Parents of youth hockey players told 12News the Coyotes organization has a huge influence on the sport.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Coyotes will be out of state by the end of this week.
Owners have not yet confirmed the move to Salt Lake City, but fans are bracing for an announcement to be made soon.
“It's sad. It's really sad to lose a major sports team,” said Coyotes fan Derek Moore.
From Phoenix in 1996 to Glendale in 2003 to now Arizona State University's Mallett Arena, fans have followed the National Hockey League team through every local move.
“I joked with my husband and said I might have to move over there and follow them. I can't imagine not going to a hockey game,” said Coyotes fan Janae McCarthy. Told.
Long distance jumps were the writing on the wall for some fans.
“I feel like with the right ownership, with an arena, we could play hockey here,” Moore said.
Tempe voters rejected a proposal to build an arena in 2023, and there has been recent opposition to current development plans in North Phoenix.
“It's a tough pill to swallow and it's tough when a neighboring city says they don't want you here,” Coyotes fan Joseph Holmes said.
These fans have something in common. All of their kids started playing hockey after going to Coyotes games.
“Once he touched the ice, he came out with a big smile on his face and it was all hockey from then on,” Holmes said.
Parents agree that children who grow from Little Howlers to Junior Coyotes are hit the hardest.
“They're great guys, great, it was cool to be with the kids and for them to see it and respect it and have it so close,” McCarthy said.
Fans said their passion for the sport would never fade, but it was a loss they would not soon recover from.
“It's going to be a tough situation, and we're going to feel this for a while. I think the hockey community here is going to respond pretty harshly,” Holmes said.
Arizona's expected final game will be Wednesday night at Mallett Arena.
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