Oilers could be the last team to ever play against Arizona Coyotes

The Edmonton Oilers could wind up making NHL history by being the last team to ever play against the Arizona Coyotes.

New reports this morning have indicated that the NHL is in advanced talks with Ryan Smith, the owner of the NBA’s Utah Jazz, to relocate the team to Salt Lake City as soon as next season.

If this comes to fruition it would end a decade-long saga that included multiple ownership groups, flailing attendance, and an inability to get a proper NHL arena built for the Coyotes. It would also mean that the team has just one more home game left in front of their fans.

That game, which happens to be against the Oilers on April 17, could be the last game the Coyotes play.

NHL.com

While the move, if it does indeed come to fruition, is not expected to be announced until after the Coyotes’ season ends, you can expect that game against the Oilers to be an emotional one for the team’s fans, as they could be saying goodbye to a franchise that has called Arizona home since 1996.

Coincidentally, it could mirror the scene of the last game in franchise history for the original Winnipeg Jets, as fans honoured the team before they flew south to become the Coyotes.

If the Coyotes do indeed move to Utah, the Oilers will have played a total of 104 games against the team throughout their history (not including their origins in Winnipeg). Through 102 games so far, the Oilers hold an all-time record of 53-31-15 with three ties between the two teams.

There has never been a playoff series between the Oilers and Coyotes.

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