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The Arizona Coyotes will dress today for their final home game against the Edmonton Oilers. Forward Josh Doan who recently made his debut for the Coyotes on March 26 and scored two goals in the 6-2 win over Columbus Blue Jackets, shared a heartfelt message with the Coyotes' fan.
He shared his pain with the fans and said that he is also grieving as the Coyotes leave Arizona:
"A big thank you to them for all they've done for us. There's a lot of disappointed people, it's gonna hurt. As a player, I'm apologetic for everything, but as someone who's grown up in the Valley, I know the pain as well," said Doan, reflecting on the fans' unwavering support.
Doan didn't say much about the rumored relocation to Salt Lake City. He instead reminded the fans in the Valley that Arizona was still their team,
"We'll enjoy one last game and who knows what's going to happen down the road, the Coyotes are still Arizona's team for one more day."
The Arizona Coyotes' journey to this point has been marked by challenges, particularly in securing a suitable NHL arena in Arizona after leaving Gila River Arena. A lot of issues have led this team to this dead end, some of it are ownership dysfunction, inconsistent performance, and off-ice controversies.
Now with the Arizona Coyotes preparing for their last home game, emotions are running high as the team bids farewell to their home arena.
Arizona Coyotes face end of era: Likely move to Utah signals fresh start
The Arizona Coyotes face the end of an era as they prepare for a likely move to Utah after 28 years in the desert. Coyotes season-ticket holder Ryan Travis expressed devastation.
"My family was raised around them, my kids play hockey because of them," Travis said via (arizonasports.com)
Owner Alex Meruelo's attempts to keep the team in Arizona failed due to challenges with the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena and delays in securing a new arena site. Meruelo's decision to sell the team's hockey operations for $1.2 billion, with $200 million for NHL owners as a relocation fee, marks the end of hockey in Arizona for the foreseeable future.
Despite on-ice struggles and a recent rebuilding effort, the team's move to Utah signals a fresh start. DelPrincipe reflects a sentiment of limbo among fans, torn between loyalty to players and skepticism towards ownership. The franchise's relocation shows the challenges of sustaining NHL hockey in non-traditional markets.
