There are meetings scheduled in the Phoenix market trying to figure out how to get an NHL team
Arizona Still Holding Out Hope for NHL Return
Some residents and hockey supporters in the Phoenix metropolitan area are refusing to let go of the dream of bringing the National Hockey League back to Arizona. Andrea Doan, wife of longtime Coyotes captain Shane Doan and mother of current NHL player Josh Doan, is leading an advisory panel dedicated to exploring the return of professional hockey to the region. The committee, made up of community, business, and sports leaders, aims to study what it would take to make Phoenix viable again as an NHL market.
The challenge, however, remains the same as it has been for decades — the lack of a proper NHL-caliber arena. While there is civic enthusiasm and nostalgia for hockey in the desert, there is still no investor publicly committed to purchasing a team or building the kind of facility needed to support one. Without that combination of ownership and infrastructure, Phoenix’s chances of regaining an NHL franchise remain slim.
The Arena Problem That Never Went Away
The Phoenix area’s rocky relationship with the NHL began almost immediately after the league approved the relocation of the Winnipeg Jets to Arizona in 1996. The new franchise moved into a city-owned arena in downtown Phoenix — a venue built primarily for basketball. The design flaw became apparent quickly: roughly 4,000 seats had obstructed views of the ice.
Recognizing the long-term issues, team ownership began searching for a new home. The franchise eventually settled in Glendale, Arizona, where a new arena opened in 2003. But while the move solved one problem, it created another — the location was far from the city’s population centers and business districts, and fan attendance dwindled.
Years of Turmoil and Relocation
The Coyotes struggled financially for years. Ownership changes came and went, and by 2009, the franchise was insolvent. Canadian businessman Jim Balsillie tried to buy the team and relocate it to Hamilton, Ontario, but the NHL blocked the deal. The league took control of the team, propping it up while searching for a stable buyer.
By 2021, the situation reached a breaking point. The city of Glendale declined to renew its lease agreement with the Coyotes, forcing ownership to find temporary refuge at Arizona State University’s 5,000-seat Mullett Arena — a venue far below NHL standards. It was a stopgap solution that highlighted how far the franchise had fallen.
The Final Move to Utah
In April 2024, after years of uncertainty and poor attendance, NHL owners voted to sell the franchise to Ryan Smith, who relocated the team to Salt Lake City. The move ended nearly three decades of instability in the Arizona market — but not the passion of those who still believe the NHL belongs in the desert.
For now, Andrea Doan’s committee keeps the dream alive, though until investors and political support align, Phoenix’s hockey future will remain on thin ice.
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