NHL expansion takes a negative turn as Gary Bettman targets a controversial state
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Jeff Marek is stirring up the expansion conversation again, and this time the target city is one the NHL already left behind. Appearing on Off The Post, Marek said he believes the league is not done with the Arizona market.
I think the NHL has always been very sensitive about bailing on markets where they build rinks. I do know that they will be back.
The comment lands awkwardly given how the Arizona chapter actually ended. The Coyotes played their final game in April 2024 before relocating to Salt Lake City as the Utah Hockey Club.
Ownership under Alex Meruelo struggled for years to get a permanent arena built, bouncing between a small college rink in Tempe and various stalled proposals before the franchise was pulled out entirely.
Commissioner Gary Bettman has since said Arizona and Atlanta came up in expansion talks, but both trail Houston and other Texas sites in how far along the process is.
Why This Reporting Frustrates Other Markets
That gap matters to fans in cities like Quebec City, who have spent years lobbying for a returning franchise and pointing to sellout crowds during the Nordiques' AHL and exhibition appearances as proof the market is ready.
Reports that the NHL might prioritize a second attempt in Arizona, a market that already failed to sustain an arena deal, tend to land hard with fan bases that feel they have already cleared every bar the league has set.
Marek's comments do not confirm a formal Arizona bid is underway. They reflect his read on league sentiment, not an announced plan.
Until Bettman or the NHL's expansion committee says otherwise, Houston remains the frontrunner, with Arizona's status still very much unresolved.
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