New NHL team comes to Utah

The NHL Now crew discuss the NHL Board of Governors approving a franchise in Utah starting next season, where current Coyotes players will play, while the Arizona Coyotes franchise will go inactive with the right to reactivate if owner Alex Meruelo is able to build an arena.
Don't forget to subscribe! / @nhlnetwork
Twitter: / nhlnetwork
Facebook: / nhlnetwork
Instagram: / nhlnetwork

[@michaelhofer954]

Utah welcome to the nhl from winnipeg

[@samlittleton1491]

thank you we're ready for them! fully support them 11k in season ticket deposits within 4 hours. and weve been catching so much hate!

[@vskingkong]

Salt Lake Golden Eagles from the old IHL - still a great name

[@generalimlerith8356]

Utah congrats cheers from Calgary

[@Metal_4U2]

Ryan Smith played Jr. JAZZ basketball as a child. There will be grass roots programs for sure.

[@TheDuds33]

4 hours after they started accepting season ticket deposits....... 11k and counting. This is promising for Utah.

[@meddyven]

Yeah, 11k season tickets, ONLY available to Utah Jazz season seat holders. Smith is a charlatan!

[@TheDuds33]

@@meddyven how dare the owner of 1 team give early reservation access to the other team he owns! It's as if he actually likes his fans.

[@weeatpplproductions]

@@meddyven Better than that clown Alex Meruelo

[@Rookie_Mode2023]

​@@meddyvenumm no, I'm not a Jazz season ticket holder, but I was able to put down a deposit for seats...

[@michaelperkins739]

@@weeatpplproductions Alex came in late to a troubled franchise. So before you spout off, maybe get some facts first.

[@stk2mln887]

Not to mention Arizona is in the middle of the desert and in Utah you could go play hockey on any lake in the winter haha.

[@KHII]

Who cares if you can play the actual sport outside, never understood how that’s related to having a team, LA… Anaheim… Dallas… Miami…

[@nachoandsancho5218]

Where are the defending stanley cup champs from again?

[@weeatpplproductions]

The Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators played in the Winter Classic...in Dallas. So I mean...Not a desert but still not cold enough for lakes to freeze.

[@tdot4life786]

@@nachoandsancho5218who the cheaters?

[@neilallen507]

So is Vegas and they sell out every game and have a rabid fan base.

[@guyhetchler2246]

Utah Pioneers!! Welcome to the NHL from your friends up the road in Edmonton!!

[@AlfredReynolds-ps2sn]

I am a Utah'n and I am so excited... Hockey is the only sport that I can fan out for and consistently watch as an adult and has been since my Senior year of HighSchool. Football lost its glow years ago, randomly this year has Basketball been a decent pass time even though takes a hour to finish the final 60 seconds of a game and that makes me wanna pull my hair out. I am so happy to have a NHL team as a home team. If anywhere is worthy of the Yotes its here. We take our local teams seriously 'round deez parts and will not be another expansion "bandwagon" fanbase. Our ECHL team the Grizzlies have averaged an attendance at home this year just below 7k this season and they are 3 tiers of pro play below NHL. I feel for the Coyote fans, having their team stripped away because ownership has sat on their thumbs for to long. Let alone right when they are finally getting out of the rebuild stage with an impressive young lineup. If anywhere will treat the whole organization as they've deserved to be it will be here. I am so happy that they didnt go to Huston or Portland or across the border. They just jumped up a state to one of the most stereotyped and overlooked places there is and will have a great home here.

[@anishsingh7597]

Utah Yeti! Welcome to the league! Cheers from Edmonton!

[@michaelf.bender3718]

That's what I'm hoping the team name will be! I'm a VGK fan, but I'd buy some Utah Yeti gear.

[@CanadianBandito]

I was born and raised in Edmonton in the 80's and the Oilers will always be my #1 team, but I've now lived in SLC for over 15 years and im so happy to see Utah pick up a team! I may have a new 2nd favorite team. Too bad that its at the expense of the Coyotes fans though.

[@sjdrifter72]

What Coyotes fans? The Valley 's fanbase is mostly made up of transplants who still root for their own teams and always outnumbered the Yotes fans at games.

[@bretthardman4903]

They sold 6000 season tickets in the first two hours!!

[@steventomasi5557]

Wow it must be nice for the now former Coyotes to go somewhere that actually gives a fuck about them and not just when they're about to move

[@meddyven]

Who told you they already sold 6K season tickets??? I live in SLC, and there has been no mention of the team opening up that yet.

[@AK_Ray]

​@@meddyven lol what do you expect, moroni to announce it over the salt lake valley. Ryan Smith said so in multiple interviews and on X

[@meddyven]

@@AK_Ray I"ve heard nothing of the like, and even if it were true, no one knows about it. Every local media outlet should have the details, and not one does. Or is Smith just opening it up to his cronies?

[@bretthardman4903]

@@meddyven Reported on Channel 4 news.

[@MrLuridan]

Great having Kathryn back. Like seeing an old friend from the NESN days.

[@past-tense-of-draw]

The Utah Stormin' Mormons

[@TroyOttosen-jg7tt]

We here in Alaska lost our ECHL team that won two Kelly cups! Anchorage Aces! Sad!

