Arizona Coyotes could move to Salt Lake City for next season: report

The end could be nigh for the Arizona Coyotes.

According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, the NHL is considering moving the franchise to Salt Lake City, Utah, as soon as next season.

“The NHL is concurrently drafting two versions of a league schedule matrix for the 2024-25 season, one with the Arizona Coyotes and another with the Coyotes franchise playing in Salt Lake City in the event of relocation, multiple sources told Daily Faceoff,” Seravalli wrote in an article on Wednesday morning.

Seravalli adds that the NHL is considering both options, with current Arizona Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo “intimately involved in both,” with a possible announcement of relocation coming as soon as April 18, one day after the team’s season ends.

Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith formally asked the NHL to initiate the expansion process back in January, and would be the prospective most likely buyer of a team should Meruelo sell.

This week, Smith took to X to ask fans their suggestions of what they’d like the team name to be.

The Coyotes, who have played in three separate home rinks since moving to Arizona from Winnipeg in 1996, have faced ongoing challenges to remain in the state.

Though the franchise has continually approached various municipalities and arena sites, they remain in a temporary home at Arizona State University, playing out of the 4,600-seat Mullett Arena.

The Coyotes, who sit far out of a playoff spot, have just four games remaining on their schedule, all of which happen to come against Canadian opponents.

They take on the Vancouver Canucks tonight at Rogers Arena, before heading to Edmonton on Friday night and Calgary on Sunday. Their final home game of the season — and possibly ever — will take place against the Oilers, next Wednesday, April 17 at Mullett Arena.

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