The Tucson Convention Center (previously named the Tucson Community Center ) is a multi-purpose convention center located in downtown Tucson, Arizona . Built in 1971, the location includes an 8,962-seat indoor arena , two performing arts venues , and 205,000 square feet (19,000 m) of meeting space. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
103-655: Beginning from the fall of 2016, Tucson Arena has been home to the Tucson Roadrunners in the American Hockey League . The University of Arizona Wildcats club hockey team currently plays at Tucson Arena. Although associated with the college , the team receives no funding directly from the school. The hockey team is a Division 1 member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association . Leo Golembiewski had been
206-544: A merger when the financially struggling WHA folded in 1979. However, the club was never able to translate its WHA success into the NHL after the merger. The merger's terms allowed the established NHL teams to reclaim most of the players that had jumped to the upstart league, and the Jets lost most of their best players in the ensuing reclamation draft. As a result, they finished last in the NHL during their first two seasons, including
309-668: A "quarter-million-dollar scheme". By October, IceArizona entered a deal to sell a 51% controlling interest in the Coyotes to Philadelphia -based hedge fund manager Andrew Barroway , who had recently failed in his attempt to purchase the New York Islanders . The deal was approved by the NHL Board of Governors on December 31, 2014. During the 2014–15 season , the team finished last in the Pacific Division with
412-544: A January 4, 2015 concert at the venue, debuting the remodeled arena. Management of the convention center is now handled by ASM Global . Tucson Roadrunners The Tucson Roadrunners are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that began play for the 2016–17 season . Based in Tucson, Arizona , and affiliated with the National Hockey League 's (NHL) Utah Hockey Club ,
515-559: A deal to purchase the Coyotes from the NHL along with a lease agreement with Glendale. However, the Hulsizer deal collapsed in late June 2011 at least in part because of a threatened suit by the Goldwater Institute over the legality of payments that Glendale was to make to Hulsizer before the consortium bought the team. The threat of the suit may have prevented the sale of bonds to finance the payments. The team only stayed in
618-683: A five-year window to reactivate the Coyotes if a new arena was secured, but he abandoned the plan after a land auction was canceled. The Roadrunners announced they would remain in Tucson as the AHL affiliate for the Utah team, with Meruelo retaining his ownership of the Roadrunners. On April 19, 2016, the Arizona Coyotes announced that they had reached an agreement to purchase their AHL affiliate,
721-577: A home-ice advantage in the first round for the first time since 1985. Their first round opponent in the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs were the Detroit Red Wings . Game 1 of the series was the first NHL playoff game to be played in Gila River Arena. However, an injury to Shane Doan sidelined him for most of the series, and the defending conference champion Red Wings defeated the Coyotes in seven games. The Coyotes again faced Detroit in
824-482: A learning disability, during high school in 2016. Soon thereafter, they renounced his draft rights. For the COVID-19 pandemic -shortened 2020–21 season the Coyotes were placed in the reformed West Division and played a division-only 56-game schedule. They finished in fifth place with 54 points, outside of the playoffs. After the season, the team and coach Rick Tocchet mutually agreed to part ways. Andre Tourigny
927-615: A name-the-team contest yielded the official name " Coyotes ". At the time, the name was largely seen as play on the Looney Tunes character Wile E. Coyote of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner since Phoenix was home to several minor league teams and one short-lived WHA team called the Phoenix Roadrunners , including an International Hockey League (IHL) team that was playing there in 1996. However, "Coyotes"
1030-670: A new arena for the Meruelo-owned Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada was ready (with an expected completion date of 2026), the Roadrunners could potentially be relocated there. The Roadrunners consider the San Diego Gulls , the AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks , as their primary rival and refer to them as their " I-8 Border Rival". Additionally, the winner of each season's series between
1133-403: A nine-win season in 1980–81 that is still the worst in franchise history. However, they recovered fairly quickly, making the playoffs 11 times in the next 15 seasons. But the Jets only won two playoff series, largely because they were in the same division as the powerful Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames . Because of the way the playoffs were structured for much of their Winnipeg run, the team
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#17327835305201236-602: A part-owner and head of hockey operations. The closest that they came to advancing past the first round during their first decade in Arizona was during the 1999 playoffs . After building a 3–1 series lead, the Coyotes fell in overtime of game 7 on a goal by Pierre Turgeon of the St. Louis Blues . In 2002 , the Coyotes posted 95 points, one point behind their best total as an NHL team while in Winnipeg, but went down rather meekly to
