This Article is a Follow-Up on both my earlier piece concerning the Dodgers honoring their time in Brooklyn, and the points I spelled out in that article and another article I wrote last year. That Article is here
In April of 2024, Rumors surfaced that the Arizona Coyotes were relocating to Salt Lake City. Shortly thereafter, the National Hockey League officially confirmed the news, but in a way that I had not expected.
The National Hockey League had announced it had given Ryan Smith an NHL Franchise to play in Utah, starting next season. Furthermore, the league announced it was placing the Coyotes in a state of suspended operations for a period of five years, when Alex Meruelo can reactive the team, contingent on the construction of a new arena. Two months later, however, Meruelo had forfeited his right over the Coyotes franchise, officially bringing an end to the team.
Relocation Done The Right Way
The Decision to create a separate team in Utah, as opposed to carrying the Coyotes name and legacy with them is the best way for any team to do a relocation. As I had mentioned in my piece about the Dodgers, I always believed a team’s legacy was tied to a city, not an individual organization, and the NHL, in its handling of the situation in Arizona, has embraced that mentality.
The NHL in Arizona Can Work
20 Years of Playing in Glendale brought an end to Arizona Coyotes franchise. The team, which began its run as the Phoenix Coyotes, played with the Suns in the then America West Arena until 2003, when the team moved to the Gila River Arena in Glendale.
Losing records combined with poor management and bad arena location, led to the Coyotes being the subject of relocation rumors since at least 2013. Seattle, Houston, and Quebec City, as well as Salt Lake City, were all discussed as potential relocation candidates for the Coyotes.
The team was kicked out of the Gila River Arena in 2021, and announced its intention to play in the Mullet Arena in Tempe until a new home was found.
But the Coyotes failures do not mean Arizona is incapable of sustaining franchise, it means that if the Coyotes are revived, and the new Arena is built, than the owner has to be able to maintain a winning culture, which means hiring the right coaches, signing, drafting, and trading for the right players, and building the foundations of either a contender or a team striving to succeed year after year.
Phoenix is a growing market, and the Coyotes would be playing in an environment more capable of handling hockey than Glendale. Matt Ishiba, owner of the Phoenix Suns, has expressed interest in bringing an NHL Team back to Arizona.
One Last Matter of Resolve
While the NHL has embraced the idea of Suspending the Coyotes, The League still has one last justice to resolve.
While the Coyotes Legacy will remain in Arizona, there remains one issue to correct. The Arizona NHL Team also holds the records of the original Winnipeg Jets. In 2011, the Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg, and while they were given the Jets name, the Records of the Original Team remained in Arizona. With the Coyotes being suspended, the NHL now has the opportunity to correct one of its biggest mistakes, by allowing the Winnipeg Jets to assume the records of the old hockey team. Like with the Charlotte Hornets, the Winnipeg Jets would be allowed to operate as one continuous franchise, as opposed to two separate incarnations having moved to or from two separate cities.
The NHL Can Also Revive the Atlanta Thrashers
With Rumors also circulating of Atlanta’s interest in an NHL Team, it becomes even more imperative the National Hockey League correct this mistake. Separating the Jets from the Thrashers and combining the two original teams would allow an Atlanta team to reclaim the Atlanta Thrashers name and legacy, which remain with the Winnipeg Jets of today.