Could Utah be a relocation option for the Arizona Coyotes?

Utah wants an NHL franchise and The Smith Group, headed by Utah Jazz owner and governor Ryan Smith, made that desire official by formally requesting the league grant the state an expansion team. 

With expansion seemingly tabled for the foreseeable future, though, what if another option existed? Say, moving the Arizona Coyotes? Well, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun recently revealed what Davis thought about potentially acquiring the downtrodden franchise. 

"While he hesitated for one moment, he did say, 'Whatever the league feels is the right avenue to get us a team,' then he'd obviously live with that," LeBrun said on TSN's 'That Hockey.' 

There sounds like there could be wiggle room on the matter between Davis and the NHL, but LeBrun reiterated that the belief is Utah would much prefer a clean slate and an expansion club to call its own, not one that has already made stops in Winnipeg and Arizona. 

The Coyotes have been searching for a permanent residency since the City of Glendale ended its relationship with the franchise in 2021. In May 2023, Tempe rejected a $2.1 billion proposal to build a 16,000-seat arena for the team and an entertainment district. As of current, the franchise is in the second season of a three-year agreement with Arizona State, sharing the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena. 

LeBrun confirmed that an expansion "process" hasn't begun and that the best chance for those wheels to start turning could come in June, when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman meets with NHL owners for a scheduled board meeting. 

Whether or not the lure of an NHL team would prompt Davis' group to give in and take the Coyotes is up for debate, but it's worth discussing considering that Utah isn't the only place looking for a piece of the league. Houston, Kansas City and Quebec City have topped the list of interested cities in recent years and lately, Atlanta – the boaster of two failed NHL franchises – has emerged amid the crowded field.