NHL Rumors: A Fork in the Road for the Arizona Coyotes

The NHL and Arizona Coyotes ownership prefers they win the land auction and build an arena, but what if they don't win?

Mar 16, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona Coyotes goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) celebrates with Arizona Coyotes center Liam O'Brien (38) after defeating the New Jersey Devils at Mullett Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Relocation would be on the table for the Arizona Coyotes if they lose the land auction

Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on Saturday Headlines on the Arizona Coyotes arena situation. If the Coyotes don’t win the land auction, what is next for the organization?

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Ron McLean: “So we did some reporting on Atlanta back in the picture. How about Arizona Coyotes situation?

Friedman: “Okay, well, Ryan spent a lot of time looking into this this week and we’ve reached a fork in the road for the Arizona Coyotes. Now, the first one which is the one I think that the NHL prefers and the ownership there prefers, is that they win the auction that they now know what’s going to happen and they buy the land and eventually build the arena and the Arizona Coyotes stay in Arizona.

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And I’ve been told multiple times this week, do not underestimate Arizona ownership’s willingness to do this and to prove that it can do this. However, there was also an admission that the status quo can not continue.

And there are a lot of variables here, and that is that the auction won’t take place until June. What happens if the Coyotes don’t win it? There’s a lot of unsure nature about what the timeline would be if they do want it and how long it would take.

So as a result of that, especially if the cuttings don’t win the auction, relocation will be on the table. And so there are parallel conversations going on right now. One for the Coyotes to go ahead and win the auction and stay there and the other for what happens if they don’t end up winning the auction and what the future would be.

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And in that case, Ron relocation would be on the table and we’ll see how this goes. But again, the Coyotes maintained it is their goal to win the auction and stay in the state.

 

 

 

 

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