[@Divedown_25]

A big congratulations to Salt Lake City...I hope that the players will be happy. The new owners and the city will make it happen. But what a disaster for Meruelo and Phoenix, how could they screw this up so bad after so many years.

[@howardcraigiv518]

Not just that Alex Meruelo would have to pay exactly what he just sold the team for to the NHL if he would be able to re activate the Arizona Coyotes if he could build a Arena in 5 years. I’d Love to see the NHL stay in Arizona but under new Ownership. Meruelo and his team have destroyed the Foundation of Hockey in Arizona. It will be a Challenge in Utah with less people living in that State but if anyone can do it, Ryan Smith is the Man to have in Control. He is being Handed a Heck of a Talented Team. Im looking forward to seeing what type of Core that Utah puts out on the Ice next Season.

[@armandoperez7967]

Technically the team is not new, it’s just rebranded.

[@user-jd2vz4my1w]

Utah Ultrasonics?

[@saintsabbathi]

So what happens if Arizona is able to get their shit together in the 5 years? They re-enter league as an expantion team and start from scratch?

[@MarloSoBalJr]

Yup. Arizona is b*tching & crying, yet they are given first dibs and... how many chances over the past 28 years? 😅

[@elosogonzalez8739]

LOVE HOCKEY IN ARIZONA. HATE ALEX MERUELO!!! THE WORST ABOUT HOCKEY IS MERUELO.

[@sethperry6616]

I hope that 5 years from now, Arizona gets a nice facility and the coyotes back and they feel like change was a positive one for them.

[@TroyOttosen-jg7tt]

Rupp, You played with our Alaskan Gomez! We longtime Alaskan’s still can’t believe how we lost our ECHL team!

[@tonywlaschin7842]

The NHL bent over backwards for the NHL in Arizona and it didn't work

[@Tampafan33]

NO THEWY DIDNT😂😂😂 the nhl let that owner do whatever the fuck he wanted. Stop trying to act like the nhl did something

[@sjdrifter72]

​@@Tampafan33Go ahead and live in denial but the fact is Gary Bettman is hellbent on the Coyotes remaining in Arizona and he helped nix a vote that would have allowed the Coyotes to return to Winnipeg in 2011.

[@tonywlaschin7842]

Arizona moved 3 times within the state, what a joke. Arizona does not deserve another team

[@MarloSoBalJr]

​@Tampafan33 Wrong. Arizona has had 6(?) different owners; 3 different arenas; 28 years since leaving Winnipeg... this Coyotes team has had so many chances

[@michaelperkins739]

It didn't work because of ownership, location in Glendale, management and leases that wrecked. They have plenty of fans.

[@levarashley5357]

I think they should be call Salt Lake City Coyotes

[@obey2dmax]

NHL tried to sell hockey to Arizona, especially in PHX, and still failed, so move on to the next Western State - Utah.

[@Tampafan33]

This shows how ignorant you are

[@ckstaff]

Does a new arena actually need to be built or just property secured, funding in place and shovel ready? 5 years is not very long to get all that done.

[@Carrollavirus]

The Utah state legislature has already approved $900 million for an arena plan. If they finalize everything soon, they could have a new arena within 3 years.

[@ckstaff]

@@Carrollavirus I am talking about Arizona and what is required for their owner to have done in 5 yrs to get first shot at expansion.

[@MarloSoBalJr]

​@ckstaff. The arena has to be built. Acquiring the land is just the tip of a long tedious process. Don't forget, SW states (AZ, CA, NV) are in a water crisis and have limitations on the use of water for nonessential things.

[@johnhancey2746]

attentend a game in PHX a few months ago 4500 seat arena was half full!! phx fans were not showing up.... just the facts...

[@seanx3999]

Portland Rosebuds was the first American team to be allowed to played for the Stanley Cup. Portland Rosebuds eventually became the Chicago Blackhawks.Portland has a rich hockey history between the Portland Rosebuds and The Portland Buckaroos but again Portland gets hosed by the NHL.

[@whitegd4100]

Thank you Arizona is done for the next few years

[@dashcan8479]

Welcome to the Utah Spazz

[@tylerdurden4006]

It's not a new team, it's an old team, they have been in phoenix for a while you know? Decades even.

[@teem2395]

Arizona are keeping the logo, team name etc for Coyotes.

[@gmotdot]

The league is keeping all the Arizona IP, they basically sold Utah an expansion team and traded them the hockey operations from the Coyotes. All the history (records, etc) stays with the Coyotes.

[@tylerdurden4006]

I love how americans think semantics make them smarter and other people wrong all the time, the name is not the team, the team is the management and players. Can you guess where the management and players are going? No? Weird...

[@morganknox6642]

Kinda hoped they'd keep Coyotes name

[@seanorr2003]

The own doesn't deserve a new team he sucks. They need to get new own to bring the team back.

[@HALberdier17]

Utah Elk, that is the state mammal of Utah.

[@vincesheedy9751]

What's their name? The Utah Rap?

[@James-ke5sy]

The Utah Beezz.

