Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
TEMPE, Ariz. — Goalkeeper Connor Ingram paused ever so slightly — almost like he was carefully choosing his words.
It has been quite the week for the now former Coyotes player. It was filled with uncertainty, confusion, and even sorrow about the future. There is a sadness, no doubt, about leaving Arizona. The emotional sendoff on Wednesday night for the team's final game in the desert was proof of that.
But amid all of the chaos, there is also excitement.
"I'm not gonna lie to you, I really like Salt Lake City," said Ingram after breaking his pause. "We stop every year on the drive in (from Arizona from his home in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada), and I have an Airbnb booked in Sundance for the drive home. So I'm excited for Salt Lake City. We'll miss Arizona, but if you're going to move, it's a good place to go."
Ingram admits, though, such a move is easier for him. He doesn't have a house and doesn't have children — picking up and leaving for a new place isn't all that daunting.
"For guys like me it's exciting — not to leave Arizona, but to go somewhere new and see it," he said.
It's not always easy for everyone, though.
Twenty-eight years ago, Shane Doan's life was thrown into chaos.
In 1996, the Halkirk, Alberta, Canada, native had just finished his rookie year at Winnipeg when his team was relocated to Arizona. He spent 20 years in the desert — becoming the franchise leader in points, goals, assists, goals created, games plays, and … you get the point.
Nearly three decades later, his son can start to forge a similar path.
In some ways, Josh Doan was born for the Coyotes. He grew up in the desert watching his dad as the face of the franchise. He played collegiately at Arizona State University, and over the last two seasons, he became one of the best players in the AHL.
It was a storybook moment when Josh Doan made his NHL debut earlier this season and scored two goals in a Coyotes' victory. Now, he gets to follow his father's footsteps in a different way.
"Kind of write your own story and start something on your own," Shane Doan told an Arizona TV station about the move. "I'm excited for him to have that opportunity."
His son feels the same way.
"I'm looking forward to whatever kind of comes my way and the start," said Josh Doan, who will be playing with RoadRunners (the new Utah franchise's AHL affiliate) during the AHL playoffs. "They want to do something big there. And there's a plan already set up and the people there are excited. If you weren't looking at it positive then it's going to be a long offseason, a long year.
"I've talked to my dad about that and how his life was flipped upside down and Arizona ended up being the place he calls home and still does. So there's obviously a side of it where you have to kind of take that look at it."
As for those big things, Ryan and Ashley Smith — the Utah franchise's owners — said they "are committed to building a Stanley Cup contending team" in the state.
Will that mean they make a big splash in free agency or trades — the team will have over $40 million in cap space along with several future draft picks — or let the rebuild that began in Arizona continue with a group of young developing talent?
Regardless, the team thinks there's plenty for Utah fans to be excited about.
"We have a lot of young guys that have a lot of bright futures and, obviously, we have guys on the team that guys have been around the league for a while and proven themselves in this league," rookie forward Logan Cooley said. "So we're an exciting team. We bring a lot of energy and play fast, play skilled and we're definitely on the rise here."
Now, they will be on the rise in Utah.
