Phoenix Sun Owner Mat Ishbia is aiming to bring hockey back to Arizona, Sportico reported Wednesday.
Arizona is currently without an NHL team after the Coyotes moved to Salt Lake City after the 2023-24 campaign. The team will have a new name for the 2025-26 season, but when it plays games this year, it will be known as the Utah Hockey Club.
“I’m definitely going to be a part of the community and if I can help bring hockey back, I’ll consider it,” Ishbia told Sportico. “It’s definitely something I care about. This is a four-sport town. I’m disappointed that we don’t have a hockey team, but I understand what happened and we’ll try to fix it one day.”
Ishbia, 44, also owns Mercury Phoenix of the WNBA.
The Mercury’s home arena, Footprint Center, hosted the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday. There’s also a new $100 million women’s practice facility, funded by Ishbia, behind the arena.
“I think our arena is top-notch right now. I love our arena,” Ishbia said of the Footprint Center. “But at some point, we’re going to have to get a new arena.”
The Coyotes will play at the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, from 2022 to 2024.
Ishbia has not revealed whether he is in talks with the NHL, and the league has also remained silent, according to Sportico. If hockey does eventually return to Arizona, Ishbia would build a new arena in downtown Phoenix.
Former Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo sold the club for $1.2 billion.
