Ryan Smith On Bringing The NHL To Utah | 32 Thoughts

Join Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman as they chat with Ryan Smith, the NHL's newest team owner, about bringing NHL hockey to Salt Lake City, Utah. They discuss the process of acquiring the Coyotes and how hockey will fit into the Delta Center.
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This podcast was produced and mixed by Dominic Sramaty and hosted by Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman.
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Ryan Smith On Bringing the NHL to Utah 32 Thoughts NHL podcast,
#hockey #nhl #32thoughts

[@tonyc8752]

Ryan Smith has already done more interviews in a week than Murello did in all the years of his ownership.

[@Smart-Towel-RG-400]

yeah lol players were shocked when he asked what they need and he was like ok bet thats done ...players were like what no push back? we are getting what we need?youll see in 2-3 years players will want to go to this team even if they dont make the playoffs in that time ... players dont want to play for a owner like Alex Meruelo that will cut costs anywhere they can in the short term they save money but in the long term players dont wanna play so tv/ticket rev drop more then the cost cutting u did

[@danderson7a]

Great interview. Coming from Minnesotan welcome to the hockey community Utah. I feel this will be a great improvement in the Arizona franchise. Ryan and his wife definitely give great vibes!

[@SmokingGiraffe]

Ryan Smith is what the NHL needed!!

[@datooch]

Jeff and Elliot I thank you for this podcast. I live in upstate NY. Your voices and this sport are helping me through a really tough time with PTSD right now.

[@mikelawlor1533]

he is amazing, to do all these interviews

[@manfrommontreal]

Dude Bro has a team and he will definitely do a better job than the last 28 years in the desert!

[@BlackIjs]

In the old Montreal Forum, if you were behind the nets, way way up, you could not see past the centre line, you could only see one half of the ice! When you were on either side (blueline to blueline) you could only see up to the far boards. The centre roof came down kind of like a V so you could not see fans on the other side of the ice (but at least you got to see the whole ice surface). Weird construction.

[@Gr1zzz92]

The names gotta be outlaws Just imagine black bronze and dark red jerseys Ecstasy of gold skate out song Train horn for goal horn (Utah’s history connecting the Union Pacific) Fans called the wild bunch, butch Cassidy’s gangs name (Utah outlaw)

[@greencontroller9692]

Sounds terrible

[@jnoert]

This was great. Thank you!

[@CheatoBurito]

Great podcast as always guys!

[@mikeruxpin2829]

Great to have this guy in the Nhl

[@pagejames8754]

10:00 please don't incorporate the Jazz colors, logo, or anything. Let this team be its own thing

[@rynbvrs]

The colors would be great. The NHL could really use more varied color schemes. Other than that, they shouldn't have anything to do with the Jazz.

[@jacobwagner8984]

@@rynbvrs the current jazz colors are black and yellow.... thats not varied at all in the NHL

[@mph650]

Love the old school John Stockton Jazz jersey colors. There are a few variations.

[@moocat11]

Utah Yedi is perfect . Are you ready for the Yedi?

[@segasys1339]

Utah Stockton

[@dnuck318]

Should be the Utah Yeti's!! Hopefully the renderings for the new Delta Center will be awesome. And my love of hockey grew when I was a kid playing roller hockey in Utah. I tried Ice skating a couple of times I wasn't very good at it.

[@jimejohns2191]

I agree with being a new fan getting to know the new olayers, the history of teams. I also say the name should be: UTAH UNION 🚂 (based on the union Pacific railroad, burnt yellow, red & dark gray colors)

[@mrquirky3626]

Regarding the Coyote records they discussed, what happened when the Atlanta Flames moved to Calgary? Do the Calgary Flames still refer to scoring records of previous Atlanta players or did they reset the team records and restart the franchise from scratch?

[@rynbvrs]

I THINK that the records move with the franchise. I'm an Avs fan and everything to do with Avs is connected to the Nordiques. Everything is referred to as franchise records that go back to Nordiques inception. It SHOULD be that way here.

[@visionquest520]

Congratulations Utah on getting a team, sorry arizona for losing yours. This might be the best of both worlds, not exactly a new team and not exactly a relocation. The yotes have a decent forward core might need help on defense . The Stanley cup is the best trophy in sports period and I wish utah the best of luck getting it. I think SLC is gonna love pro hockey the speed, physicality and skill is unreal.

[@Soundtracks92]

I agree, take your time with the naming and get it right. I don’t want it to end up being a dumb name. Like YETI for example

[@Smart-Towel-RG-400]

call the team the Meruelos lol

[@genoesposito2895]

Utah Outlaws - with purple Jerseys

[@jordanshuriken]

I think Red, Black, and Silver would be a fun color scheme for the Outlaws.

[@MrGertus12]

*Yeti

[@ronclifford3531]

I LIKE 5 TEAM NAMES ,-GOLDEN EAGLES, OUTLAWS, BARRACUDAS, BOBCATS, and- CONDORS, ...!

