The Coyotes take another step in leaving Arizona after the NHL Executive Committee approved a move to Salt Lake City…and the league’s Board of Governors will be next to vote on the relocation

The Arizona Coyotes’ potential move to Salt Lake City, Utah, has been approved by the NHL’s executive committee – a key step for the team to leave the desert.

After giving the franchise as much leeway as possible (some might say much more than necessary) to find a new home, it appears the NHL has had enough of attempts to try and find a new home – with the executive committee giving the go-ahead Green. light for a move to Utah.

In a complicated decision, Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo will sell the team to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith in a deal worth $1.2 billion.

But the team will be renamed in time for the 2024-25 season – with Meruelo retaining rights to the Coyotes name, logos and trademarks.

Meruelo will retain these brands in hopes of establishing an expansion franchise in Arizona. He will continue building a $3 billion arena in North Phoenix – with the NHL giving him five years to make it happen.

After being kicked out of their old arena in Glendale, the team played in a college venue.

But now the team is set to play at the Delta Center, home of the Utah Jazz.

Of the $1.2 billion, Meruelo will keep $1 billion while the remaining $200 million will go to the NHL – which is negotiating the deal. If he gets the expansion franchise, he will repay $1 billion to the NHL as a franchise fee.

Meruelo will also retain ownership of the Tucson Roadrunners – the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate.

For years, the Coyotes were one of the National Hockey League’s worst-performing teams and those problems were compounded by the franchise being kicked out of its former home in Glendale, now known as the Desert Diamond Arena.

Since this eviction, the team has struggled to find a new and future home with several plans for different sites in the area falling apart.

The Coyotes played their games at Mullett Arena, home of the Arizona State University hockey team. It’s a decision that has been criticized because the facilities are below average for professional hockey.

But those problems will soon be behind the team – as they are set to move to the Delta Center, home of the NBA Jazz for next season.

Meruelo purchased the Coyotes for $425 million in July 2019. At the time, Arizona was the least valuable franchise in the NHL, worth $675 million.