About

The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area, which competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and the Pacific Division (1998–2020) in the Western Conference, and the West Division (2020–2021). They played at America West Arena (now Footprint Center) in downtown Phoenix from 1996 to 2003, at Glendale's Gila River Arena (now Desert Diamond Arena) from 2003 to 2022, and at Mullett Arena in Tempe from 2022 to 2024. The organization was established on December 27, 1971, as the Winnipeg Jets, a charter franchise of the World Hockey Association (WHA). After seven WHA seasons they were one of four organizations enfranchised by the NHL on June 22, 1979 when the WHA ceased operations. Due to financial troubles, the Jets were sold to American owners who moved the team to Phoenix on July 1, 1996, where they were renamed the Phoenix Coyotes. The franchise name changed to the Arizona Coyotes on June 27, 2014. Alex Meruelo became the majority owner on July 29, 2019, later becoming the franchise's sole owner following the arrest of minority owner Andrew Barroway. The team failed to gain long-term stability despite the relocation to the state of Arizona. The NHL later took over the Phoenix Coyotes franchise in 2009, when then-owner Jerry Moyes gave up the team after filing for bankruptcy. The NHL maintained control of the franchise until 2013 when they found new ownership willing to keep it in Arizona. Despite a difficult working relationship with the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, the Coyotes were able to secure a year-to-year arrangement to play in the facility up until the end of the 2021–22 season. Negotiations with the city then broke down and the team subsequently signed an agreement to play their games at Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State University, starting with the 2022–23 season and ending the season after that. After a proposal for a new arena in Tempe was rejected by the residents of the city in May 2023, and following the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, the Coyotes suspended hockey operations. In a deal brokered by the NHL, the Coyotes' assets (players, staff and draft picks) were moved to Salt Lake City for the creation of the Utah Hockey Club owned by Ryan Smith. The Coyotes, whose name and other intellectual property have been retained by Meruelo, are expected to maintain some business operations, mostly concerning their ongoing efforts to build a new arena within the state of Arizona. If the Coyotes secure a new arena by 2029, they will be allowed to rejoin the NHL, with all previous history, records and intellectual property intact. Conversely, should the Coyotes fail to secure a new arena within the specified time frame, the NHL will have the right to fold the franchise, resulting in the complete and permanent cessation of team operations for this franchise.