Report: The Arizona Coyotes are relocating
A bombshell report from ESPN and Frank Seravalli.
HockeyFeed
It looks as though there's a major update to our story that was released earlier this afternoon.
Right now, it appears as though the Arizona Coyotes, a team that has often found itself in a state of uncertainty since its inception, are on the verge of significant change. Playing in a 4,600-seat college rink where they aren't even the primary tenants, the Coyotes appear poised to relocate to Salt Lake City as early as next season.
Seravalli released the following update on his social media account just minutes ago:
"Sources say #Yotes players have been informed that something of a "verbal" agreement is in place to relocate to Salt Lake City, but we've received pushback on that characterization of talks. Nonetheless, this is well down the track. Let's see what happens next."
Additionally, ESPN has picked up the story:
An excerpt from the piece:
"The NHL is preparing a contingency that could relocate the Arizona Coyotes to Utah as soon as next season, sources told ESPN. Even though the NHL remains convinced a franchise should be in Arizona, the league is skeptical about the Coyotes' newest plan to build an arena in Phoenix, which involved Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo's bid to win a land auction in June.
The NHL has prepared a backup option that would sell the team to Ryan and Ashley Smith, owners of the NBA's Utah Jazz, in a relocation move to Salt Lake City, multiple sources said.
That shadow plan includes the NHL preparing two schedules for next season: one involving the Coyotes in Arizona and another for the team in Utah, as Daily Faceoff first reported Wednesday.
An announcement on relocation could come as soon as this month, sources told ESPN."
Folks, it looks as though we'd better get used to the possibility of a National Hockey League team in the state of Utah.
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