1339-590: A resolution. On July 24, 2015, the Coyotes announced the City Council had reached a two-year deal. At the conclusion of the 2015–16 season , general manager Don Maloney , who had won General Manager of the Year award in 2010, was fired from his position after eight seasons. The Coyotes replaced Maloney with John Chayka , who, at 26 years of age, became the youngest NHL GM of all time, being promoted from his position as assistant general manager/analytics within
1442-501: A score of 6–5 in front of 6,521 fans. During a home game against the Manitoba Moose on November 19, 2016, Roadrunners player Craig Cunningham collapsed on the ice just before the opening faceoff. He was promptly transported to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with an acute cardiac arrest resulting from ventricular fibrillation , a condition that caused his heart to stop beating. The arena's medical team, in addition to
1545-733: A series of bad luck: the Coyotes were planning to host the 2006 NHL All-Star Game , but the event was canceled because of the 2006 Winter Olympics . The team returned to Winnipeg on September 17, 2006, to play a preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers, but were shut-out 5–0 before a sellout crowd of 15,015. On April 11, 2007, CEO Jeff Shumway announced that General Manager Michael Barnett (Gretzky's agent for over 20 years), senior executive vice president of hockey operations Cliff Fletcher and San Antonio Rampage 's general manager and Coyotes' assistant general manager Laurence Gilman "have been relieved of their duties". The Coyotes finished
1648-593: A show at the arena as part of his "Seriously!?" tour on October 3, 2021. Throughout 2014, the Tucson Convention Center was renovated at a cost of $ 22 million, via funding by the Rio Nuevo downtown redevelopment and revitalization district and the City of Tucson , including new bathrooms, lighting, seats, a revamped sound system, a new kitchen and a video scoreboard. Mike Love 's Beach Boys headlined
1751-487: A shutout in his Coyotes debut against the Los Angeles Kings . Bryzgalov was soon given a three-year contract extension because of his high level of play. Despite predictions of another disastrous season, the Coyotes played competitive hockey for most of the season. However, they finished eight points short of the last playoff spot, with 83 points. On September 24, 2009, Dave Tippett took over coaching duties of
1854-432: A third of the rink and one goal from several sections. As a result, listed capacity had to be cut down from over 18,000 seats to just over 16,000 – the second-smallest in the league at the time – after the first season. Burke bought out Gluckstern in 1998 but was unable to attract more investors to alleviate the team's financial woes. In 2001, Burke sold the team to Phoenix-area developer Steve Ellman, with Wayne Gretzky as
1957-551: The 2022–23 season . On April 29, 2022, the Coyotes played their final home game at the Gila River Arena against the Nashville Predators , with a 5–4 comeback win. On October 28, 2022, the Coyotes would make their debut in the Mullett Arena , which sold out to a crowd of 4,600 people that day, in a 3–2 overtime loss to the current Winnipeg Jets franchise, with Christian Fischer scoring the first two goals of
2060-610: The Arizona State Sun Devils . Doan debuted with Tucson on March 17 and scored his first pro goal two games later on March 21. The Roadrunners qualified for the 2023 Calder Cup playoffs , marking their first appearance since 2018. In the first round, they faced the Coachella Valley Firebirds , where they lost in a win-or-go-home game 3. In the 2023–24 season , the Roadrunners had rookie Josh Doan and goalie Matthew Villalta represent them for
2163-510: The Colorado Avalanche . In addition, the club's home arena, Winnipeg Arena , was one of the smallest in the league; seating just under 15,400 people. It was over 40 years old and had no luxury suites. Despite strong fan support, owner Barry Shenkarow was forced to put the team on the market. Several attempts to keep the team in Winnipeg fell through. In October 1995, Minnesota businessmen Steven Gluckstern and Richard Burke purchased
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#17327835305202266-588: The John B. Sollenberger Trophy . Carcone also set franchise records in goals, assists, points, power-play goals (14), and shots on goal (273), while earning his first career AHL All-Star selection and being named to the AHL First All-Star Team at the end of the season. The Roadrunners also saw the professional debut of forward Josh Doan , joining the team in March 2023 following his sophomore season with
2369-420: The Phoenix Roadrunners , a team name that was used for various Phoenix professional hockey teams from 1967 to 2009, and creates a play on words with its parent club the Coyotes (a reference to the classic cartoon duo of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner ). Its logo, as well, is a close match for the traditional logo used for Phoenix Roadrunners' teams of the past. On October 27, the day before their home opener,
2472-866: The Phoenix metropolitan area , which competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024), the Pacific Division (1998–2020) in the Western Conference , and the West Division (2020–2021). They played at America West Arena (now Footprint Center ) in downtown Phoenix from 1996 to 2003, at Glendale 's Gila River Arena (now Desert Diamond Arena ) from 2003 to 2022, and at Mullett Arena in Tempe from 2022 to 2024. The organization
2575-602: The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus , concerts , monster truck shows as well as many live WWE television broadcasts featuring Raw , SmackDown & ECW . In 1999, the arena hosted an Empty Arena match between The Rock and Mankind for the WWF Championship , which aired during halftime of Super Bowl XXXIII . While McKale Center was being built at the University of Arizona,
