April 12, 2024 | 4:24pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com
COYOTES PLAYERS TRYING TO BLOCK OUT RELOCATION CHATTER
Clayton Keller, forward
With speculation running wild this week over the potential of the Arizona Coyotes being sold to the Smith Entertainment Group and moving to Salt Lake City, there is a heavy cloud hovering above the heads of the staff and players in the Coyotes organization.
The Coyotes have three games remaining on their schedule, with their final game at home next Wednesday, April 17, against the Edmonton Oilers, who they face tonight. It is possible that is the last home game this version of the Coyotes play in the NHL.
As the noise and chatter gets louder and louder with each passing day, the Coyotes players are doing their best to keep the focus on hockey.
“We showed a lot of resiliency last game. Obviously, there was a lot going on and I thought we did a great job in keeping the noise out of the room,” said Coyotes star Clayton Keller.
“It was definitely in our heads. You can say it’s not a distraction sometimes, but obviously with just buddies, family, people are always texting you, putting it in your head. We’ve just tried to focus on hockey.
“Since I’ve played in Arizona, there’s always been a lot of rumours. We just do the best we can do focus on hockey.”
Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong is making his way to Edmonton ahead of tonight’s game and will speak with the team and address the relocation topic prior to puck drop.
As has been reported, the Coyotes could be sold through the NHL to SEG and Ryan Smith, who owns the NBA’s Utah Jazz. If that occurs, the team would move the Salt Lake City and play out of the Delta Center, which would require some upgrades and renovations ahead of the 2024-25 NHL season.
Current Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo is attempting to win an auction for a piece of land in North Phoenix on the border of Scottsdale. If successful, his plan is to move forward with a new arena and entertainment district for either the Coyotes or a new NHL franchise. But the earliest they would play in the NHL in that facility would be the 2027-28 season and spending the next three seasons in Mullett Arena, which holds just over 4,000 spectators, does not appear to be in the best business interest of the NHL and NHLPA.
“It’s a tough situation for everybody,” Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny told reporters today. “It’s a tough situation for the League, for our ownership, for everybody, because there’s rumours. We don’t know. I assume everybody has stuff they can say, stuff they cannot say. It’s not my job to comment on that; my job is just to make sure our team’s ready to play and fight for each other. The rest is out of my hands.”
Reports surfaced earlier today suggesting the NHL could make an announcement on April 18 about the sale of the Coyotes to SEG and subsequent relocation to Utah. The League has declined to comment on those reports when contacted by TFP.
If the Coyotes move to Utah and Meruelo wins the bid for the land and constructs a new arena, the NHL could see an expansion club in Phoenix for the 2027-28 or 2028-29 campaign, as TFP’s David Pagnotta reported earlier this week.
Still, amid all the news swirling around, the team is doing its best to keep their minds on their next game.
“We’re blocking everything out,” said Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse. “Obviously, we have three big games remaining for our group. A lot of guys are up for contracts, (there’s) a lot to play for. Team game; when the team does better, everyone does better, so that’s what we’re focused on.”