The Arizona Coyotes were a professional hockey franchise that ultimately left the desert behind.
In short: For nearly three decades, the Arizona Coyotes navigated a turbulent history of ownership changes, financial instability, and arena struggles. From their origins as the Winnipeg Jets to their final years in a college rink, the franchise’s journey through the NHL ended in 2024 with a complete relocation to Utah.
The franchise began in 1972 as the Winnipeg Jets, a founding member of the World Hockey Association. They gained immediate fame by signing superstar Bobby Hull, which forced NHL teams to increase player salaries to prevent talent poaching. After winning three WHA titles in 1976, 1978, and 1979, the team joined the NHL. However, the small-market club struggled financially, leading to their 1996 relocation to Phoenix, where they were rebranded as the Phoenix Coyotes.
In Arizona, the team faced persistent challenges, including multiple ownership shifts and a failure to secure a permanent, profitable home arena. The NHL even took control of the franchise in 2009 after the team filed for bankruptcy. Despite these hurdles, the team experienced flashes of success, such as winning 50 games in the 2009–10 season and capturing their first division title in 2011–12. In 2014, the team was renamed the Arizona Coyotes to appeal to a broader state audience.
The final chapter began when the team moved to Mullett Arena at Arizona State University in 2022, a venue considered too small for long-term NHL use. Following failed attempts to build a new arena in Tempe, the NHL brokered a 2024 deal to transfer the franchise’s hockey assets to a new ownership group in Salt Lake City, forming the Utah Hockey Club. The Arizona franchise was initially classified as inactive under owner Alex Meruelo, who later relinquished all rights to the team’s name and history to the league.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Arizona Coyotes | Moving, Utah Hockey Club, History, & Notable Players | Britannica
- Also: Arizona Coyotes
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