2678-482: The San Jose Sharks in five games. From then until the 2007–08 season, the Coyotes were barely competitive and managed to break the 80-point barrier only once during that time. Attendance levels dropped considerably, worrying many NHL executives. In addition, an unfavorable arena lease at city-owned America West Arena had the team suffering massive financial losses (as much as $ 40 million a year at one point);
2781-622: The Springfield Falcons , and would relocate the team to Tucson for the 2016–17 season. Said purchase and relocation was contingent on three approvals; the first from Rio Nuevo (Tucson's downtown revitalization authority) to invest $ 3.2 million in arena upgrades to bring the Convention Center to professional-quality standards was approved on April 26, the second from the AHL Board of Governors to conditionally approve
2884-405: The 2006–07 season 31–46–5, their worst record since relocating to Phoenix. On May 29, Jeff Shumway announced Don Maloney had agreed to a multi-year contract to become general manager of the Coyotes. As per club policy, the terms of the contract were not disclosed. However, as had been the case with all general managers since 2001, Maloney served in an advisory role to Gretzky. The 2007–08 season
2987-513: The 2019–20 season. On July 29, 2019, Barroway sold controlling interest in the Coyotes to billionaire Alex Meruelo , with Barroway remaining as a minority owner until his arrest, which left Meruelo the sole owner of the franchise. During the 2020 NHL entry draft , the Coyotes received widespread backlash and criticism for drafting Mitchell Miller in the fourth round (111th pick overall), after allegations surfaced that he had bullied and discriminated against an African-American classmate having
3090-418: The 2024 AHL All-Star Game. Doan finished the regular season with 26 goals and 20 assists for 46 points in 62 games, as his 26 goals ranked first on the Roadrunners along with all rookies in the AHL, while Villalta led the AHL with 31 wins. The Roadrunners finished the regular season with a 43–23–4–2 record and finished second in the AHL's Pacific Division, with their 43 wins marking the most in a single season for
3193-475: The 4,600-seat Mullett Arena in Tempe , the NHL facilitated the sale of the Coyotes franchise to Utah-based billionaire Ryan Smith on April 18, 2024, after the NHL Board of Governors voted to establish a team in Utah using the Coyotes' hockey assets; however, rather than formally relocate, the Coyotes franchise was instead marked "inactive", with Utah considered a hybrid (due to transfer of assets) expansion team. Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo retained his rights to
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3296-454: The AHL announced the cancelation for the remainder of the 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Roadrunners were awarded the Pacific division title for having the best record in the division when play was suspended and later canceled. Prior to the postponed start of the 2020–21 season , head coach Varady joined the Coyotes' staff as an assistant coach and assistant Steve Potvin
3399-539: The Canadian group were Executive Chairman & Governor George Gosbee; President, CEO & Alternate Governor Anthony LeBlanc; Alternate Governor Craig Stewart; and Directors Gary J. Drummond, W. David Duckett, William "Bill" Dutton, Robert Gwin, Scott Saxberg and Richard Walter. RSE partnered with Global Spectrum (owners of the Philadelphia Flyers ) for help in managing Gila River Arena. The agreement had
3502-536: The Chicago Blackhawks in six games, the franchise's first playoff series win since 1987. The first five games went to overtime, tying a record when the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs did it in the 1951 Stanley Cup Finals . They faced the Nashville Predators in the second round, winning the first two games and the series 4–1. However, in the conference finals, the Coyotes fell to
3605-468: The City of Glendale giving RSE US$ 15 million per year for management fees. There was a clause stipulating RSE could relocate the team after five years if it accrued US$ 50 million in losses. On January 29, 2014, the new ownership group announced that the team would change its name to the "Arizona Coyotes" for the 2014–15 season. According to Coyotes club president Anthony LeBlanc, the change was made to reflect
3708-409: The City of Glendale. The team paid the bills the next day, citing "unfortunate human error" as the cause of the issue. In late January 2022, the Coyotes were in talks with Arizona State University (ASU) to use their new 5,000-seat arena as a temporary home arena for the next few years. On February 10, 2022, the Coyotes signed a three-year agreement to play their games at Mullett Arena , starting with
3811-595: The Coyotes beyond the 2021–22 season, as the team's lease had been renewed each year since 2016. The franchise entered negotiations with Tempe to develop a new arena on an old solid waste compost yard, but the terrain had problems regarding environmental remediation . On September 3, they submitted a proposal to build a new arena in Tempe. On December 8, 2021, the Coyotes were informed that they would be locked out of Gila River Arena on December 20, 2021, if they did not pay $ 1.3 million owed in taxes, including $ 250,000 to
3914-589: The Coyotes have yet to recover from the resulting financial problems. Ellman put forward numerous proposals to improve the hockey sightlines in America West Arena in hopes of boosting capacity back over the 17,000 mark. However, none of these got beyond the planning stages, leading Ellman to commit to building a new arena. After nearly three years of proposals to build an arena on the former Los Arcos Mall in Scottsdale and having difficulty financing
