Watch: Utah 'checks all the boxes' for NHL franchise

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SALT LAKE CITY — The NHL is officially coming to Utah, and the league will celebrate its newest market with a press conference at Delta Center featuring Smith Entertainment Group and officials from around the league.

Join SEG owners Ryan and Ashley Smith, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, and other authorities as they ring the bell on Utah's newest professional sports franchise.

A livestream of the event will be available at 5 p.m. MDT on NHL.com, the NHL App, NHL Network and the NHL's official YouTube channel.

Friday, 05:59 pm

Utah 'checked all the boxes' for an NHL franchise, Bettman says

Utah became a hot expansion candidate for the NHL, even though expansion was never formally on the table for the league.But when the opportunity to move the Arizona Coyotes — which was in a "difficult situation" playing in a 5,000-seat college arena with no immediate end in sight — came in the form of Utah and Smith Entertainment Group, it became too much of an opportunity to pass up, Commissioner Gary Bettman said."We look at market. We look at arena. We look ownership," Bettman said of expansion candidates. "Utah checks all of those boxes, and the opportunity came along that will make us stronger. I believe being here will make us stronger."

Ryan Smith told the Coyotes players moving to Utah, "We'll get everyone in the first year; it's your job to keep them there." #NHLInUtah https://t.co/Qj1X8ugTA1 pic.twitter.com/PnRt6D1Pvo

— KSL.com Sports (@KSLcomSports) April 19, 2024Now the real work begins, with a Coyotes roster, general manager Bill Armstrong and head coach Andre Tourigny all set to move to Salt Lake City — and be ready to play in time for the 2024-25 season."This is a tight turn," Utah Jazz and NHL owner Ryan Smith said. "But when these things come along, you don't blink. We'll figure it out. There are so many people here who will help."— Sean Walker, KSL.com

Friday, 05:41 pm

More than 22K season-ticket deposits, and counting

Ryan Smith reveals that the new club has received 22,700 season-ticket deposits for the 2024-25 NHL season. The team will initially play in a modified hockey setup in the arena that can house 16,200 with about 12,000 unobstructed seats, Smith said.Eventually, the plan is to renovate the arena to seat 17,500 for hockey.How will they squeeze current demand into the arena? Partial season-ticket packages have already been discussed, Smith said, among other solutions."Of all the problems to have," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said, "that's a pretty good one."

Friday, 05:21 pm

Commissioner 'can't wait,' but new NHL owners urge patience, community

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is an avid winter sportsman, so yesterday's announcement of a professional hockey team in Utah felt a little more personal to him.He's ready to take advantage."On a personal level, I can't wait to come to games here — and steal a couple of days skiing, without anybody knowing about it," said Bettman, after joking about the "rare" warm reception he received from the state. "This is just a great place to be, and you can feel the energy and the excitement here. It's palpable."Ashley and Ryan Smith reiterated their roles as "stewards" of a new professional hockey franchise that will play (at least immediately) alongside the Utah Jazz at Delta Center."We're not going to be perfect. … We won't get it right the first time, but we will get it right," said Ryan Smith, before confirming that 22,700 season-ticket deposits have been processed. "We're going to need everyone. This is truly a community asset, and it is for the community."But don't be afraid of expectations, his wife said."We want to bring a championship, we want to bring the Stanley Cup to Utah," Ashley Smith added, "and we want to continue creating the greatest fan experience in all of sports."We're ready for the challenge."

Ashley Smith follows up the commissioner and talks about meeting the players and wanting to keep their energy. pic.twitter.com/5wOCxPtzBK

— KSL.com Sports (@KSLcomSports) April 19, 2024Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said he was the "happiest governor since Gov. Matheson in 1979," referring to the moment the Jazz relocated from New Orleans to the Wasatch Front. But he reiterated the community role of the new team."The Jazz came here in 1979 because people took a chance and people came together," Gov. Cox said. "This doesn't happen by accident. We had our first call with the commissioner about three months ago … and didn't know that this would be an option. But there were a thousand ways for this not to happen, a thousand ways for it to go wrong, and it almost did go wrong. So many people came together to make this happen."And yet ..."None of this happens without Ashley and Ryan Smith," he added. "You have to have people willing to be the leaders, to place the bet, to sacrifice to make this happen."— Sean Walker, KSL.com

Friday, 05:07 pm

Utah leaders show out for NHL's introduction

In addition to the Smiths and the Commish, the following dignitaries are among those in attendance:

