Relocation of the Arizona Coyotes has been discussed ever since the team moved from Winnipeg to Phoenix. Even before they played one game there were people saying that hockey does not belong in the desert. Over the past couple of weeks the there has been a lot of buzz around the Coyotes moving to Salt Lake City. This is still unofficial. I have not seen anything except “reports” of what is going. With how quickly people jump on the Coyotes moving, people believe it to be true with little evidence. However no one in this case is refuting the claims of the team moving.
I suggested that the Arizona Coyotes move to Reno. Then the Grand Sierra Resort announced new plans for an arena. About seven months later, the Coyotes might be moving to Salt Lake City. What is rumored to happen is that the Arizona Coyotes will be sold to the NHL. The Utah Jazz owner will then buy the team from the NHL. The Coyotes ownership and the NHL would make money on the deal. The team would then move into the Delta Center where the Jazz currently play. The Utah NHL team would have to come up with new branding. They will not be allowed to be the Coyotes. The current Coyotes ownership will maintain ownership of the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL. The current Coyotes ownership will be given a window of time to get another team in Arizona. This would still have to be approved by the NHL board of governors. All of this is alleged. Nothing is official.
A lot is happening in a short period of time. The move to Salt Lake City will happen within a matter of months. This will be the second NHL team to relocate in my lifetime. I don’t remember much of the Atlanta Thrashers who moved to become the Winnipeg Jets in 2011. I was born during the Coyotes first season. The Coyotes left Winnipeg for Arizona almost in the same way. With only a matter of months before the next season. Like I have said before relocation should not be a thing. Utah should just get an expansion team. It would be better for everyone involved including both fanbases. I lived in Arizona for a few years as a kid. I was there during the Gretzky era. It is where I started learning how to ice skate. Everyone there at that time was a Coyotes fan. I was unable to go to any coyotes games while living there. My dad did have his college graduation on the ice at what is now Desert Diamond Arena. The Coyotes have seen a lot of turmoil as a franchise. I have always had a soft spot for them. I have always wanted them to be successful without them being my favorite NHL team. I would not be where I am as a hockey player and fan without the Coyotes. Tonight is their final game of the season against the Edmonton Oilers (another team I follow because they own the Bakersfield Condors). Tonights game could be the final Coyotes game ever.
How does this effect the new Grand Sierra Resort arena project? It shouldn’t. It might though. The Arizona Coyotes ownership owns the Grand Sierra Resort. Their continued efforts to build an arena in Arizona (now exclusively with their own funds) could impact the project here in Reno. I drive by the GSR on almost a daily basis. Outside of closing down one area of the property they have not started construction. The project here in Reno might be second now to a project in Arizona. There has been no statements that I am aware of that link the arena project in Reno to the arena project in Arizona. However with the Arizona Coyotes ownership paying out of pocket for both projects, they are definitely interlinked. As far as I know the GSR arena project is still moving forward but it could slow down or come to a halt depending on how the Arizona arena project proceeds.
What other teams will be effected? The Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL are the first team that this will effect. They are currently the top affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes. The current rumor is that they will remain in the AHL as the top affiliate of the Utah NHL team. The Utah AHL team could have a different AHL affiliate in the future. In that situation they may get another affiliate, become independent (like the Chicago Wolves) or drop down to the ECHL. The other rumor with the Roadrunners is that they might move to Mullet Arena for some or all of their home games. Mullet Arena is on the Arizona State University campus and is the current home of the Arizona Coyotes.
The second team that will be effected by the move is the Utah Grizzlies. They are the current hockey team in Salt Lake City. They currently play in the ECHL but have played in the IHL and AHL. If they stick around they would be the obvious ECHL affiliate choice for the Utah NHL team. They could replace the Tucson Roadrunners as the AHL affiliate of the Utah NHL team. In that case it would effect the Tucson Roadrunners, but also change the landscape of the ECHL having a huge impact on the Tahoe Knight Monsters, and Idaho Steelheads. The Utah Grizzlies may just fold too. The Utah NHL team may not want to be their affiliate, the Grizzlies may not want to compete with the NHL team, or the Utah NHL team may buy the Grizzlies name and branding. Any situation that sees the Grizzlies folding would again have a huge impact on the ECHL.
Zac Electrifly 
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