4017-484: The Coyotes should a deal with the city for a new lease and new ownership not be decided by July 2, 2013. The plan was to move the franchise to a new city, likely Seattle . On July 2, 2013, by a vote of 4–3, the Glendale City Council approved a 15-year lease agreement with Renaissance Sports and Entertainment (RSE), which purchased the team from the NHL for US$ 225 million by August 5, 2013. The members of
4120-406: The Coyotes staff. In August 2016, Dawn Braid was hired as the Coyotes' skating coach, making her the first female full-time coach in the NHL. On November 14, 2016, the Coyotes announced plans to build a new arena in Tempe, Arizona , which was scheduled to be completed for the 2019–20 NHL season. The project would have included an adjoining 4,000-seat arena to be used for Coyotes practices and as
4223-504: The Coyotes, the National Lacrosse League 's Arizona Sting and the lease to Gila River Arena to trucking magnate Jerry Moyes , who was also a part-owner of Major League Baseball 's Arizona Diamondbacks . On August 6, 2005, Brett Hull , son of former Jet Bobby Hull , was signed and promptly assigned the elder Hull's retired number 9. Two days later, Gretzky named himself head coach, replacing Rick Bowness , despite
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4326-653: The Coyotes. The team began play as the Winnipeg Jets , one of the founding franchises in the World Hockey Association (WHA). The Jets were the most successful team in the short-lived WHA, winning the Avco World Trophy , the league's championship trophy, three times and making the finals five out of the WHA's seven seasons. It then became one of the four teams admitted to the NHL as part of
4429-516: The Los Angeles Kings (who eventually went on to win the Cup that year) in game five of a 4–1 series. In December 2008, the media became aware the Coyotes were suffering massive losses and that the NHL was paying the team's bills. The media reports were minimized by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and vice-president Bill Daly. However, Moyes had secretly given operational control of the team to
4532-625: The NHL's permission, the Coyotes were making efforts to relocate to Salt Lake City, Utah , following concerns about an indefinite timeframe for finding a new arena and the effects of continued play at Mullett Arena, in the interim. This led to the NHL buying the franchise then reselling it to Ryan Smith , owner of the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA), for a reported $ 1.2 billion. Of that payment, $ 1 billion went to Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo for
4635-485: The NHL, while Reinsdorf had won the approval of the City of Glendale. On May 7, 2010, ESPN.com reported the Reinsdorf bid had fallen apart and that the City of Glendale was working with Ice Edge to purchase the team in a last-ditch effort to keep them in Arizona. The National Post criticized both bids, as they were conditional on municipal taxpayers covering any losses the Coyotes might incur, and suggested that keeping
4738-528: The Oilers in the division finals. The franchise did not win another playoff series for 25 years. The Jets ran into financial trouble when player salaries began spiralling up in the 1990s; this hit the Canadian teams particularly hard. Winnipeg was the second-smallest market in the NHL for most of the Jets' existence and became the smallest after the Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995 to become
4841-484: The Phoenix Coyotes after Wayne Gretzky stepped down hours before. In just 61 games, Tippett led the Coyotes to more wins in their 2009–10 regular season (37) than their previous season (36), en route to the first 50-win season in the franchise's NHL history. On March 27, 2010, the Coyotes clinched a playoff spot, their first playoff spot since the 2001–02 season, and in the process, reached the 100-point mark for
4944-456: The Phoenix Coyotes franchise in 2009 when then-owner Jerry Moyes gave up the team after filing for bankruptcy . The NHL maintained control of the franchise until 2013 when they found new ownership willing to keep it in Arizona. Despite a difficult working relationship with the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, the Coyotes were able to secure a year-to-year arrangement to play in the facility up until
5047-494: The Phoenix Suns, it was designed specifically as a basketball venue, with sight lines optimized for the smaller playing surface of that sport, and not with hockey in mind. The floor was just barely large enough to fit a standard NHL rink, forcing the Coyotes to hastily re-engineer it to accommodate the 200-foot rink. The configuration left a portion of one end of the upper deck hanging over the boards and ice, obscuring almost
5150-481: The Phoenix area for the 2011–12 season after another $ 25 million payment by the City of Glendale. Also in 2011, former Coyotes bidders True North Sports and Entertainment purchased the Atlanta Thrashers and moved them to Winnipeg, thus ending any possibility that the Coyotes would return to Manitoba. As part of the transaction, the NHL agreed to transfer the Jets' name, logos, and related trademarks from
5253-525: The Roadrunners announced their first general manager, Doug Soetaert , promoted from his former position as a scout for the Coyotes. The Roadrunners played their first-ever game on October 14, 2016, against the San Diego Gulls at Pechanga Arena , losing 5–3. Roadrunners' inaugural captain Craig Cunningham scored the team's first two goals in franchise history. The Roadrunners played their first home game two weeks later on October 28, winning by
