Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche skates with the puck ahead of Jack McBain #22 of the Arizona Coyotes during the NHL game at Mullett Arena on December 27, 2023 in Tempe, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Avalanche 5-4 in overtime. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Ahead of the first official matchup between the Utah Hockey Club and the Colorado Avalanche, Avs players have been taking in the sights of the NHL’s newest franchise. As one of those players, reigning league MVP Nathan Mackinnon shared that he was “happy” to see the team relocated from Arizona this spring.
For almost 30 years, the Coyotes called Arizona home after relocating from Winnipeg in 1996. Despite nearly three decades of hockey, the organization endured several ownership changes, different arenas and struggled to turn a profit.
After several years of using Arizona State’s rink as their home ice, a new arena proposal was rejected by local residents in May 2023 which left the team without any legitimate future plans for a place to call home.
From there, the writing was on the wall and the team was sold to Smith Entertainment Group in the spring of 2024, effectively relocating the organization to Salt Lake City.
Making his first trip to Salt Lake City in preparation to face the Utah Hockey Club, reigning MVP Nathan MacKinnon shared that he was pleased to see the team moved to Utah due to the difficult situation in Arizona. As the newest franchise in the NHL, he also complimented the ownership group, arena and state.
Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup Champion and reigning MVP Nathan MacKinnon shared that he was happy to see the team move to Utah. https://t.co/xz5tb1wrf1
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 24, 2024
“I was happy…I think everybody in the league was. Coming here it’s awesome facilities…the owner seems great…I think it’s exciting for not just Utah but the whole league,” MacKinnon told KSL Sports.
With so much more ownership support and access to better facilities, the Utah Hockey Club has found a stable home in Salt Lake City and one that is catching the attention of the NHL’s best players.
The Utah Hockey Club will continue their homestand against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night. The game can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on air on the KSL Sports APP or on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
