Zac Electrifly

The Tucson Roadrunners plan to relocate to Mullett Arena. Mullett Arena being on the campus of Arizona State University where the Arizona Coyotes played their final seasons. The Roadrunners have not made a statement on the relocation yet. The owner is the one saying he is relocating the team. There was discussion of a hybrid where the Roadrunners would play games at both arenas. After the comments made by the team owner it is unlikely that it will be a hybrid. The Tucson Roadrunners will likely remain the affiliate of the Utah NHL team for the 2024-25 season. It is unclear at this point if the Roadrunners will keep the name Tucson Roadrunners or change the name to Arizona Roadrunners or Phoenix Roadrunners. It is disappointing that Tucson will lose their AHL team as a result of Arizona losing their NHL team. If the Coyotes return in the future, the Roadrunners may return to Tucson. I do not know how the owner feels about the Tucson. There was already rumors of the team relocating floating around after the 2021-22 season.

The future of the team beyond next season is uncertain. It all depends on what the Utah NHL team and other NHL teams want to do. If the Utah NHL team wants a different primary affiliate, the Roadrunners will have a few options. Their first option is to find another NHL affiliate. Their second option is to become independent in the AHL. The Chicago Wolves are the only team currently independent in the AHL. I do not think the AHL will approve the Roadrunners to play as an independent team. Their last option would be to become an ECHL team. If all of that falls apart there will be no more professional hockey in Arizona. If it were up to me Phoenix (Footprint Center, Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Global Credit Union Arena), Tucson (Tucson Convention Center), Tempe (Mullett Arena), Glendale (Desert Diamond Arena),  Prescott Valley (Findlay Toyota Center), Fort Mohave (Mojave Crossing Event Center), and Eagar (Round Valley Ensphere) would all have professional ice hockey. Arizona can support an NHL, AHL, and ECHL team. I think the best way to grow ice hockey in Arizona right now is to have the Roadrunners play at Mullet Arena or somewhere else in the Phoenix arena. Then to add ECHL teams in Tucson, Prescott Valley, and Glendale. Arizona also has a large enough population with enough cities and town that it could have its own semiprofessional or amateur league.

The other professional hockey team effected by the Arizona Coyotes move to Utah is the Utah Grizzlies. The Grizzlies did release a statement welcoming the NHL to Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City is a big sports market. I think they can handle having an ECHL and NHL team in the same city. They already have minor league and major league teams for both soccer and basketball in the same city. unfortunately for the Tucson Roadrunners and the ECHL, the Utah Grizzlies would make a perfect fit as the Utah NHL teams AHL affiliate. That would be a return to the AHL for the Grizzlies. They were the Phoenix Coyotes and Dallas Stars affiliate in the AHL. From 1984 to 2005 Salt Lake City had an IHL or AHL team. The Utah Grizzlies and Salt Lake City Golden Eagles played in the same leagues and the first and second iterations of the Phoenix Roadrunners. If the Utah Grizzlies move up to the AHL, it would put more financial pressure on the Tahoe Knight Monsters, Idaho Steelheads, and the rest of the ECHL. Having a team in Utah would a good fir for the AHL as they already have teams in California, Arizona, Nevada and Colorado. The reason it would be a great fit is that an affiliation between the Utah NHL team and the Utah Grizzlies would unite professional hockey in Utah.