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#17327835305205356-568: The Roadrunners finished in first place in the Pacific Division but were eliminated by the Texas Stars in the division finals of the 2018 Calder Cup playoffs . Van Ryn then left to pursue other coaching opportunities and was hired by the St. Louis Blues . The Coyotes then hired Jay Varady as head coach of the Roadrunners for the 2018–19 season after a successful season as coach of the Kingston Frontenacs . On May 12, 2020,
5459-491: The Roadrunners play their home games at the Tucson Convention Center Arena . In April 2016, the Arizona Coyotes announced they would relocate their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons , to Tucson ahead of the 2016–17 season. Following the 2023–24 season, the Coyotes were deactivated by the NHL, and their operations were transferred to a new expansion team in Utah. Owner Alex Meruelo was given
5562-713: The Roadrunners unveiled their mascot, Dusty the Roadrunner. Dusty wears number 16 on his jersey, representing the year the Springfield Falcons relocated to Tucson in 2016. On June 21, 2016, Mark Lamb was hired as the team's first head coach after holding the same position with the Western Hockey League 's Swift Current Broncos since 2009. Mark Hardy was hired as an assistant coach. The team named its first president Brian Sandy, along with three other key staff members, on July 18. On July 20,
5665-570: The Roadrunners winning the 2023–24 season series 7–1–0–0. Updated November 27, 2024. Figures are updated as of the conclusion of the 2023–24 season. These are the top-ten point-scorers for the Tucson Roadrunners in the AHL. Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game; = current Roadrunners player Arizona Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in
5768-470: The Roadrunners, confirming that they would continue as the AHL affiliate for the Utah Hockey Club , and initially announced his intention to move the Roadrunners from Tucson to Mullett Arena (either part-time or full-time) before rescinding those comments the next day, stating that he "spoke too soon". The lease agreement with Mullett Arena is specifically for an NHL team, and any adjustments to
5871-482: The Roadrunners; which helped them clinch home-ice advantage for the first round of the 2024 Calder Cup playoffs and bring home playoff games to Tucson for the first time since 2018. However, Tucson was upset by the Calgary Wranglers in the first round, losing the first two games in a best-of-three series. Following concerns about an indefinite timeframe on a new arena and the effects of continued play at
5974-802: The Wildcats briefly considered playing some of its 1971-72 men's basketball games at Tucson Arena, but eventually decided against doing so, opting to remain in Bear Down Gymnasium until McKale Center was ready. The arena also hosted concerts by Elvis Presley on November 9, 1972 and June 1, 1976. He previous had performed at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds on June 10, 1956. During the 2016 presidential race Donald Trump spoke in front of approximately 5000 people, for which his campaign still owes over $ 80,000 for local police and other services. Ventriloquist and comedian Jeff Dunham hosted
6077-415: The arena situation and to find an alternative to a college arena considered too small even for temporary usage, the Coyotes suspended hockey operations following the conclusion of the 2023–24 season . In a deal brokered by the NHL, the Coyotes were essentially split in half. The team's hockey assets (players, staff and draft picks) were transferred to the Utah Hockey Club , an expansion franchise awarded at
6180-490: The city of Mesa about a potential arena at the Fiesta Mall site, but that plan was ultimately rejected for unknown reasons. In January 2024, Scottsdale mayor David Ortega announced his opposition to a Coyotes' proposal, which planned an arena in northern Phoenix near the border of Scottsdale. Following this, the Coyotes initially stated on social media their commitment to keeping the team in Arizona. They announced that
6283-428: The decision by the Arizona State Land Department to cancel their June 27 land auction. The city of Tucson and the Roadrunners also agreed on an amended license agreement to keep the team in Tucson through the 2026–2027 season, adding a year upon their original ten-year lease at the Tucson Convention Center. However, following the decision by Alex Meruelo to walk away from his Coyotes ownership, reports emerged that once
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#17327835305206386-439: The end of the 2021–22 season. Negotiations with the city deteriorated, and the team subsequently signed an agreement to play their games at Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State University , starting with the 2022–23 season. The arrangement was intended to be brief, lasting only up until a new arena was built in Tempe, but the arena proposal was rejected by the city's residents in May 2023. Amid growing pressure to resolve
6489-414: The end of the season. After arriving in Phoenix, the team posted six consecutive .500 or better seasons, making the playoffs in every year but one. The one time they did not make the playoffs, in 2000–01 , they became the first team to earn 90 points and miss the playoffs. The Coyotes' original home, America West Arena , was suboptimal for hockey. Although considered a state-of-the-art arena when built for
6592-435: The fact he had never coached at any level of hockey. The Coyotes "Ring of Honor" was unveiled on October 8, inducting Gretzky (who had never played for the organization, but whose number 99 was retired by all NHL teams after his retirement in 1999) and Bobby Hull. Only a week later, Brett Hull announced his retirement. On January 21, 2006, Jets great Thomas Steen was the third inductee to the "Ring of Honor". Another moment in
