Arizona Coyotes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arizona Coyotes
Founded	1972
History	Winnipeg Jets 1972–1979 (WHA) 1979–1996 (NHL) Phoenix Coyotes 1996–2014 Arizona Coyotes 2014–2024
Home arena	America West Arena (1996–2003) Gila River Arena (2003–2022) Mullett Arena (2022–2024)
City
Colors	Process black, brick red, forest green, sand, sienna, purple
Stanley Cups	0
Conference championships	0
Presidents' Trophies	0
Division championships	1 (2011–12)

The Arizona Coyotes were a professional ice hockey team. They were based in the Phoenix metropolitan area in Arizona. The team played in the National Hockey League (NHL). They were part of the Western Conference.

The team played in different arenas over the years. These included America West Arena (1996–2003) in downtown Phoenix. Later, they moved to Gila River Arena (2003–2022) in Glendale. Their last home was Mullett Arena (2022–2024) in Tempe.

The team started on December 27, 1971, as the Winnipeg Jets. They were a founding team in the World Hockey Association (WHA). After seven WHA seasons, they joined the NHL on June 22, 1979. This happened when the WHA stopped operating.

Because of money problems, the Jets were sold to American owners. They moved the team to Phoenix on July 1, 1996. The team was then renamed the Phoenix Coyotes. On June 27, 2014, the team's name changed again to the Arizona Coyotes.

The team faced challenges finding a stable home arena. The NHL took over the Phoenix Coyotes in 2009. This was to help find new owners who would keep the team in Arizona. They played at Gila River Arena until 2022. Then, they moved to Mullett Arena, a smaller college arena. This was meant to be a temporary home while a new arena was planned. However, the plan for a new arena in Tempe was rejected by local residents in May 2023.

Due to the ongoing arena issues, the Coyotes stopped playing hockey after the 2023–24 season. The NHL helped arrange a deal where the team's players, staff, and draft picks were moved to a new team in Salt Lake City. This new team is called the Utah Hockey Club. The Coyotes' name, history, and other team property were kept by their owner, Alex Meruelo. He had hoped to build a new arena in Arizona by 2029.

Meruelo planned to buy land for an arena in June 2024. But this land auction was canceled by Arizona state officials. After this, Meruelo decided to no longer try to bring the Coyotes back.

History

Original Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996)

The franchise played in Winnipeg as the Jets from 1972 to 1996. They were originally members of the WHA before joining the NHL in 1979. Pictured is Dean Kennedy.

The team started as the Winnipeg Jets. They were one of the first teams in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Jets were very successful in the WHA. They won the Avco World Trophy, the league's championship, three times. They reached the finals in five of the WHA's seven seasons. In 1979, the WHA had money problems and closed down. The Jets were one of four WHA teams allowed to join the NHL.

However, the team did not have the same success in the NHL. When they joined, other NHL teams could reclaim players who had left for the WHA. The Jets lost many of their best players. Because of this, they finished last in the NHL for their first two seasons. This included a season in 1980–81 where they only won nine games. This is still their worst season ever.

Despite a tough start, they improved quickly. They made the playoffs 11 times in the next 15 seasons. But they only won two playoff series. This was mainly because they were in the same division as the strong Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. To reach the finals, they often had to beat these powerful teams. For example, in 1984–85, they had one of their best NHL seasons with 96 points. But the Oilers swept them in the division finals. The team did not win another playoff series for 25 years.

The Jets faced money problems in the 1990s. Player salaries were getting very high. This was especially hard for Canadian teams. Winnipeg was one of the smallest markets in the NHL. Their home arena, Winnipeg Arena, was also small and old. It had no luxury suites. Even with strong fan support, the owner had to sell the team. Several tries to keep the team in Winnipeg did not work out.

Relocation to Phoenix

In October 1995, two businessmen bought the team. They planned to move it to Minneapolis–St. Paul. But they could not get an arena lease there. So, in December, they decided to move the Jets to Phoenix instead.

The team held a contest to choose a new name. "Coyotes" was chosen over other names like "Mustangs" and "Freeze." The coyote is an animal found all over Arizona. This made it a good choice for the team's new home.

Early years in Phoenix (1996–2005)

After moving to Phoenix, the team added star player Jeremy Roenick. He joined forces with Keith Tkachuk and Rick Tocchet. They created a strong offense for the Coyotes. Young players like Shane Doan and goalie Nikolai Khabibulin (nicknamed the "Bulin Wall") also played well. Shane Doan was the last player from the original Winnipeg Jets to play for the Coyotes.

