Phoenix Suns proprietor Mat Ishbia has his sights set on bringing hockey again to Arizona, Sportico reported Wednesday.
Arizona is now with out an NHL group after the Coyotes relocated to Salt Lake Metropolis following the 2023-24 marketing campaign. The franchise may have a brand new identify come the 2025-26 season, however when it performs video games this 12 months, it is going to be often known as the Utah Hockey Membership.
“I am undoubtedly going to be a part of the group, and if I may also help deliver hockey again, I am going to take a look at that,” Ishbia informed Sportico. “It is undoubtedly one thing I am taken with. It is a four-sport city. I am upset we do not have a hockey group, however I perceive what occurred, and we will attempt to repair that in the future.”
Ishbia, 44, additionally owns the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.
Footprint Heart, house of the Mercury, hosted the WNBA All-Star Recreation on Saturday. There may be additionally a brand new $100 million ladies’s apply facility, which Ishbia funded, behind the world.
“I feel our enviornment is first-class proper now. I really like our enviornment,” Ishbia mentioned about Footprint Heart. “However in some unspecified time in the future we will should get a brand new enviornment.”
The Coyotes performed video games at 5,000-seat Mullett Area on Arizona State’s campus in Tempe, Arizona, from 2022 to 2024.
In response to Sportico’s report, Ishbia didn’t reveal if he was in talks with the NHL, and the league additionally stayed quiet. Ought to hockey find yourself coming again to Arizona, Ishbia would have the brand new enviornment in-built downtown Phoenix.
Former Coyotes proprietor Alex Meruelo offered the membership for $1.2 billion.