[@greencontroller9692]

why Barracudas?

[@sbespn3820]

Utah Yetis, or Blizzard

[@Dnt461]

No to blizzard

[@keatonroney9521]

Don't do another blue snow team! Do a yellow hive team or a desert color team

[@wizzerwiser2056]

Anything is better than Mullet Arena

[@patj87]

Maybe shouldn't have asked him to handicap betting odds he has a say over...

[@peterjeffery8495]

The "Utah Trekkers" ?

[@mph650]

Utah Rock Utah Air Utah Trappers Utah Fur

[@greencontroller9692]

Utah Apex

[@tyler8901]

Goaltending for avs needs to change but don't count them out

[@mercywilliams2698]

No one talks about the culture of SLC..will be interesting from my perspective with a childhood best friend whose family moved from SLC to Vermont. Culture shock I could not recognize as a kid but was exposed to when my friend was moved back to SlC a few years later so her architect father could build the next big ski area there. She is now 67 and resettled in Vermont. It’s a challenge I observed with her..a sort of Bohemian nature her family but rear 8:41 ed with LDS mindset. And her last name Smith and collateral descendant of Joseph. She liked the family dynamic of this culture but the myopic insistence on a specific life orientation it does make me wonder what happens to the sport here. Drinking rules for instance. Will be fascinating and I am guessing most will sidestep the sort of confusing social dynamic I have known with my friend of 57 years. Her ex husband did help advance the Utah Film Festival…eventually became Sundance. So all things said…Utah will bring something unique to NHL. I watched a Golden Eagles game in SLC in 1974 enroute to a ski vacation.

[@grenadespoon]

2024 Utah is not the Utah of decades prior

[@mercywilliams2698]

@@grenadespoon Good to hear! I sure got an earful over the years from this longtime friend. She did raise her kids there and liked the community sense of things..but since her kids are now young adults and have moved to Vermont. As an interesting aside I have a memoir written by my great great grandfather about his young years as an Episcopal missionary in the Utah Montana Idaho territories. His diplomatic way of living amongst the young Mormon religion (1860’s) was admired when he left to become Bishop in Missouri. My brother visited the church in SLC where I believe there is a statue in his memory. I would have to say having worked in ice hockey before retiring due to health issues…fascinating to have this NHL team in Utah. Of course I wish the organization nothing but the best.

[@jacobwagner8984]

Utah of the past 5 years is WAY different from Utah of old. The stereotypes are from Utah of old. There is still a very niche culture here coming from a transplant from Texas about 3 years ago. I am not LDS either, and haven't had any pressure to join the church save some joking invites from co-workers. Hockey will work in Utah. The valley is ravenous for another major sports franchise. Hockey is a fun sport to watch, and I think people will come to love it. I hope and expect to see more youth hockey in the state because of it. Fans will show up.

[@mercywilliams2698]

@@jacobwagner8984 All good! 🏞️🏒🛣️✅

[@stevehirzel6871]

Non-LDS moved to Utah 30 years ago. Have lived all over the country. This was , and is, the best place by far ive ever lived. I started out in Utah living in a town of 900. Great people, no problems at all. People that ive seen move here and have problems inevitably tell me that they had problems the last place they lived too. Pretty much a truism for anywhere Ive lived.

[@benyang2427]

Great interview...but this isn't "32 Thoughts." Just merely....an interview

[@natemady1584]

Draft is rigged, Utah is on the clock with #1 pick.

[@Metal_4U2]

Hope you are right

[@BrotherFinn882]

Utah Yeti

[@pagejames8754]

Hate it. Don't understand the attraction other than alliteration. Has nothing to do with Utah

[@jungmane1353]

​@pagejames8754 thank god someone said it. The yeti is such a tacky name

[@mrquirky3626]

@@pagejames8754 Seattle doesn't have sea monsters but their Kraken name at least plays up their water access and their harbour. Utah does have a lot of mountains, it's not just desert land like we see in so many Westerns, so naming the team after something that is associated with mountain regions isn't that much of a shock.

[@adamsteele6148]

His attention will be divided you watch

[@Smart-Towel-RG-400]

hes the owner not going be the gm of both teams lots of ownership groups have nhl/nba teams its fine

[@Dnt461]

DO NOT name them the blizzard…that is so stupid!

[@truenorthben]

Utah Lakers

[@dwightbrown]

33 Thoughts? (Inactive franchise)

[@Smart-Towel-RG-400]

32 thoughts and 1 lost memory

[@LargeOhioSon]

I don't know how you listen to these platitudes from a tech ceo and dont recognize them as such. I know they want to play nice early but this doesn't come off like he loves hockey, or wants to expand the game or any of that. It comes off like he got an asset with a bunch of conditions he needs to fulfill so that he profits off of his real estate gamble. I think he thought he'd have longer to figure this stuff out. I think Gary did an extremely funny hot potato move bc he tired of Meruelo and Smith calling him out publicly.Gary basically went "You want it so bad? Ok here you go." Why not ask him about his govt and LDS connections that jammed two 90M bills for tax payer funded arenas? Why not ask him why he talks more about Utah "showing up" and not about crafting a contender? Why not ask why he felt the need to offer the season to be free to view for utah residences? Why not ask him what he learned for his last rebranding attempt with the Jazz? Im sorry to be sceptical but when a 40 yro tech CEO with a backwards snapback keeps on talking about how "we're a family here" like im not taking that at face value.

