Salt Lake City’s announcement: a powerful message to the Coyotes?

The NHL has given the Coyotes a deadline to come up with a plan to build a new amphitheatre.

At the last NHL governors’ meeting, we learned that the Coyotes had until the end of January to announce their intentions… And we’re still waiting for that moment.

The desert outfit has indeed found a vacant lot for its new arena… But the property targeted by the Coyotes must first be put up for auction, and even though they are considered the main contenders for the purchase of said lot, the file is not moving forward .

All this to say that today’s news that Salt Lake City has officially requested an expansion process is perhaps no coincidence when you take a step back to examine the situation.

And Elliotte Friedman believes it could be a powerful message being sent to the Arizona organization.

The timing of the announcement in Salt Lake City is certainly sobering.

Have Gary Bettman and his associates finally got their knickers in a twist?

This would be good news for the league, which stubbornly insists on keeping the club in Arizona because of its large TV market.

Because let’s be honest, after all. It’s ridiculous to see a professional club playing in an amphitheatre that holds no more than 5,000 people.

And it’s hard to explain the league’s determination to keep the team in Arizona as long as possible.

In gusts

– It looks good.

– Still!

– Absolutely incredible atmosphere.

– Absolutely incredible atmosphere ahead of Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona. pic.twitter.com/R1hkclVyFB

– (@TheEuropeanLad) January 24, 2024