NHL insider reveals Arizona Coyotes failed to make hotel payments, were demanded to pay with certified cheques

The Arizona Coyotes reportedly failed to make hotel payments while the team was on the road.

On his "Daily Faceoff" podcast, NHL insider Frank Seravalli said that he had been told the Arizona Coyotes were not paying their hotel bills. That forced hotels to require the franchise to pay for their rooms in advance or the team would be denied permission to stay.

"Seravalli said earlier in the season Coyotes weren't paying their hotel bills and hotels around the league banded together and demanded Coyotes paid for their hotel stays upfront with a certified cheque."

An NHL team not paying for their hotel is unheard of and is the latest in the saga of involving franchise owner Alex Merulo. That hotels would demand advanced payment from the Arizona Coyotes is certainly bad publicity.

NHL Rumors: More about the Arizona Coyotes' potential move to Salt Lake City

The Arizona Coyotes have been playing their home games at the Mullet Arena since 2022, however, earlier this week it was revealed that they may be relocating from Arizona to Utah.

The league would reportedly buy the franchise for $1 billion and then sell it to Ryan Smith, the owner of the Utah Jazz, for $1.3 billion, with the other 31 owners splitting the $300 million.

Smith spoke to The Athletic about the situation:

“People who know me know I’m pretty direct. If that were the intention, I would just come out and say that,” Smith said to The Athletic, when asked if he is targeting the Coyotes.

“We’re not about trying to mess with anybody else’s world. I know what it’s like to be in a partnership like we are in the NBA. There is a way to go about it.

“I don’t want to get involved with how they deliver a team. We’re showing that we’re ready, and that’s what we’re putting forward,” Smith said. “We talk to them frequently. They know our interest. They see what’s going on. They see the value, and they’re intrigued.”

While there is a long way to go before any sort of deal can be made, the rumors have the Coyotes moving to Utah. As to whether that will happen, and what that would mean for the NHL's divisions remains to be seen.