Arizona Coyotes players informed team is moving to Salt Lake City next season: reports

Speculation, rumors and uncertainty about whether the NHL's Arizona Coyotes will move away from the desert got much more clarity Friday night. Amid reports that the NHL was working on a contingency plan to move the franchise, members of the team have reportedly been informed they are headed to Utah.

says general manager Bill Armstrong addressed the team on Friday, telling them the NHL had facilitated a sale to Ryan and Ashley Smith, the owners of the NBA's Utah Jazz, and they will play in Salt Lake City beginning next season. The team is set to play at the Delta Center, where the Jazz play, but hockey-centric renovations are necessary for the team to stay there long-term. The Coyotes have seemingly been on shaky ground since the team's former majority owner, Jerry Moyes, drove the franchise into bankruptcy in 2009. The team appeared to gain some stability when they played at the then-Gila River Arena, which was located just outside of Phoenix in Glendale.

Smith has government backing to make improvements on the Utah arena, notes - a recent bill passed to help fund a renovated entertainment district in anticipation of professional hockey coming to the city. Fox News' Chantz Martin and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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