TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Mallett Arena was as buzzing as it has been for the few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved on, as fans clamored for one last desert hurrah.
For 60 minutes, they got one last chance to watch the team they grew to love before the franchise because they know the franchise is no more.
The coyotes are Moving to Salt Lake City The deal could be signed within 24 hours of Wednesday night's 5-2 win over Edmonton. Maybe he'll see a hockey comeback in five years, but the harsh reality is that this is it for the foreseeable future.
“I'm sad and upset,” said Ryan Travis, a Coyotes season ticket holder since 2001. I can't believe it would end like this. ”
Coyotes fans dreaded this moment and hoped it would never happen.
They remained loyal despite many changes in ownership. He followed the team to three different arenas. They ignored the near-constant rumors of relocation.
Reality hit this week.
A new owner will be born. Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith expected to purchase franchise He could be acquired through the NHL in a $1.2 billion deal from current owner Alex Meruelo as early as Thursday.
The team is on the move. Once the deal is signed and approved by the NHL Board of Governors, hockey operations for the franchise will be handed over to Smith, who plans to move the team to Salt Lake City.
Ultimately, new arenas may emerge. Meruelo wanted land in north Phoenix to build it on. When delays postponed the land auction until June, the NHL and players' association were indifferent to continuing play at Mallett Arena, a raucous but bandbox-sized venue shared with Arizona State University.
Meruelo has been adamant not to sell the team despite continued offers since he bought it in 2019, but players in a 5,000-seat arena (by far the smallest in the NHL) that is not up to league standards. He also didn't want him to continue playing.
With no guarantee of an arena and no other options, Meruelo agreed to sell the franchise.
Note: Arizona State will get an expansion team if a new arena is built within the next five years.
Perhaps there is a small light at the end of a very long tunnel, but there is much more darkness than hope.
“It's been a tough 20-25 years, not knowing where this was going to be,” said Coyotes rookie Josh Doan, who grew up in the Valley while his father, Shane, was the Coyotes' longtime captain. “It’s one of those moments where you want to get them off on the right foot and give them a win tonight.”
The Coyotes gave their fans just that in their win over the Oilers.
As the players celebrated, hockey staff also poured onto the ice to participate in the celebration and team photo. Several players threw their sticks through the glass at the fans, and everyone hugged as the fans began chants of “We love you, Kooites!”
“This morning was a little different,” Coyotes forward Clayton Keller said. “Even after the first few shifts, it felt weird. It was a little tough to be last, but I was able to settle in and go from there.”
It will be a painful farewell for fans.
They bounced back in 2012 when the Coyotes unexpectedly made it to the Western Conference Finals, but outside of a trip to the NHL's 2020 postseason bubble, the desert has been dry.
The Coyotes appear to be heading back in the right direction thanks to moves by general manager Bill Armstrong. He blew up the team, trading away veterans for a ton of draft picks and becoming the core of a young, talented team.
The move will allow Coyotes fans to watch the rebuilding progress from afar instead of in their own backyards.
“I hope hockey comes back,” Travis said. “Hockey belongs to the desert. Youth hockey is thriving right now, so I hope this is just a pause and not the actual end.”
Pause or no, Coyotes fans greeted the final game in Mullet with a big party, even if it was just a wake.
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This article has been updated to correct that the Coyotes moved to Mallett Arena two years ago, not three.
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