6695-429: The fact the team is no longer located within Phoenix city limits and to include all hockey fans in the state of Arizona. Aside from a new shoulder patch, the team's uniform design did not change. The name officially changed on June 27. Following the conclusion of the 2013–14 season , it was reported that lackluster revenue from parking and non-hockey events enabled the City of Glendale to recoup just $ 4.4 million, which
6798-465: The fate of the Coyotes and the holding company. Two potential bidders for the team surfaced, Reinsdorf and Ice Edge Holdings, but they did not submit a bid for the team. Instead, the NHL put in the only rival bid to Balsillie for the team, while it contended the Moyes–Balsillie deal violated NHL rules. The bankruptcy court voided the planned sale to Balsillie, accepting the NHL's argument that bankruptcy could not be used to circumvent NHL rules. The NHL's bid
6901-428: The first round of the 2011 playoffs , losing the series in four games. On April 7, 2012, the Coyotes defeated the Minnesota Wild 4–1 to win the Pacific Division title – their first and only division title as an NHL team (in Winnipeg or Phoenix). This gave them the third seed in the West, and with it home-ice advantage in a playoff series for only the third time in franchise history. In the first round, they defeated
7004-407: The first time ever as an NHL team, and the first time overall since the 1977–78 (WHA) Jets scored 102 points. They finished with 107 points, the highest point total in the franchise's 38-year history. This was good enough for fourth overall in the NHL, tying the 1984–85 Jets for the franchise's highest finish as an NHL team. They also qualified for the fourth seed in the Western Conference, giving them
7107-408: The franchise at the arena for that game. A proposal by the Coyotes to build a new arena in Tempe was rejected by residents of the city on May 16, 2023. The arena was estimated to cost $ 2.1 billion, with $ 1.9 billion of the cost privately funded. Despite speculation on immediate relocation, the team remained in Arizona, playing at Mullett Arena during the 2023–24 NHL season . The Coyotes spoke with
7210-474: The head coach for 27 years, leading the team to 21 straight national tournaments, with eight semi-final appearances and one national championship . The current coach is Chad Berman. On August 23, 2018, the Indoor Football League announced the addition of the expansion Tucson Sugar Skulls to begin play in 2019. The Tucson Convention Center has been host to many other events including the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show , Jehovah's Witnesses Regional Conventions,
7313-419: The home for the Arizona State University hockey team. However, the arena project was withdrawn when ASU pulled out of the deal in February 2017. At the end of the 2016–17 season, Barroway bought out the rest of the IceArizona ownership group and became the sole owner of the franchise. Following the transfer, former IceArizona CEO Anthony LeBlanc and the director of hockey operations Gary Drummond both left
7416-492: The league-owned Coyotes to True North and the Thrashers thus becoming the "new" Winnipeg Jets . However, the original Jets' history remains with the Coyotes organization. The 2012–13 NHL lockout provided another opportunity for the Coyotes to find a potential owner and avoid relocation while the NHL suspended team operations during the labor dispute. A deal to former San Jose Sharks owner Greg Jamison had been drafted just as
7519-532: The league. In May 2009, Moyes put the team into bankruptcy hours before Bettman was to present him an offer to sell the team to Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf . Moyes intended to sell the team to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie , who in turn intended to purchase the team out of bankruptcy and move it to Hamilton, Ontario . The NHL responded by stripping Moyes of his remaining ownership authority. From May until September 2009, hearings were held in Phoenix bankruptcy court to determine
7622-580: The lease agreement with the ASU -owned arena would need to be approved by the Arizona Board of Regents . Furthermore, Tucson city officials received no communication from Meruelo on the intended move, nor did the Roadrunners franchise. On May 28, 2024, the Roadrunners initially announced that they would play six of its 36 home games during the 2024–25 season at Mullett Arena, but later announced they would play all 36 of their home games in Tucson, following
7725-466: The lockout ended, but failed to be finalized and fulfilled by January 31, 2013. The deal would have kept the Coyotes in Phoenix for the next 20 years relying on a taxpayer subsidy, according to the agreement. It would also have had "Phoenix" dropped from the name and instead used "Arizona". California investment executive Darin Pastor also submitted a bid to purchase the Coyotes. His bid proposed to keep
7828-486: The move occurred the team added established superstar Jeremy Roenick from the Chicago Blackhawks , in exchange for trading Alexei Zhamnov . Roenick teamed up with power wingers Keith Tkachuk and Rick Tocchet to form a dynamic 1–2–3 offensive punch that led the Coyotes through their first years in Arizona. Also impressive were young players like Shane Doan (he eventually was the last remaining player from
7931-450: The move to Mullett Arena but had been rediscovered by a local fan), and following the end of the game the fans gave the outgoing team a standing ovation, and the players, in turn, spent over an hour afterward on the ice giving away team apparel and equipment (also signing a majority of the fan gifts), as well as taking a final team picture on the ice and taking turns hugging and thanking longtime equipment manager Stan Wilson, who had moved with