Shane Doan was team captain from 2003 to 2017. He played the most games for the franchise. He was the last Coyotes player to have also played in Winnipeg for the original Jets.

Another important player was veteran forward Mike Gartner. He scored his 700th career goal in 1997. The Coyotes made the playoffs in most of their first years in Arizona. In 2000–01, they earned 90 points but still missed the playoffs. This was unusual.

The Coyotes' first home in Phoenix was America West Arena. It was built for basketball, not hockey. The hockey rink barely fit, and some seats had a blocked view of the ice. This meant fewer tickets could be sold.

In 2001, the team was sold to Steve Ellman. Wayne Gretzky became a part-owner and helped with hockey operations. The closest the team came to winning a playoff series was in 1999. They had a 3–1 lead but lost in overtime of Game 7. In 2002, they had a good season but lost easily in the playoffs.

After 2002, the team struggled. Attendance dropped, and the team lost a lot of money. Ellman tried to improve the arena but decided to build a new one instead. In December 2003, the team moved to Glendale Arena. They also changed their logo and uniforms. In 2005, Ellman sold the team to Jerry Moyes.

Gretzky era (2005–2009)

On August 6, 2005, Brett Hull, son of former Jet Bobby Hull, joined the team. Two days later, Wayne Gretzky became the head coach. He had never coached before. The Coyotes honored Gretzky and Bobby Hull by putting them in their "Ring of Honor."

Drafted in 2005, Martin Hanzal was with the team from 2007 to 2017.

The Coyotes were supposed to host the 2006 NHL All-Star Game. But it was canceled because of the Winter Olympics. The team played a preseason game in Winnipeg in 2006. They lost 5–0 to the Edmonton Oilers.

The 2006–07 season was very bad for the Coyotes. They finished with their worst record since moving to Phoenix. In 2007, Don Maloney became the general manager. He worked with Gretzky.

The 2007–08 season showed some improvement. The Coyotes focused on young players they had drafted, like Peter Mueller and Martin Hanzal. They also got goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, who played very well. Despite low expectations, the team played competitively. They finished eight points short of a playoff spot.

Return to the playoffs and division title (2009–2012)

On September 24, 2009, Dave Tippett became the new head coach. Wayne Gretzky stepped down. In his first season, Tippett led the Coyotes to their first 50-win season in NHL history.

Named head coach in September 2009, Dave Tippett led the Coyotes to their first division championship and three consecutive playoffs. Tippett left the Coyotes in 2017.

On March 27, 2010, the Coyotes made the playoffs. This was their first time since the 2001–02 season. They also reached 100 points for the first time as an NHL team. They finished with 107 points, their highest ever. This earned them the fourth spot in the Western Conference. It gave them home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Their first playoff opponent was the Detroit Red Wings. Game 1 was the first NHL playoff game played in Gila River Arena. However, Shane Doan was injured. The Red Wings won the series in seven games.

The Coyotes played Detroit again in the first round of the 2011 playoffs. They lost that series in four games.

On April 7, 2012, the Coyotes beat the Minnesota Wild to win the Pacific Division title. This was their first and only division title as an NHL team. They were the third seed in the West, giving them home-ice advantage. In the first round, they beat the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. This was their first playoff series win since 1987. The first five games went into overtime, which tied a record. They then beat the Nashville Predators 4–1 in the second round. However, in the Western Conference finals, the Coyotes lost to the Los Angeles Kings in five games. The Kings went on to win the Stanley Cup that year.

Money troubles and attempts to sell the team

In 2008, the media found out the Coyotes were losing a lot of money. The NHL stepped in to help pay the team's bills. In May 2009, the team's owner, Jerry Moyes, tried to sell the team. He wanted to sell it to a Canadian billionaire who planned to move the team to Hamilton, Ontario. The NHL said this deal broke their rules.

From May to September 2009, court hearings were held to decide the team's future. The NHL bought the team and took on its debts. The NHL then worked with the City of Glendale, which owned Gila River Arena, to keep the team there.

Several groups tried to buy the team, but deals kept falling apart. The City of Glendale had to promise to cover the team's losses for the 2010–11 season. This was so the NHL would not move the team. Another deal to sell the team fell apart in 2011. This was partly because of a lawsuit threat over payments Glendale would make. The team stayed in Phoenix for the 2011–12 season only because Glendale paid another $25 million.

Also in 2011, another group bought the Atlanta Thrashers and moved them to Winnipeg. They became the "new" Winnipeg Jets. As part of this, the original Jets' name and logos were transferred to the new Winnipeg team. However, the original Jets' history and records stayed with the Coyotes.

