On the heels of the news that the Arizona Coyotes’ and Arizona State University’s joint venture to build a new arena facility in Tempe, Arizona had fallen through, new reports are emerging that the Coyotes have again started looking into a move to Portland, Oregon or Seattle, Washington. The Glendale Star first reported that members of the Coyotes brass had toured both Moda Center in Portland, home of the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers and the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, and KeyArena in Seattle, the former home of the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics and the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. Representatives from both facilities have confirmed the reports. Both cities have long been rumored to desire an NHL franchise, both due to their size and fan base as well as their embrace of WHL junior hockey. Trailblazers own Paul Allen has even gone so far as to say that he would like to have an ownership stake in an NHL team and move them to Portland, while billionaire Chris Hansen has long had interest in building a new stadium in Seattle and moving both an NHL and NBA team to a city that already has tons of avid supporters for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and MLB’s Seattle Mariners.
However, when the Glendale Star reached out to the Coyotes for confirmation, Executive Vice President of Communications Rich Nairn wholly denied the rumors. Coyotes president and CEO Anthony LeBlanc then went further denied the rumors during a podcast, calling the story “100 percent false” with “absolutely no facts”. Whether or not the reports of the tours are true and, despite LeBlanc’s strong-worded response, it seems likely that they are, no Coyotes executive is going to isolate the fan base by hinting at a relocation that is far from secured. The fans have their own role in this issue though, as the Coyotes have the 28th-ranked attendance in the NHL behind just the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders.
Arizona is not necessarily a bad location for the NHL. The establishment of NCAA hockey at Arizona State and, of course, the Auston Matthews story has lead to a substantial uptick in grassroots hockey in the state. There has been an overwhelming embrace of hockey overall in the southwest United States in recent years, and perhaps it is just taking its time in Arizona. As Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps pointed out in the Star article, the Phoenix metropolitan area is the 12th largest market in the U.S. Additionally, Maricopa County, which contains Phoenix, Glendale, Tempe, and Mesa, is the fourth most populous county in the country. As Phelps notes, by sheer numbers, a move out of Arizona to Portland or Seattle would appear to be a “step backward” for the league. However, how long can the NHL and the Coyotes ownership put up with an uncommitted fan base and a state that has been unwilling to work with them on a better arena situation? Portland and Seattle may not have the potential that the Phoenix area does, but they have shown to be passionate sports cities with an interest in hockey, ready to embrace an NHL team of their own. That may be enough to see the Coyotes move in the not-too-distant future.
Hartford deserves a team more than any other city without one
I’d argue Quebec over Hartford and Quebec has the arena. However, the NHL isn’t going to move a Western Conference to the East because of the conferences are already imbalanced. I don’t see Portland as a viable NHL city. They don’t have the arena & I think the NHL would prefer Seattle. The problem is Seattle hasn’t been able to come up with an arena plan. The Coyotes should join up with the Suns for a new arena and play in Phoenix
Seattle has an arena, Hansen wants an NBA team first though.
Have you ever been to Hartford? What part of ever being there screams big league city?
Add in its location to FOUR other teams in BOS, NYR, NYI, and NJD. I think it’s time we drop the nostalgic love affair with Hartford.
Five if you want to count the Sabres too.
I think Quebec, Seattle, and Hartford all deserve teams. Probably prioritized in that order. Get Phoenix to Quebec and expand to Seattle in a couple years so the conferences stay even. Relocate Carolina to Hartford. Obviously this is all pretty spread out over time because the league won’t want to muck up the conferences this much in one year.
Quebec team would sell out its arena in under an hour while Sunbelt teams struggle in attendance.
I understand what Bettman is trying to accomplish which is a strong presence across various US regions to eventually generate a big TV contract.
Won’t happen.
Seattles the obvious choice. Can’t put another team in the east
Coyotes owner was on the radio this am. They are not leaving az! Deal with ASU fell apart because of research grants given by the state that they threatened to pull because if they have money for an arena why have grants for research. Glendale Star is owned by the city of Glendale. The ASU deal made sense because ASU is going D1 in hockey. They have other options but they said this AM it’s a lie and they actually released further info proving they weren’t part of the tour checking the arena in Seattle. The only reason Glendale is a bad spot is because it’s so far away with only one highway in. I went out about
A month ago to a Tuesday night game. With traffic a 35 minute ride took almost 2 hours! Gkendale is No mans land for anyone is AZ. The fan base is very strong here I can assure yoy
The arena location is not optimal but it is not the only reason for the problems this franchise faces. The NFL Cardinals football stadium is next store and they have sold out every game In the 9 years since the stadium was built. There are many other problems starting with the performance of the team and the lack of effective marketing and ticket sales strategies.
