NHL Goes to Utah; Arizona Coyotes Now ‘Inactive Franchise’

The NHL is officially in Utah after the Board of Governors approved the sale and relocation of the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.

The Coyotes played their final game in Arizona on Wednesday night.

Or did they?

The NHL considers the Coyotes as an inactive franchise, “with a right to reactivate if owner Alex Meruelo has fully constructed a new, state-of-the-art facility appropriate for an NHL team within five years.”

The new NHL team, which will be based in Salt Lake City, will have Utah in its name.

Of course, it’s not really a new NHL team in Utah.

Utah’s new owners — Ashley and Ryan Smith — get everything the Coyotes’ have save for the name and the AHL team currently based in Tucson. Arizona’s players are reportedly going to visit their new home next week.

“As everyone knows, Utah is a vibrant and thriving state, and we are thrilled to be a part of it,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.

“The NHL’s belief in Arizona has never wavered. We thank Alex Meruelo for his commitment to the franchise and Arizona, and we fully support his ongoing efforts to secure a new home in the desert for the Coyotes. We also want to acknowledge the loyal hockey fans of Arizona, who have supported their team with dedication for nearly three decades while growing the game.”

Ryan Smith, who also owns the NBA’s Jazz and the city’s MLS team, tweeted out Thursday night that the NHL team in Utah had secured over 11,000 season-ticket deposits.

The Utah Grizzlies (why not?) will play for the time being at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.