The Start of History
The Inaugural Game for the Utah Hockey Club
Everything always starts with an idea. Back in February 2024, rumors began circulating about the then-NHL Coyotes facing ownership issues. If you’re new to hockey, let me give you some backstory.
The Coyotes franchise had been in the greater Phoenix area since 1996. Before that, the team was based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. By NHL standards, the franchise had never been particularly successful. During their time in Arizona (1996–2024), they never made a deep playoff run. Despite their struggles, the team was getting by—until 2022, when the ownership group dropped the ball and failed to renew their lease with Gila River Arena, where they had played since 2003. This forced the team to relocate to Mullett Arena, a college rink that only seats about 5,000 people.
Because the team had been struggling for years, even 5,000 seats were hard to fill. The only reason the NHL was willing to let them play in such a small venue was that there was a plan in place to build a new arena. However, after one or two seasons at Mullett Arena, those plans began to fall apart. By late 2023, the ownership group had failed to come up with a viable arena solution, and the city voted against their final proposal.
Around this same time—February 2024—Ryan Smith, owner of the Utah Jazz, began talking with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman about the possibility of bringing an expansion franchise to Salt Lake City. The idea quickly gained traction, with support from fans and league executives alike.
At the same time, I have to imagine that discussions were happening behind closed doors about buying the Coyotes outright. Given the team’s ownership failures, poor performance, and lack of a suitable arena, the NHL was eager to move them out of Arizona. This presented a perfect opportunity. Within the span of about 60 days, Ryan Smith purchased the Coyotes on April 18, 2024.
The turnaround time was insanely fast—something never before seen in professional sports. And this situation was even more unique because the Coyotes’ former ownership retained the team’s name and intellectual property. This meant Smith had to completely rebrand the players and hockey operations he had acquired.
What followed was a whirlwind. Between April 18 and October 8, the team underwent a complete transformation: new branding, new merchandise, new players, and, of course, a new home. The amount of work that went into this process was staggering. Within just four hours of season ticket deposits opening, 11,000 deposits had been placed—more than double the number of seats available at Mullett Arena. Fans flocked to support the new team.
Utah had long been waiting for another professional sports franchise. Like many others, I had hoped for hockey in Utah for years. Ryan Smith delivered faster than anyone expected, and the excitement is undeniable.
I can’t wait to share this journey as I join my family with season tickets and enjoy the best sport in the world—now happening right here in Utah!
