(Image via espn.com)

Sports Editor: Tom Dunford

Email: tdunford@umassd.edu

Well, it was a long time coming, but the Arizona Coyotes have officially been put out of their ongoing misery.

After years of speculation and debate, the Coyotes have finally cleaned house, packed their bags, and are heading to Utah. It was a long time coming, and with how their final years played out in Arizona, it’s a wonder how much effort went into preserving this mediocre fossil. 

The previous eight years or so have been abysmal for the Coyotes, so without further ado, let’s dive into what exactly happened.

The Yotes Howl for a Home

After being evicted from Footprint Center in Glendale in 2016 for “tax-related purposes,” the Coyotes found themselves homeless. Luckily, a savior stepped in and offered a helping hand, and the Coyotes were sent to play in the treacherous Arizona State University hockey arena for the 2022-2023 season. 

To put in perspective how absolutely embarrassing it is for a professional team to play in a college arena, let’s put it like this: the New York Rangers play in the notorious Madison Square Garden, where the average seating capacity is 18,200 people. Arizona State University has a capacity of less than 5,000. 

The team didn’t even have a name for the arena; they called it Mullet Arena. But alas, this would only be a mere fracturing end to justify the means for the Coyotes front office, who planned to build a massive arena in Tempe, and the front office knew that the citizens of Tempe would love them.

Tempe Votes No

On May 16th, 2023, the Coyote’s inconceivable expectations were hit with a reality check. 

The citizens of Tempe voted against building a new arena. It doesn’t matter what reason they had for voting against this; the fact is that they denied the Coyotes any access or power. This was the only plan NHL executives and stockholders had, and pressure began to rise for the Coyotes owner and front office.

What was supposed to be a one-year gimmick of playing at ASU would become a long-term solution, as the team was once again left without a proper home. From managers to owners to fans, the Arizona Coyotes began to lose respect and dignity in the hockey community. 

With no real hope left, the only thing the Coyotes could do was pander. But that would all change on April 4th, 2024.

Money Talks

The Arizona Coyotes have lost ten million dollars in profit since their first game in ASU, and there seems to be no real reason why they would begin to turn the tide anytime soon. With no actual structure, draft capital, or plan for the future involving the team and ownership, it felt like the Coyotes were a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. 

Utah had pleaded for a hockey team before losing out to an organization bidding for a team in Seattle back in 2021. With a new opportunity arising in Arizona, Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith took to social media to hint at the possibilities of a new NHL franchise.

The Coyotes had no home, and with the NHL failing to make a profit, passing down a one-billion-dollar offer for a franchise would be catastrophic in the business world. 

As fans of Arizona pleaded and even stated the slogan #Hockeybelongsinthedesert, it became a matter of time before the Coyotes were put to rest.