Like most of the Arizona Coyotes' history, the final days of the franchise were full of turmoil but gave the team a second chance, this time as the Utah Hockey Club.
Rumors of the team relocating to Utah began circulating during the final week of the regular season, but behind the scenes, the cloud of relocation had been hanging over the team for months. While the league's 31 other teams were able to focus on simply playing hockey, the Coyotes had to deal with the anxiety of not knowing where they would play and whether they would have to relocate their families.
But the storm has passed, and the new Utah Hockey Club members, who acquired the Coyotes' hockey assets including players, coaches and draft picks, are in a better position thanks to it.
“We had some great moments. When we came out there it was really special,” Utah defenseman Sean Darge told KSL Sports. “We were playing exciting offensive hockey… We beat a really good team and our team was a favorite down the stretch.”
“The question is, can we continue to do this consistently? The players know all the challenges and setbacks we went through last year away from hockey. It's really bonded us together and we're all really excited to finally be able to play hockey.”
For a team dealing with all of this, the Coyotes had a solid fight to close out the season. They won five of their final seven games, including two wins over the Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers. Darge also scored the final goal in Coyotes history, an empty-net goal to seal a 5-2 win over the Oilers at Mallet Arena.
Now that Darge is secure in Utah — he signed a four-year, $24 million contract extension last week — his teammates will be looking to continue their strong form throughout this season, not just for themselves but for the good of a newly enthusiastic fan base.
“I've said it many times and I will continue to say it,” Darge said. “The excitement from the Utah fans is off the charts. It's clear to see that this is a place where you want your team, you love your team and you want the best for your team. That's all you can ask for as a player.”
“When you have passionate fans who are with you through the tough times, you enjoy the good times even more. I know the whole team feels the same way. The fans are so excited, and we want to win for them.”
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