[@oiler62]

Totally agree. He wants a baseball team too. Anything and everything to expand his portfolio. Most sports owners aren't even real fans, just look at A's owner John Fisher. Never at A's games. He got his Vegas handout now.

[@ckstaff]

I think he realized his new branding campaign with the Jazz probably didn't quite work as he planned, and is probably thinking he does not want to make the same errors and taking a step back to get this one right, or at least a big improvement. I have to disagree yet kind of agree on the tax subsidy. Both areas of Salt Lake badly needed renovation and tax increases were inevitable anyway and would cost taxpayers far more than 900 million in both areas if they had to renovate the areas some how, especially the area of the MLB stadium which has literally become and looks like an abandoned dilapidated ghost town. Giving both areas 900 mil each to fix what is the city and state problems in those areas is a bargain. I do agree with you on one thing for sure. At some point you have to win and spend money for players and contend or all the sudden that family goes home. Salt Lake like any place won't support losers.

[@LargeOhioSon]

@@oiler62 I will point out you notice how they want ever league but the NFL. Probably bc the NFL only plays on Sundays. But seriously one of his first moves when he got the Jazz was to move on from Mitchell. There is a real argument that Mitchell wasn't the guy but we also haven't seen a lot of spending since. Like time will tell but will be spend money on his new team? Or will he try to keep his overhead low. He's going to get a honeymoon of profits for 3 yrs but when Cooley asks for what he's worth is he getting traded like Mitchell?

[@ckstaff]

@@oiler62 No. Smith is not apart of the Salt Lake MLB group. Totally different group.

[@oiler62]

@@ckstaff the Miller group, my bad. I lived in SLC mid 80s, in California now.

[@mph650]

Utah Trappers

[@jamesadiletta]

I believe in Utah hockey and think the team will do well, but I gotta be honest I was not impressed with this guy at all. Grateful he’s made himself available to the media but I don’t believe there was anything substantial being said other than pure idealism.

[@user-cq4hc3gq6p]

Still don't like NHL expansion the way the NHL does it.

[@retroblue69696]

what joke of a league, they would rather go in the middle of nowhere then come back to qc smh

[@cbkra098]

Hope the mormons enjoy subsidizing a billionaire. Im sure it wont be a waste of taxes. Then again there's really not much else to do in Utah.

[@kirkdooley8190]

The name should be The Pioneers (a homage to the original Mormon founders). The other names suggested are minor-league baseball names, or MLS/Euro names (Utah HC?). Also, starting with a hockey rink in a building built for basketball is what got the Coyotes down the rabbit hole in the first place. It would work in the beginning, but not for more that a few years until the new arena is built.

[@pagejames8754]

No religious names. You'll alienate a lot of people. Plus Utah isn't even majority Mormon anymore

[@grenadespoon]

The University of Denver disagrees

[@mph650]

Yeti with no s

[@pagejames8754]

Hate the Yeti(s) name, don't understand why everyone likes it. Has nothing to do with Utah

[@mph650]

@@pagejames8754 I’m not a huge fan of it..but if they’re going to go with it then no S

[@Zac15]

18:18 I wish he wouldn't assume that. Take all the history and carry it on. Call the team the Utah Yotes and continue using a coyote and all that. They aren't (and probably shouldn't be) coming back.

[@pagejames8754]

Can't. The AZ owner retains the name.

[@cyan5161]

Meruelo still owns the Coyotes branding so they couldn't use it even if they wanted to anyways.

[@tomservo9254]

Part of the arrangement was that Muerelo keeps the historical records of the franchise. No, The Hockey Guy couldn't make sense of how that's supposed to work either.

[@Zac15]

@@tomservo9254 Right no wonder Ryan Smith himself doesn't quite seem sure about what exactly he bought. Also makes the question I time stamped moot. What a weird setup

[@tomservo9254]

@@Zac15 Smith has been pretty forthright about his initial intention for this to have been done via expansion, I think he's fine treating the team like it's a blank slate. It's what happens if Phoenix theoretically returns that everybody is a bit clueless about.

[@BrokTheLoneWolf]

Super Soakers!

[@pagejames8754]

Wow you're so original and funny, a mormon "joke" 🙄

[@stephenphillips6245]

The Utah Magic Underwears...LoL

[@pagejames8754]

Wow you're so original and funny, a mormon "joke" 🙄