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"Salt Lake sucks!" Coyotes fans bid emotional goodbye to NHL in Arizona

Adam Laskaris
Adam Laskaris
|
Apr 18 2024, 2:26 pm
"Salt Lake sucks!" Coyotes fans bid emotional goodbye to NHL in Arizona
Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

If you ever wanted to experience the full spectrum of emotions at a hockey game, it seems like the Arizona Coyotes’ final game at Mullett Arena was the place to be on Wednesday night.

With the Coyotes expected to officially announce their sale to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and a move to Salt Lake City for next season, the franchise bid farewell to a 27-year run in the desert.

While failed arena deals and off-ice drama were in the headlines more frequently than anything the team itself was doing, no one watching the team’s final game on Wednesday could deny the impact they’d made on the local population.

The Coyotes picked up the 5-2 win over the Oilers, but it’s likely the game will be much more remembered for everything that happened off the ice.

One couple decided they’d take their last chance to see their team play at Mullett Arena as a chance to get engaged:

The players themselves, particularly longtime Coyotes like Clayton Keller and Lawson Crouse, reportedly spent nearly an hour on the ice following the game to interact with fans.

The love for the players didn’t stop there either, with the team being sent off on their way out of the rink with a large crowd to greet them in the parking lot.

Meanwhile, longtime Coyotes broadcaster Todd Walsh went viral for his sendoff to the franchise.

But it wasn’t just the players and coaches saying goodbye, with team employees all hitting the ice for a photo session. With many of the team’s workers not likely to move to Utah, it could be their last hurrah working in the NHL.

Shane Doan, a former team captain who spent 19 years playing for the franchise, was also in attendance on the evening, with his son Josh now on the team. Doan’s retirement banner was reportedly left at their former home of Gila River Arena without the Coyotes ever going to pick it up, before Coyotes fan Matthew Jacobson was able to reunite Doan with the iconic piece of merchandise.

Lastly, there was maybe just a little bit of resentment from those in attendance for where their team is heading, with a “Salt Lake sucks” chant breaking out midway through the game.

An official announcement of the team’s relocation is expected as soon as today. The NHL has stated that Arizona could be the home of a future expansion franchise, with current Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo having five-year exclusive rights to put a team in the area.

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