8034-560: The organization. On June 19, 2017, the Coyotes opted not to re-sign long time captain Shane Doan, who had been with the franchise since they were the Winnipeg Jets. The Coyotes left Doan a standing offer to remain with the team in a non-playing role. On June 22, 2017, head coach Dave Tippett left his positions within the Coyotes after eight seasons, and was succeeded by Rick Tocchet on July 11, 2017. On December 4, 2018, it
8137-401: The ownership was intent on winning a land auction for 110 acres (45 ha) of state-owned land between Scottsdale Road and Loop 101 in Phoenix to build an arena. However, the auction had been delayed from January to June 2024, which likely played a part into the ownership's final decision with the franchise near the end of the 2023–24 season. On April 10, 2024, it was reported that, with
8240-480: The purchase and relocation by the Coyotes was approved on May 10, and the third from the Tucson City Council for a 10-year lease with the Convention Center was approved on May 17. A name-the-team contest was held between May 17 and May 31. The hockey club's new name and logo were revealed on June 18 during the Tucson Convention Center's open house event. The chosen name, Roadrunners, pays homage to
8343-627: The purchase of the Coyotes and finishing demolition of Los Arcos, along with infighting in the Scottsdale City Council, Ellman looked toward the West Valley, and in December 2003, the team moved into Glendale Arena (which then became known as Jobing.com Arena during the 2006–07 NHL season ). Simultaneously, the team changed its logo and uniforms, moving from the multi-colored kit to a more streamlined look. In 2005, Ellman sold
8446-600: The renovations made to Climate Pledge Arena before the Kraken began play in the NHL two seasons prior. On April 12, 2024, ahead of a 3–2 overtime win against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place , general manager Bill Armstrong officially disclosed the news of the team's impending sale and relocation to Coyotes players and staff. Five days later, on April 17, the Coyotes played their final game at Mullett Arena, and ultimately their last game before deactivation, against
8549-514: The sale (with Meruelo agreeing to refund the money to the NHL as an expansion fee should his efforts to locate a new home for the franchise succeed) and $ 200 million went to the NHL's other 31 owners, as the equivalent of a relocation fee. The Utah team will play its home games at the Jazz's home arena, the Delta Center . Renovations will be required to make it the team's permanent home, similar to
8652-402: The same Oilers team. With the fans engaging in one last Whiteout (and audibly heard chanting phrases such as "Salt Lake sucks" and "we love you Coyotes" throughout the game), the Coyotes won 5–2, with Sean Durzi scoring the final goal of the team's first incarnation, into an empty net . Amongst the events of the game, Shane Doan was given his retirement banner (which had been lost by the team in
8755-519: The same time to Ryan Smith and based in Salt Lake City . The Coyotes' name, history and other intellectual property were initially retained by Meruelo, who had intended to build a new arena in Arizona by 2029. Meruelo hoped to win a parcel of land at an auction in June 2024. When this auction was canceled by Arizona state authorities, Meruelo left the franchise and abandoned his efforts to revive
8858-426: The second-worst record in the NHL. On June 10, 2015, Glendale City Council voted to terminate its 15-year, $ 225 million agreement with the Coyotes. The city claimed "It was entitled to terminate the agreement because two former city employees, Craig Tindall and Julie Frisoni, were involved in securing the deal and later worked for the Coyotes." On July 23, 2015, it was announced the Coyotes and City Council had agreed on
8961-406: The staff at St. Mary's Hospital and Banner-University Medical Center , worked continuously for 85 minutes to administer CPR and ultimately succeeded in saving his life. On October 27, 2017, the Roadrunners retired Cunningham's No. 14 jersey during a pregame ceremony. After one season, Lamb was released and replaced by Mike Van Ryn , the player development coach with the Coyotes. Under Van Ryn,
9064-418: The starting goaltender position with Mikael Tellqvist acting as the backup goaltender. Neither Auld or Aebischer were able to hold on to the starting position, leaving the Coyotes to turn to the waiver wire for assistance. On November 17, 2007, the Coyotes were able to claim Ilya Bryzgalov off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks . Bryzgalov responded by not only starting in goal the day he was acquired but posting
9167-506: The team in Phoenix was never economically viable. In July 2010, the Ice Edge bid collapsed because it did not satisfy Glendale's financial conditions. Ice Edge decided to concentrate on an effort to purchase a minor league team. The City of Glendale had to step in and guarantee the team's losses for 2010–11 as a precondition of the NHL not transferring the franchise. A consortium of investors led by Chicago investor Matt Hulsizer then reached
9270-455: The team in the Glendale area while engaging young hockey players in the region through school partnerships and scholarship efforts. The NHL rejected Pastor's bid on May 13, 2013, citing the bid was "inconsistent with what we had previously indicated were the minimum prerequisites" of a bid. Because the team had been in bankruptcy since 2009 and lost revenue each year, the NHL planned to move
