Vegas Golden Knights make bold move to stop hockey from returning to Arizona

The biggest hockey story for 2024 has to be the move of the Arizona Coyotes. After years of questions about the future home of the Coyotes in the desert, their owner, Alex Muruelo, finally folded what was left of the franchise. The team was sold to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and moved to Salt Lake City. After one final failed development plan, Muruelo, who had been promised first dibs on returning a team to the Glendale-Phoenix area if it became available, threw in the towel. Now, with the hockey landscape in Arizona having drastically shifted, it's time for area fans to find a new team to root for.

Enter the Vegas Golden Knights, who look to swoop in and try to capture the homeless Coyotes fanbase. After establishing a strong following in Nevada, the Golden Knights have reached into Arizona. The team has made Golden Knights games available for fans in both Phoenix and Tucson to watch over local channels as part of an overall play to take hockey fans statewide.

It's not all about broadcasting for the Golden Knights, as they are out reaching the community in Arizona via watch parties and clinics to teach hockey. The aggressive push is surely to sway some Coyotes fans who no longer have a local team into finding their new franchise to rally behind.

Meanwhile, Utah's newest pro sports team has also been making headlines. The preseason home opener of the Utah Hockey Club came complete with a historic victory in front of 11,131 fans against the Los Angeles Kings. Plans have already started for a larger arena to accommodate their base of growing fans.

While the saga is finally over for the Arizona Coyotes, the fight for hockey fans in the region is just beginning. Reaching out with open arms are the Golden Knights as well as a hard-charging Utah. The former Coyotes supporters are being courted on multiple sides.