The 2012–13 NHL lockout gave another chance to find an owner. A deal was almost made to sell the team to Greg Jamison. This deal would have kept the Coyotes in Phoenix for 20 years. It also would have changed the team name to "Arizona" instead of "Phoenix." But the deal was not finalized. Another offer from Darin Pastor was rejected by the NHL.

New ownership and the Arizona Coyotes (2013–2024)

David Moss during the 2013–14 season. He scored the club's final goal under the Phoenix name. The club was renamed the Arizona Coyotes the next season.

The NHL planned to move the Coyotes if a new owner and arena lease were not found by July 2, 2013. The team might have moved to Seattle. But on July 2, 2013, the Glendale City Council approved a 15-year lease. A group called Renaissance Sports and Entertainment (RSE) bought the team from the NHL. The team was sold for $225 million. This group included George Gosbee and Anthony LeBlanc. The agreement meant Glendale would pay RSE $15 million per year for arena management. RSE could move the team after five years if they lost $50 million.

On January 29, 2014, the new owners announced a name change. The team would become the "Arizona Coyotes" for the 2014–15 season. This was to include all hockey fans in Arizona, not just Phoenix. The name officially changed on June 27.

After the 2013–14 season, it was reported that Glendale was not getting back as much money as expected from the arena. In October, a new investor, Andrew Barroway, bought a controlling share of the Coyotes. The NHL approved this deal on December 31, 2014.

During the 2014–15 season, the team finished last in their division. On June 10, 2015, the Glendale City Council voted to end its agreement with the Coyotes. But on July 23, 2015, the Coyotes and the City Council agreed on a new two-year deal.

After the 2015–16 season, general manager Don Maloney was fired. He was replaced by John Chayka, who became the youngest NHL GM at 26 years old. In August 2016, Dawn Braid became the first female full-time coach in the NHL for the Coyotes.

On November 14, 2016, the Coyotes announced plans for a new arena in Tempe, Arizona. It was supposed to be ready for the 2019–20 season. But the plan was dropped in February 2017 when Arizona State University pulled out.

At the end of the 2016–17 season, Barroway became the sole owner. Longtime captain Shane Doan was not re-signed. He had been with the team since their Winnipeg days. On June 22, 2017, head coach Dave Tippett left. Rick Tocchet took over on July 11, 2017.

On December 4, 2018, it was announced the team would move to the Central Division in 2021. This was part of a league change after the Seattle Kraken joined. On July 29, 2019, Barroway sold most of his ownership to billionaire Alex Meruelo. Barroway remained a minority owner until his arrest, making Meruelo the sole owner.

For the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season, the Coyotes played in the West Division. They finished fifth and missed the playoffs. After the season, coach Rick Tocchet left. Andre Tourigny was hired as the new head coach on July 1, 2021.

For the 2021–22 season, the Coyotes moved to the Central Division. In the 2021 NHL Draft, the Coyotes drafted Josh Doan, Shane Doan's son. Josh later played for the Coyotes in 2024. On August 19, 2021, the city of Glendale decided not to renew their agreement with the Coyotes for Gila River Arena. The team then started talking with Tempe about building a new arena.

Coyotes and the New York Rangers warm up prior to a game at Mullett Arena, October 2022

On December 8, 2021, the Coyotes were told they would be locked out of Gila River Arena if they did not pay $1.3 million in taxes. The team paid the bills the next day. In January 2022, the Coyotes discussed using Arizona State University's new 5,000-seat arena as a temporary home. On February 10, 2022, the Coyotes signed a three-year deal to play at Mullett Arena. On April 29, 2022, the Coyotes played their last home game at Gila River Arena. They won 5–4 against the Nashville Predators. On October 28, 2022, the Coyotes played their first game at Mullett Arena. It was sold out, but they lost in overtime to the current Winnipeg Jets team.

Team moves to Utah and stops playing

A plan by the Coyotes to build a new arena in Tempe was rejected by the city's residents on May 16, 2023. The arena was estimated to cost $2.1 billion. Despite talk of moving, the team stayed in Arizona. They played at Mullett Arena during the 2023–24 NHL season. The Coyotes also talked with the city of Mesa about an arena, but that plan did not work out. In January 2024, the mayor of Scottsdale opposed a Coyotes' arena plan in northern Phoenix. The Coyotes then said they were committed to staying in Arizona. They planned to win a land auction in Phoenix to build an arena. However, this auction was delayed.

On April 10, 2024, it was reported that the Coyotes were trying to move to Salt Lake City, Utah. This was due to concerns about finding a new arena and playing in Mullett Arena. The NHL bought the franchise and then sold it to Ryan Smith, who owns the Utah Jazz basketball team. The sale was for $1.2 billion. The Utah team will play its home games at the Jazz's arena, the Delta Center.

