Utah NHL team already eyeing massive free agent signing

Over the last few days, news has been breaking fast that the NHL is finalizing a deal to relocate the Arizona Coyotes to Salt Lake City, Utah. Already, the next NHL team is looking at a massive free agent signing.

According to Elliotte Friedman on today's 32 Thoughts Podcast, Ryan Smith and the ownership group in Utah is already looking at significant trades and free agent signings to really bolster the Coyotes roster.




Treating the new Coyotes roster as an expansion franchise, it's important to actually make the roster competitive so the fans become invested in the team. To do this, the owners in Utah are expected to be very aggressive in free agency, and there's some seriously interesting names available. Steven Stamkos, Sam Reinhart, Jake Guentzel, Tyler Bertuzzi, and much more high quality players could be available. Out of the desert and into a new and exciting market, the Utah NHL team will likely be able to draw players much easier than the Coyotes.


The Coyotes as an organization truly went out with a whimper. After announcing plans to buy land and build an arena to get out of their minor league rink, team owner Alex Meruelo instead turned around and facilitated the relocation of the team. There's reports that Meruelo may find a way to brink the Coyotes back in future years, but the NHL would be sorely mistaken to let him near the operations of the team again.