9373-580: The team with plans to move it to Minneapolis–St. Paul , which had lost the Minnesota North Stars in 1993, for the 1996–97 season . However, in December, after they were unable to secure a lease at Minneapolis' Target Center , they opted to move the Jets to Phoenix instead. Minnesota was ultimately awarded an expansion team in 1997, the Minnesota Wild . After the franchise considered "Mustangs", "Outlaws", "Wranglers" and "Freeze",
9476-628: The team's days in Winnipeg), Oleg Tverdovsky , and goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin , whom the fans nicknamed the "Bulin Wall". Another key addition to the squad was veteran forward Mike Gartner , who had joined from the Toronto Maple Leafs . Despite his experience and scoring his 700th career goal on December 15, 1997, Gartner battled injuries in the latter half of the 1997–98 season. The Coyotes did not renew his contract and he retired at
9579-451: The two teams is presented with the "I-8 Border Cup Trophy", which has been in the possession of the Roadrunners since the 2018–19 season. As of the 2023–24 season, the two teams have faced each other 72 times during the regular season, which is the highest number of games that the Roadrunners have played against any opponent. The Roadrunners current record against the Gulls is 38–31–2–1, with
9682-459: Was all but assured of having to defeat either the Oilers or the Flames (or both) to reach the conference finals. In 1984–85 , for instance, they finished with the fourth-best record in the NHL with 96 points, at the time their best as an NHL team. However, they were swept by the Oilers in the division finals. Two seasons later , they dispatched the Flames in the first round, only to be swept again by
9785-407: Was also declared insufficient, but the judge left the window open to an improved bid. Moyes and the NHL settled, with the NHL purchasing the team and assuming all debts. The NHL negotiated a temporary lease with the City of Glendale, which owns Gila River Arena. The NHL then negotiated with Reinsdorf and Ice Edge toward a deal with Glendale. Ice Edge signed a letter of intent to purchase the team from
9888-561: Was announced that the team would move to the Central Division in 2021, changing divisions for the second time since relocating to Arizona, as part of a league realignment following the addition of the Seattle Kraken . The team previously played in the Central Division for their first two seasons following their relocation from Winnipeg in 1996. On December 20, 2018, the team extended their lease in Gila River Arena through
9991-401: Was considered suitable in any case since the coyote is endemic to the whole of Arizona, unlike the roadrunner , which is only found in the southern and western regions of the state. The Roadrunners only played one more season before leaving Phoenix; however, the Coyotes later revived the "Roadrunners" nickname for their American Hockey League affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners . In the summer
10094-495: Was established on December 27, 1971, as the Winnipeg Jets , a charter franchise of the World Hockey Association (WHA). After seven WHA seasons they were one of four organizations enfranchised by the NHL on June 22, 1979, when the WHA ceased operations. Due to financial troubles, the Jets were sold to American owners who moved the team to Phoenix on July 1, 1996, where they were renamed the Phoenix Coyotes . The franchise
10197-463: Was hired as head coach of the Coyotes on July 1, 2021. For the 2021–22 season , the Coyotes moved into the Central Division upon the arrival of the Kraken in the Pacific Division . In the 2021 NHL entry draft , the Coyotes would select Josh Doan , son of former Coyotes player Shane Doan ; Josh would later play with the Coyotes in 2024. On August 19, 2021, the city of Glendale and the Gila River Arena chose to not renew their operating agreement with
10300-450: Was promoted to head coach of the Roadrunners. Varady returned to the Roadrunners as head coach before the 2021–22 season . Following the season, Varady departed for the Detroit Red Wings as an assistant coach, with Potvin being renamed as head coach for the 2022–23 season . In the 2022–23 season, Roadrunners forward Michael Carcone led the AHL in total scoring with 31 goals, 54 assists, and 85 total points in 65 games played, winning
10403-478: Was renamed the Arizona Coyotes on June 27, 2014. Alex Meruelo became the majority owner on July 29, 2019, later becoming the franchise's sole owner following the arrest of minority owner Andrew Barroway . The team failed to gain long-term stability despite the relocation to the state of Arizona, enduring multiple changes in ownership and struggling for a profitable arena for home games. The NHL took over
10506-445: Was significantly less than the $ 6.8 million the city expected to receive back from sources including parking receipts, ticket sales and naming rights for the arena. On June 4, 2014, it was reported that a Scottsdale, Arizona , public-relations firm had sued IceArizona, the owner of the Phoenix Coyotes, alleging the NHL club had reneged on a sponsorship deal worth nearly $ 250,000. A Coyotes spokesman responded to this issue by calling it
10609-528: Was something of a resurgence for the Coyotes. After their disastrous 2006–07 campaign, the Coyotes looked to rebuild the team by relying on their drafted talent such as Peter Mueller and Martin Hanzal to make the team successful as opposed to using free agency. The Coyotes also acquired Radim Vrbata from the Chicago Blackhawks for Kevyn Adams in an effort to provide the team with more offense. The team signed both Alex Auld and David Aebischer to compete for
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