[@michaellewter8671]

Yeah there might not be a name when they start...it'll just be the Utah hockey club..WTH?

[@Tampafan33]

DOWN WITH UTAH!!!!

[@scottfaulkner6250]

Quebec City should have gotten the team.

[@charlesthompson8743]

The Utah Honey Badgers

[@georgeblangfordjr.1771]

I hope the Arizona Coyotes might comeback as a reboot version expansion team with new players

[@bethany_dawn5222]

And a new owner. Meruelo is a horrible owner. Not paying rent for the arena or hotel bills when the team traveled.

[@soxbearshwks8988]

@@bethany_dawn5222 EXACTLY

[@TheChronicFiend]

Quebec should had a team before the last 3 cities...

[@wil-zc2iv]

Outlaws operated in Utah. All gangs had a home base, a hideout. UTAH HIDEOUT. Or as a nickname for the arena should the team become UTAH OUTLAWS. A bandana mask under a cowboy hat. With coyote eyes in between.

[@corbindallasmultipass]

This will drive housing through the roof, beyond what it is now. They already said sales tax will go up. Traffic and crime will also go up, mark my words. This is not for Utah, this is for greed, period.

[@morganknox6642]

The Skating Mormons?

[@jackmakackov7077]

The NHL could absolutely still screw this up. Its not done until its all signed. This is the league that sold a team to a guy with $100,000 after all.......

[@mariaandmichael2680]

Should've have been Quebec!

[@jj204]

I don’t believe Quebec has a Ryan smith type.

[@Soundtracks92]

Already bought my season tickets to the Delta Center! LET’S GO UTAH! 😍

[@steventomasi5557]

Is it confirmed that they're going to go by Utah instead of Salt Lake City?

[@TheBlazersfan22]

Lucky! I am hoping they name the team utah raptors or utah dinos. Something dinosaur like. My next in case is the utah zions

[@michaelf.bender3718]

​@@steventomasi5557yes. The new owner made that clear.

[@meddyven]

You're probably a Jazz season ticket holder, and got a sneaky e-mail from Ryan Smith, whereas the rest of us were left hanging for hours. JOKE!!

[@johnferreira7419]

Oh by the way I forgot to give the Utah there new , how about the Utah wives 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 .

[@90sNickfan91]

The Utah Mormons

[@tedecker3792]

Should be called the Utah Raptors, named after the state dinosaur. Killer mascot!

[@Phillomania]

The team name should be the Utah Disco!!!

[@meddyven]

Smith conveniently only emailed Utah Jazz season ticket holders first. He gave the rest of us REAL hockey fans, the middle finger. The right way, would have been to make an announcement, across all media sources, announcing that season ticket sales would open in 48 hours. That way EVERYONE has the same opportunity. This was a classless move! No integrity!!!

[@taylorism5613]

Lol nice try. I found the link immediately and put down my deposit. Not Smith's fault you won't put in the slightest bit of effort.

[@meddyven]

@@taylorism5613 Because you're a preferred Jazz season ticket holder. People working in the middle of the day, just can't stop working, to biy season tickets. FYI i've been following this for 6 months, and was ready for the announcement, which was sneakily sent to Jazz cronies, ONLY, before it was releaaed to the tv stations, goofball. I 've been following the NHL for 52 years. Treating diehard- REAL - hockey fans like this is repulsive. One guy said he bought 4, and by the time I learned of it, over 12K had been sold. So don't tell me I'm lazy. Smith clearly wants his NBA cronies in the house, ONLY. DISCRIMINATION!!!

[@miguelbarrera8871]

@@meddyven no man you just don’t look around sucks for you but I’m not a season holder for the jazz and I already put a deposit in earlier

[@taylorism5613]

@meddyven Nope, not a Jazz ticket holder. Not a fan of basketball. I just googled "utah nhl team season tickets" and the link was right there. Took just a slight bit of effort.

[@MattandSmuggsMcGuireK9]

@@meddyven yep me 2 took literally 5 min don't give two fucks about the jazz got lower bowl ready to go..

[@meddyven]

What Smith did was preferential treatment, aka DISCRIMINATION!!!

[@invertedxxxi]

Waaaaahhhh waaaaaah. Cry some more.

[@oregonebikermark8953]

Toronto should have a second team.

[@marclamarre9898]

No - They can't even figure out how to make a single win anything! 💩

[@ofb-jq5lc]

If it ever did happen it would be more of a GTA team. Likely Vaughn area, that would serve Vaughn, Halton Region, Peel Region and perhaps Markham. Call them, Ontario Thunder, as an example. But Leaf, and Buffalo markets would prevent that from happening.

[@tdot4life786]

What a joke…. Wtf does that city know about hockey????lol I give it 10 yrs max and then it’s gonna be empty. They care more about having 10 wives in Utah not hockey???lol

[@kp4588]

More than Phoenix obviously.

[@MarloSoBalJr]

I guess that's why basketball has been there for 40+ years 👺

[@jerrydefrancesco9287]

The new owners should have had a name already picked out. It makes Utahans look like their a little backwards.

Arizona coyotes will return because both owners because neither do not have a arena for them that is NHL ready