NHL commissioner offers update on Coyotes' arena situation

National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman provided an update on the Arizona Coyotes’ arena search in conversation with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shortly after the league’s board of governors met on Thursday afternoon.

The Coyotes are set to spend the 2023-24 season playing out of the 4,600-seat Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State University as they continue to seek a site to build a new NHL-sized facility. They had previously sought to build a 16,000-seat arena in Tempe, but that proposal was defeated by a public vote in May.

Bettman reiterated that the Coyotes are in the midst of evaluating different arena sites in and around Phoenix and more clarity on the situation is expected by the midway mark of the upcoming season.

“They’re in the process of exploring the alternatives that they have in the Greater Phoenix Area, and they do have a number of options,” Bettman said. “I think by midseason we should have a pretty good handle on what their situation is, and if we need to explore further options at that time, we’ll consult with management and figure out what to do.”

The Coyotes played the 2022-23 season out of Mullett Arena after the City of Glendale terminated their lease at the NHL-sized (but remote) Gila River Arena, now called Desert Diamond Arena.

“Obviously, playing in Mullett has to be a temporary solution and there needs to be a permanent solution on the horizon,” Bettman said. “That’s something I know that [Coyotes owner] Alex Meruelo and [CEO] Xavier Gutierrez are very focused on and very optimistic.”

Bettman confirmed that, with the Ottawa Senators’ sale having been consummated in principle, no other NHL member clubs are currently on the market.

He also addressed speculation that the Coyotes could look to join forces with new Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia if they’re unable to pin down any arena solution on their own: “There haven’t been any discussions that I’m aware of.”

The Coyotes finished the 2022-23 season in seventh place in the Central Division and 27th in the league with a 28-40-14 record and 70 points in 82 games. They’re slated to select sixth and 12th overall in the first round of the upcoming 2023 NHL Draft.