So they are the Winnipeg-Phoenix-Portland franchise. Well traveled
Tom, your right, I have a half season and takes me 2 and a half hours to get there first it’s between Monday and Friday. Thank goodness it’s Pittsburgh this week and not Montreal. And yeah bob you so right, getting out to the cardinals stadium 8 times a year on Sunday’s + 2 preseason games on Friday is soooo tough. Takes 40 to 45 minutes with no traffic
Coyotes should just pick up and move to either San Diego or Houston and be done with it.
Next (and very very very last) expansion should go to Seattle.
On a side note……The Islanders also should go to Quebec City and switch divisions with Boston.
San Diego? California already has the Ducks, Kings, and Sharks and only recently has interest peaked for the Sharks. That area can’t support another team.
Reall there one place only that needs another team
Toronto !!!
Come on already it’s where the market is
Or southwestern Ontario needs team
KW or London I think could almost handle one
You know it sell out and I’m sure they still be will to play out the west like the leafs did for a decade
The team needs to move to the northwest. Seattle or Portland would suffice. The fact that Arizona has been there as long as they’ve been is frustrating. The support for the team is lacking since they moved there and although hockey is growing there it cannot compare to the northwestThen they should move or get another expansion team in the north east. Quebec and Hartford deserve teams. The only problem I see with Quebec is that the Canadian dollar is down right now which is why Canada is not in the conversation for another hockey team. Hartford’s economy is not strong right now but the support for hockey is there. Connecticut has become a hot bed recently for hockey.
The Glendale Star reporter, Darrell Jackson should be fired. The trauma this team has gone through over various rumors of them moving is ridiculous. What Jackson needs to do is take a journalism class and learn how to write without using false sources. The city of Glendale is upset because the team is leaving. Well, they practically kicked them out of the arena after figuring out the deal they signed to have the team manage the arena was not what they expected. The team will definitely be staying here, and has other alternatives which don’t include moving them out of Arizona. The east valley will work better for them, and hopefully all the whining about how far it is to drive to Glendale will cease. Look, if you love hockey, you pay the price.
For a non existent fan base? The northwest I’m sure will bring a better crowd. Not too mention the north east which could use an original team to return to bring the old faithful back
Obviously you haven’t considered that the Phoenix area has twice the population of Seattle. Plus the tv market here is much larger than anywhere in Pacific Northwest. It’s all conjecture because the Coyotes aren’t going anywhere! Seattle is a good expansion possibility, but needs an arena. Can’t add a team in the East, they already have one more than the west.
All of you all saying Quebec deserves a team should really look up the history of the Nordiques and the reason they moved.
Quebec seems like some massive city but the truth is they can’t hold a major team in any sport.
Would be cool to see the Nordiques or Whalers return, but it’s just not feasible.
If Portland gets a team, I hope they name them the Rosebuds, after the first U.S. Team to ever make it to the Stanley Cup.
If Seattle does get a team, I hope they name them the Metropolitans, which were the first ever Stanley Cup Champions from an U.S. city.
The Coyotes and the city officials need to figure it out. They should stay if they can do it.
Quebec City has a new arena already built that seats nearly 18500 called Centre Videotron…ready for a re-locating team (Islanders should look into this) This city is not as big as most other cities. Its metro is 800,000 people. (its bigger than Winnipeg). Quebec city has the fan base for NHL hockey. The building would be filled on a regular basis. The main thing holding back is the money exchange issue right now. That needs to get back to being par with US dollars Look at how NHL hockey has failed twice in Atlanta which has over 5million in the metro area. The Thrashers had crappy ownership and no fan base. They seem to be doing OK in Winnipeg. HMMM. Having a big city doesn’t guarantee a franchise will work there. You can also see how the Isles are failing in Brooklyn. Barclays Center has the worst hockey layout for an arena ever created. NHL Hockey worked in Hartford for many years however I don’t see it happening anytime soon. This is a nice AHL city. Nothing wrong with that.
Portland or Seattle would be nice for expansion (end it there..no further expansion is needed)
Glendale is a terrible choice for an arena location. It is a pain to get to, and the relationship with the city seems toxic. A move to a central location would have been the only hope for this team.