it becomes a reality. It is a very interesting topic that I am sure will be explored more very soon.
Sources: Espn.com
| POLL | ||
If the Coyotes relocation does happen, what city is the best spot? | ||
| Utah | 89 | 12.4 % |
| Quebec | 419 | 58.2 % |
| Houston | 137 | 19 % |
| Other | 75 | 10.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
