SCOTTSDALE, AZ — The ice rink at the Ice Den in Scottsdale sits empty now, a stark reminder of what the Valley lost when the Arizona Coyotes left town. But a new effort is underway to bring professional hockey back to Arizona.
Andrea Doan, who moved to Arizona with her husband, former Coyotes captain Shane Doan, in 1997, is leading the charge as Chair of the Advisory Panel on Pro Hockey in Arizona.
"The whole reason we are in Arizona is because of hockey," Doan said. "We don't know this state without hockey, so to me this is a hiccup. It sucks, but we're going to turn it around."
The Advisory Panel on Pro Hockey in Arizona held a press conference on Thursday, announcing Doan as its chair. Doan is partnering with Lyndsey Fry, who leads the Matt Shott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation, and Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Tom Galvin to plan an NHL return.
The team’s departure last April has left young hockey players in the Valley without a professional team to support. Drake, a skater for the Jr. Coyotes 11u Elite team, expressed his disappointment.
"When they left, I was sad and stuff," Drake said. “It was sad watching that team go off and go to Utah.”
Jack, another 11u player, shared similar sentiments.
"I just really want the Coyotes to be back, and I loved just watching their games and I had so much fun with my friends and family just cheering them on," Jack said.
However, significant obstacles remain in bringing a team back to Arizona. Galvin acknowledged the lengthy process ahead.
"This is going to be a year-long process, right? We're not going to be announcing next month; we have an owner, we have a location, we have a team. It is literally going to be a years-long process," Galvin said.
The financial hurdles are substantial. According to Sportico, the NHL will require a $2 billion expansion fee for a new team and an additional $1 billion toward a new arena. The location for an arena remains an open question.
"We're open and able and willing to listen to any part of the Valley, but I think we've seen certain parts of the Valley where it hasn't worked, so certain areas are going to be more viable than others," Galvin said.
The Coyotes made the playoffs only once during most of these young players' lifetimes. As they now cheer for other teams, there's a clear favorite for what any new Valley team should be called.
"Coyotes, yeah, I want to keep them coyotes,” Roenick and Brooks said.
“Coyotes, yeah. It’s nostalgic, it just brings it back,” Cade and Ryder added.
Not everyone born after 2010 is tied to nostalgia, however. When asked about team names, Drake suggested "Firebirds" because "it just sounds like a cool name."
Despite differing opinions on names, there's unanimous agreement on one topic. Sibanni, a player with the Jr. Sun Devils 11u Elite team, summed up the sentiment.
"I really think hockey belongs in the desert and this is a great community to put an NHL team in," Sibanni said.
The search continues for the right owner with the financial resources needed. Galvin described the ideal candidate.
"The right owner is someone who cares about Arizona, cares about the valley, understands the valley, understands the passion Andrea and Lyndsey have," Galvin said.
While there are numerous obstacles to overcome before an NHL team returns to the Valley, Doan and others remain optimistic about keeping the Coyotes name if the effort succeeds.
"This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy."