Erin Mendenhall, Salt Lake City mayor

Jenny Wilson, Salt Lake County mayor

Ronald Rasband, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Clark Gilbert, Commissioner of Church Educational System, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Taylor Randall, University of Utah president

Shane Reese, Brigham Young University president

Jeff Robbins, Utah Sports Commission CEO

Danny Ainge, Utah Jazz CEO

Jim Olson, Utah Jazz president

Select Utah state legislators

Select members of the Salt Lake city and county councils

Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the house for the NHL in Utah announcement press conference pic.twitter.com/tCzJXxPAi0

— KSL.com Sports (@KSLcomSports) April 19, 2024

Friday, 03:41 pm

Free hockey fan fest planned for Wednesday at Delta Center

Smith Entertainment Group will host a free community event Wednesday at the Delta Center to celebrate Utah's new NHL franchise and introduce fans to players and coaches from the team.Attendees will experience hockey-themed activities on the Delta Center plaza and will be greeted by an ice rink in the arena bowl. A variety of activities, surprises, and giveaways will occur throughout the event.The event is free to attend and kicks off at 4 p.m. MDT, with arena doors opening at 4:30 p.m. The first 5,000 attendees will receive a ticket voucher redeemable for two seats at a 2024-25 preseason NHL or Utah Jazz game. Complimentary JDawgs, Coca-Cola products and popcorn will be available on the main councourse.Utah NHL owners Ryan and Ashley Smith, general manager Bill Armstrong, and head coach André Tourigny, along with players that will be on Utah's NHL roster, will address the crowd at 5:30 p.m. MDT.Free parking will be available at Park Place located northeast of the main arena entrance.

Let's get this party started 🏒🎉
Join us Wednesday at Delta Center for a free event to welcome the team and celebrate #NHLinUtah.
There will be food, entertainment and preseason ticket vouchers for the early birds. pic.twitter.com/ZxMsesaz8K

— Delta Center (@deltacenter) April 19, 2024

Friday, 02:18 pm

Setting the stage for #NHLinUtah

The stage is set for #NHLinUtah! pic.twitter.com/bPBdSyW7q9

— NHL (@NHL) April 18, 2024

Watch: Utah 'checks all the boxes' for NHL franchise

By KSL.com Sports | Updated - April 19, 2024 at 6:06 p.m. | Posted - April 19, 2024 at 4:57 p.m.

Ice is laid down at Delta Center celebrating the National Hockey League arriving in Utah, Friday, April 19, 2024 in Salt Lake City. NHL owners voted to approve a sale and relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah on Thursday. (Carter Williams, KSL.com)

Utah 'checked all the boxes' for an NHL franchise, Bettman says

More than 22K season-ticket deposits, and counting

Commissioner 'can't wait,' but new NHL owners urge patience, community

Utah leaders show out for NHL's introduction

Free hockey fan fest planned for Wednesday at Delta Center

Setting the stage for #NHLinUtah

Most recent Utah NHL expansion stories

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Watch: Utah 'checks all the boxes' for NHL franchise

By KSL.com Sports | Updated - April 19, 2024 at 6:06 p.m. | Posted - April 19, 2024 at 4:57 p.m.

Ice is laid down at Delta Center celebrating the National Hockey League arriving in Utah, Friday, April 19, 2024 in Salt Lake City. NHL owners voted to approve a sale and relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah on Thursday. (Carter Williams, KSL.com)

Utah 'checked all the boxes' for an NHL franchise, Bettman says

More than 22K season-ticket deposits, and counting

Commissioner 'can't wait,' but new NHL owners urge patience, community

Utah leaders show out for NHL's introduction

Free hockey fan fest planned for Wednesday at Delta Center

Setting the stage for #NHLinUtah

Most recent Utah NHL expansion stories

The similarities behind the Jazz and Coyotes relocations nearly 45 years apart

From skepticism to celebration: How Utah got its NHL team

No new arena? Ryan Smith reveals new vision for Delta Center

Related topics

More stories you may be interested in

Stars first to hold serve at home, beat Knights 3-2 in Game 5 for series lead in NHL playoffs

Hurricanes' depth proves critical to secure 2nd-round playoff matchup against the Rangers

Rantanen scores twice in the 3rd period to lead Avalanche past Jets 6-3 and into the 2nd round

Most Viewed

ARE YOU GAME?

KSL Weather Forecast