In April 2024, BYU graduate and Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith sent shockwaves throughout Utah when he purchased the National Hockey League's Arizona Coyotes with plans to move them to Salt Lake City.
The Coyotes, who arrived in Arizona in 1996, were plagued by poor ownership that hurt them on and off the ice for nearly three decades in the desert. In 27 seasons, the team only won three playoff series, two of which came in 2012 when the Coyotes came just three wins away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the first time. That type of success was never seen again.
After playing their final two seasons on Arizona State’s campus in an arena that seated just 4,600 people, the team’s financial losses could no longer be ignored by the league.
The final nail in the Coyotes’ coffin came in May 2023, when Tempe voters rejected a proposal that would have launched construction on a new arena. Without a long-term home, the franchise was left in limbo.
After years of losing seasons and empty arenas, Smith stepped in to save the franchise from even more losses. Arizona’s loss became Utah’s gain.
Since the move, Smith has been on a mission to connect the franchise to the people of Utah. A state that was primarily known for being home to the Utah Jazz and college football rivalries now has an NHL team to call its own.
In its first season, the Utah Hockey Club recorded 18 wins, 15 losses and 8 overtime losses at home — and sold out every game in the limited capacity Delta Center, averaging 11,131 spectators per game.
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, the Delta Center will undergo renovations this spring to allow for greater capacity. The planned construction includes demolishing the north bowl of the arena to add retractable seating which would increase attendance at hockey games as well as renovate the upper bowl so fans can see both nets no matter where they sit.
One thing that has been clear about the Smith Entertainment Group is its goal to make Utah Hockey Club games fun and affordable for families and students.
In franchise's inaugural season in Utah, college students could access a deal that got them into a game for just $10, which also included a hot dog and a drink. While these seats were located in sections of the Delta Center with obstructed views due to its original basketball-focused design, the promotion still gave many students their first chance to experience an NHL game in person.
One of those students was BYU student Hakan Boyce, a big sports fan and longtime supporter of the Utah Jazz. He attended his first NHL game at the Delta Center on April 5, when the Utah Hockey Club defeated the league-leading Winnipeg Jets 4-1. He shared what it was like experiencing a hockey game live for the first time.
"I had a great experience at the Delta Center. I was really impressed with the work they have done to create a unique atmosphere for the fans to come in and really enjoy themselves at the hockey game," Boyce said. "You could tell that they have put a lot of thought into creating a product that people will enjoy watching. I will definitely be returning to the Delta Center for games in future seasons."
Hakan added that he sees a lot of potential for hockey to grow in Utah, especially during the offseason, as the Delta Center renovations are expected to fix the sightlines behind the net. He also mentioned that excitement will likely build even more once the franchise announces its official name, which is expected around the NHL Draft at the end of June.
"I think that it will take some time for the team to grow and mesh together a little bit more," Boyce said. "Having a new mascot and upgrades to the stadium will certainly help with that, but I think that fans will rally around the team, and it will be something that the fans here can really get behind and will bring the community together."
Another initiative the ownership has introduced is the "Mountain Menu," which breaks the norm of high arena food prices by offering items like nachos, hot dogs, ice cream, and popcorn for just $3.
In addition, when a concerned mother voiced frustration on social media about the lack of ice rinks in Utah, Ryan Smith was quick to respond. He shared plans to build 20 new ice rinks across the state to give more people — especially kids — the chance to learn how to skate and play hockey.
Both of these examples prove that ownership is listening to their fans and willing to do what it to create a strong foundation for the future of hockey in the state.
Following up … SEG is all in on growing hockey in Utah and doing it fast. To get started, SEG will donate up to $500K per rink on up to 20 new rinks. We’ll have out-of-the box plans for cities that can partner with entrepreneurs to build. Utah is the land of entrepreneurs. And… pic.twitter.com/5HNRDBDlF4
— Ryan Smith (@RyanQualtrics) March 31, 2025
On March 22, when the Utah Hockey Club took on the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team hosted its first "Next Gen" game, a special event designed to make the experience memorable for young fans.
The night included kids announcing the starting lineup before puck drop, rally towels on every seat that featured drawings by local children, and players arriving at the arena wearing jerseys from a variety of youth hockey teams across the state.
Veteran forward Alexander Kerfoot shared what it was like to take part in the game.
"It was fun. I think that this was a great atmosphere for kids to come and watch the game, and this is a new market, we are trying to grow hockey here," Kerfoot said. "SEG has done an awesome job of growing the game in this community, and to have a night like this where we get to bring in some youth hockey players and some kids during an early game on the weekend, it is really fun and I hope that we can do that again in the future."
Head coach Andre Tourigny also commented on the impact a professional hockey team could have in developing players from Utah who might become NHL stars in the future.
"I cannot predict the future, but I think it will be huge," Tourigny said. "You look at guys who are coming out to the NHL from California like 30 or 40 years ago — now we have lots of players from California, Tennessee, and Arizona."
Not long ago, the NHL was primarily made up of players from Canada, Russia, Sweden and northern American states like Minnesota and New York. But as the league has expanded into cities with less traditional hockey history, there has been a noticeable shift in where talent is coming from.
Some examples include young stars like prolific goal scorer Jason Robertson from Southern California, brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes from Florida, and one of the faces of hockey, Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews from Arizona.
Currently, there are only two NHL players from Utah: LA Kings forward Trevor Lewis and young defenseman Ian Moore, who is under contract with the Anaheim Ducks. Tourigny believes that could soon change in the coming decades with the younger generation getting introduced to the sport.
"Everywhere the NHL goes, it creates passion and excitement from fans," Tourigny said. "Now we will have young super athletes from Utah who will become hockey players and the next generation of superstars."
Our players wore youth jerseys in honor of our Next Gen game today! pic.twitter.com/RaHOdexWmd
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) March 22, 2025
The Utah Hockey Club entered the league as the fourth youngest team in the league with an average age of 26.4. At the end of year their top players included captain Clayton Keller (26) who led the team with 90 points, Logan Cooley (20) with 65, and Dylan Guenther (22) with 60.
In its first season in Utah the team only missed the playoffs by seven points finishing with 89 points. That's 12 more points than the Coyotes had last season, which shows that the rebuild is working. Is next year the season they get over the hump?
For hockey fans in Utah, there is a lot to be excited about. It will be interesting to see how the brand-new franchise continues to grow the game of hockey both on and off the ice in the Beehive State.