Jeff Mezydlo: Will the Third Time be the Charm for Utah NHL Franchise?
Special to Sports News Highlights
(SNH) — The players said all the right things. There was plenty of joy and celebration, along with a healthy dose of expected optimism for the current members of the former Arizona Coyotes who will next suit for a team in Salt Lake City, Utah without a nickname.
“We’re super excited,” said Clayton Keller, the best player and an All-Star for a franchise that will play in its third different market since debuting as the NHL version of the Winnipeg Jets in 1979, said during the recent introductory press conference in Utah.
“It’s going to be a great place to play. I think, yeah, we’re only going to keep going upwards.”
On April 18, the NHL Board of Governors approved Salt Lake City acquiring what was the former Arizona Coyotes. From 1979-80 to 1995-96, the franchise played in Winnipeg and won just two playoff games. Since arriving in the Phoenix area for the 1996-97 campaign, the Coyotes reached the postseason 10 times and won only three playoff series.
The franchise has been to the playoffs once in 12 years and none in the last four. And, even with young talent like Keller, who has posted back-to-back 30-plus-goal seasons and is surrounded by other intriguing youngsters like fellow forwards Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, Matias Maccelli Michael Carcone and defenseman Sean Durzi, the Coyotes were unable to stay put in Arizona.
Stadium issues were a major reason for the departure, plus the fact new owner Ryan Smith, along with wife Ashley, who also own the NBA’s Utah Jazz, had the money and desire to bring an NHL team to the state.
While there is plenty of excitement and hope, that’s a staple of any such move, whether talking relocation or expansion. Winning over new fans out of the gate is the easy part.
The challenge to succeed in terms of competition will be stiff.
People will come to the venerable Delta Center, which is expected to be renovated to better fit its new residents and the game to be played. However, trying to round into a playoff team, seemingly overnight, within the competitive Central Division seems like an extremely tall order.
This season, the Central featured four 2024 playoff teams (Dallas, Winnipeg, Colorado Nashville), three of which recorded at least 107 points, and is the home to the NHL’s presumed next superstar in Chicago’s Connor Bedard.
“We’re a young team, a talented team,” Utah general manager Bill Armstrong added during the press conference held at the Delta Center. “But truth be told, we’re in the fourth year of a rebuild.”
Some can argue that the move to a new city buys the franchise a little more time to become a serious playoff contender. And if history is any indicator, there’s precedent for an NHL franchise in its third different home location to win the Stanley Cup.
The New Jersey Devils have three Stanley Cups to show off. Coming after the franchise’s first two stints as the Kansas City Scouts (1974-75-1975-76) and Colorado Rockies (1976-77-1981-82) combined for just one playoff appearance.
That adds another reason to believe that the Jets/Coyotes/nickname-to-be-determined-later franchise is in for some unprecedented good times at its latest residence.
“One thing that we’ve (taken) pride in in Arizona was building the right culture,” forward Lawson Crouse, who has scored at least 20 goals in each of the last three seasons, told a crowded Delta Center.
“We now get to bring that (to Utah) ... We’re really looking forward to it.”
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