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       lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
       
       
       ARTICLE VIEW: 
       
       NHL’s Coyotes say goodbye to Arizona ahead of rumored move to Utah
       
       By David Close and Jacob Lev, CNN
       
       Updated: 
       
       5:48 AM EDT, Thu April 18, 2024
       
       Source: CNN
       
       It was a packed house at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona, to watch the
       last game of the season – and potentially in the state of Arizona for
       the Coyotes.
       
       The team has been linked with a move to Salt Lake City as soon as next
       season. Although an official move has yet to be announced, the National
       Hockey League has not denied that owner Ryan Smith will become the new
       majority owner of the franchise.
       
       According to Sports Business Journal’s Alex M. Silverman, Smith was
       asked Wednesday about the rumors he was taking ownership of the Yotes
       and bringing the team to Salt Lake City. Smith said, “There’s no
       secret on what’s out there online. Normally, not everything on the
       internet is true, but in this case, it’s pretty true.”
       
       CNN has reached out to the NHL for comment.
       
       In the team’s 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, Coyotes fans let
       their distaste for the potential upcoming move be known. Video showed
       fans chanting “Salt Lake sucks,” but those chants quickly turned to
       ovations in the moments leading to the final whistle.
       
       Players and coaches embraced each other and came to center ice to give
       the crowd on hand a potential send-off. Everyone posed for a photo
       afterward as emotional fans looked on, and upon leaving the ice,
       players gave fans their sticks and other equipment.
       
       Last week, Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo said in a that he understood and
       empathized with the “concern of our fans, our community, our
       partners, our players, our front office, and all of our team members.
       
       “We are focused on a myriad of issues that are unresolved and
       therefore we are unable to make any official comments at this time,”
       Meruelo continued. “However, you have my commitment that I am going
       to speak on all of these issues and publicly address all of your
       concerns as promptly as possible.”
       
       Team legend Shane Doan joined the broadcast during the second
       intermission to talk up the state of Arizona.
       
       “You know all the things that people say about Arizona as a hockey
       state,” Doan said. “I think it is. You’ll never convince me that
       it’s not.”
       
       Doan’s son, Josh, who is a rookie on the Coyotes, also had a message
       to the fans before the game.
       
       “The Coyotes are still Arizona’s team for one more day,” Doan
       said.
       
       The Coyotes have been playing at Mullet Arena, a multi-purpose arena on
       the Arizona State University campus for the last two seasons.
       
       The Sun Devils’ arena, which opened in the fall of 2022, seats 5,000
       spectators. It is the smallest arena in the NHL, behind the Canada Life
       Centre in Winnipeg, Canada, which seats 15,061 fans.
       
       The Coyotes had previously played at the Gila River Arena, in Glendale,
       just northwest of Phoenix before the move to Tempe.
       
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