On April 12, 2024, General Manager Bill Armstrong told the Coyotes players and staff about the team's move. Five days later, on April 17, the Coyotes played their final game at Mullett Arena. They won 5–2 against the Edmonton Oilers. Fans cheered and chanted "we love you Coyotes." After the game, the players stayed on the ice for over an hour. They gave away team gear and signed items for fans. They also took a final team picture. The next day, the sale and move were officially approved. The team was officially put on hold.

It was later explained that the Utah team was considered a new expansion team, not a relocated Coyotes team. The Coyotes franchise was split. Ryan Smith got the players, staff, and draft picks. The Coyotes went "dormant," meaning they stopped playing but still existed. The owner, Alex Meruelo, kept the rights to the Coyotes brand and history. This included the history of the 1972–1996 Winnipeg Jets. He had five years to build a new arena in Arizona. If he succeeded, the Coyotes could return as a new team. If not, he would have to give up the franchise.

On June 21, 2024, the Arizona State Land Department canceled the land auction Meruelo wanted for a new arena. Three days later, it was reported that Meruelo would not try to find more arena options. On June 26, Meruelo told the NHL he was not bringing the team back. He officially gave up his rights to the team on July 10. If the team officially closes, it will be the first major North American professional sports team to do so since 1978.

Team information

Name

When the team moved to Phoenix in 1996, fans voted on a new name. "Coyotes" won over "Scorpions." Both coyotes and scorpions live in the Sonoran Desert. The team owners wanted a name that showed the region. On June 27, 2014, the team changed its name to Arizona Coyotes. This was to represent the whole state.

Logos and jerseys

A signed Coyotes jersey. It shows the kachina-inspired logo used from 1996 to 2003.

When they arrived in Phoenix in 1996, the team used a Southwestern design. Their main logo was a hockey stick-wielding coyote. It was in a kachina-inspired style, which is a Native American art form. The jerseys had green shoulders with red trim. They were white for home games and black for away games. These uniforms were used until 2003. A green third jersey was added in 1998. It had a desert landscape design.

In 2003, the Coyotes changed their look completely. They adopted a howling coyote head logo. They also changed their colors to Sedona red and white. Desert sand and black were used for trim. The team's shoulder patch became the outline of Arizona with "PHX" (for Phoenix).

The Coyotes' primary logo, used from 2003 to 2021.

The Coyotes's shoulder patch, used from 2003 to 2014.

The Coyotes updated their jerseys again for the 2007–08 season. This was part of a league-wide change. The white jersey gained red shoulders and laces at the collar. The "PHX" patch moved to the left shoulder.

A black third jersey was added for the 2008–09 season. It had a new alternate coyote logo on the front. The main coyote head logo was on the right shoulder.

Before the 2014–15 season, the third jersey was no longer used. The "PHX" patch on the home and away jerseys changed to "AZ" to match the new team name.

On June 26, 2015, the Coyotes introduced updated jerseys. They brought black back into the design. Black was used on the sleeves, socks, and pants.

The Coyotes sometimes wore their black Kachina jerseys from 2014–15 to 2016–17. These were similar to the original ones. For the 2018–19 season, the Kachina uniforms returned as a third jersey. In 2020, the black Kachina design became the main home jersey. The previous red "howling coyote" jerseys became an alternate. They also had a purple "Reverse Retro" uniform.

Before the 2021–22 season, the Coyotes brought back the 1996–2003 Kachina logo as their main one. They also revealed a white road version of the Kachina uniforms. The previous "howling coyote" home uniform became an alternate.

In the 2022–23 season, Arizona wore their 1998–2003 Kachina head alternates again. This time, they were sienna-colored. A new alternate uniform was also released. It used the brick red and sand colors from 2003 to 2015. It had kachina patterns at the bottom and on the sleeves. The uniform said "Arizona" in sand with a star. It also had a sand saguaro cactus on the right side of the pants.

Mascot

Howler was the coyote mascot for the Arizona Coyotes. He was introduced on October 15, 2005. The Coyotes' official kids club was called Howler's Kids Club. Howler wore number 96 on his jersey. This number represented the year the Winnipeg Jets moved to Arizona. He also had an "M" for "mascot." Howler was known for beating on a bucket to get fans to cheer. He had many different outfits during games.

