Despite the swift progress, Smith admitted surprise:
Smith purchased the team from Alex Meruelo for $1 billion, with an additional $200 million paid as a relocation fee to the NHL. Meruelo remains optimistic about hockey's future in Arizona, retaining the option to reactivate the team within five years and retaining ownership of the Coyotes name, brand, and logo.
The Coyotes bid farewell to Arizona with a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers in their final game.
The new Utah team will play at the Delta Center, sharing the arena with the NBA's Jazz. Plans are underway to expand seating to accommodate over 17,000 fans. Amidst these changes, hockey in Utah is poised to shine.
Utah NHL team names leak:
As seen on hockeypatrolUtah officially launches their NHL website
POLL | ||
18 AVRIL | 328 ANSWERS Website officially launched by Utah's new NHL team What are your thoughts on the Arizona Coyotes relocating to Salt Lake City, Utah? | ||
Excited | 83 | 25.3 % |
Neutral | 127 | 38.7 % |
Disappointed | 118 | 36 % |
List of polls |