Coyotes Owner Reportedly Intends To Build Arena In Phoenix For Possible New Franchise

It sure looks like the Arizona Coyotes will play their final game next week before they move north to Salt Lake City. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported that the players had been informed of the pending move. According to Friedman, players, and team personnel could head to Utah to get a lay of the land and check out facilities as soon as Wednesday night after the ‘Yotes’ season finale against the Edmonton Oilers.

It looks like Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo will sell the Coyotes to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith, but a report from Sportico claims that part of that deal involves Meruelo retaining the rights to the Coyotes' name, logos (including that sweet, sweet, Kachina logo), and trademarks. Murelo will also retain ownership of the Tuscon Roadrunners, the Coyotes' AHL affiliate.

According to reports, there's a scenario in which the Arizona Coyotes return, if current owner Alex Meruelo manages to get a new arena built. (Photo by Derek Cain/Getty Images)

This means the team would have a brand new identity when it hits the ice in Utah (the franchise's third since it started as the original Winnipeg Jets). Additionally, Mureulo reportedly plans to go ahead with buying land at a public auction to build a new, NHL-ready arena.

Sportico cites an "NHL source" that claims Murelo is selling the team for $1.2 billion. $200 million will go to the NHL for brokering the deal. Furthermore, the source said that the league has given Muruelo five years to get the arena built and try to get an expansion franchise. 

If that happens, Mureulo can give the league the $1 billion he made selling the current Coyotes to the NHL, which would in turn grant him a new Coyotes franchise.

Is that a little confusing? Yes, but it means the door is open for a Coyotes' return. Additionally, if what Sportico's source claims is correct, this would be a way for the NHL to punt on the Phoenix market for a couple of years to see how the arena plays out. If the new barn comes to fruition, awesome, they go back.

If not, no worries.

This is all a real bummer for Coyotes fans, but maybe there's a chance a version of the team will come back someday.

The Coyotes have spent the last two seasons playing at Arizona State's Mulett Arena. That's a great facility for college hockey, but considering it doesn't even hold 5,000 people and the Coyotes had to use locker rooms outside the main building that cost the team $30 million, spending another three years there while they wait on a new arena in Phoenix was not an option the NHL would've been particularly pleased with.