Season-by-season record

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Coyotes. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Arizona Coyotes seasons.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Players

Retired and honored numbers

Hall of Famers

Players

• Mike Gartner
• Dale Hawerchuk
• Phil Housley
• Bobby Hull
• Brett Hull
• Jeremy Roenick
• Serge Savard
• Teemu Selanne

First-round draft picks

Note: This list does not include selections of the Winnipeg Jets.

Team scoring leaders

These are the top-ten point-scorers in franchise (Winnipeg, Phoenix, and Arizona) history.

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game

NHL awards and trophies

Jack Adams Award (Best Coach)

• Bob Francis: 2001–02
• Dave Tippett: 2009–10

King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Leadership and Community Service)

• Shane Doan: 2009–10

Mark Messier Leadership Award (Great Leadership)

• Shane Doan: 2011–12

Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Perseverance and Sportsmanship)

• Connor Ingram: 2023–24

Team records

Keith Yandle set the franchise record for most points in a single season by a defenseman, recording 59 points in the 2010–11 season.

Note: This list does not include seasons of the 1972–1996 Winnipeg Jets.

• Most goals in a season: 52, Keith Tkachuk (1996–97)
• Most assists in a season: 53, Ray Whitney (2011–12)
• Most points in a season: 86, Keith Tkachuk (1996–97) and Clayton Keller (2022–23)
• Most penalty minutes in a season: 324, Daniel Carcillo (2007–08)
• Most goals in a season, defenseman: 23, Oliver Ekman-Larsson (2014–15)
• Most points in a season, defenseman: 59, Keith Yandle (2010–11)
• Most points in a season, rookie: 65, Clayton Keller (2017–18)
• Most wins in a season: 42, Ilya Bryzgalov (2009–10)

Team captains

In the NHL, each team chooses a captain. The captain and two alternate captains can talk to the referee about rules during a game. Captains wear a "C" on their uniform.

Note: This list does not include captains from the original Winnipeg Jets (NHL & WHA).

• Keith Tkachuk, 1996–2001
• Teppo Numminen, 2001–2003
• Shane Doan, 2003–2017
• Oliver Ekman-Larsson, 2018–2021

Broadcasting

Television

Before the team stopped playing, these TV stations showed their games:

• KASW (Independent, Phoenix)
• KGUN-DT2 (Laff, Tucson)
• KUPX-TV/KSTU-DT2 (Independent/Antenna TV, Provo–Salt Lake City)
  • KUPX also showed Vegas Golden Knights games. So, games were split between KUPX-TV and KSTU-DT2.

KNXV-TV (Independent, Phoenix) was also involved early in the team's last season. But they stopped showing live games soon after.

On October 5, 2023, the Coyotes made a new deal with Scripps Sports. Games would be shown on Scripps-owned stations in the Coyotes' area. The Coyotes also planned to start a streaming service. In Phoenix, KNXV-TV's Antenna TV channel 15.2 was the main station. Because of other shows on ABC and The CW, KNXV or KASW could not show games on their main channels. But they still planned to show team-produced programs. In November 2023, Scripps announced that KASW would become Arizona 61. It would be the main station for Coyotes TV. The CW would move to KNXV-DT2. When the team stopped playing in 2024, the Coyotes' deal ended early. But the Utah Hockey Club took over the contract with Scripps Sports.

On February 16, 2024, the Coyotes launched Coyotes Central. This was a streaming service for fans to watch games. It cost $11.99 per month or $24.99 for the rest of the 2023–24 season. The service closed after the Coyotes stopped playing on April 18, 2024.

From 1996 to 2008, Fox Sports Arizona and other local TV stations showed Coyotes games.

From the 2007–08 season until 2023, Bally Sports Arizona (formerly Fox Sports Arizona) was the main TV channel for Coyotes games. This was for games not shown on national TV. In October 2023, Bally Sports Arizona's contract with the Coyotes ended. For the 2023–24 season, Scripps Sports became the new main TV channel for Coyotes games.

Radio

In 2021, the Arizona Coyotes made a two-year deal with Bonneville Phoenix. This was to broadcast games on the radio in Phoenix. Games were heard on KMVP-FM or KTAR. In 2023, the deal was extended for one year.

• 98.7/KMVP-FM: Phoenix
• 620/KTAR: Phoenix (when KMVP-FM had another show)
• 92.3/KTAR-FM: Glendale (when KTAR and KMVP-FM had other shows)

See also

In Spanish: Arizona Coyotes para niños

• Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996)
• List of Arizona Coyotes players
• List of Arizona Coyotes broadcasters
• Utah Hockey Club

Images for kids

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  A logo of a coyote howling

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  A logo outline of the state of Arizona with a rising sun graphic and the letters PHX