The Arizona Coyotes and Their Long Journey to Nowhere

Over the last 26 seasons, the Arizona Coyotes have at times been bankrupt, ownerless, a ward of the N.H.L., the subject of relocation rumors, and, more recently, in a prickly relationship with the owners of their home arena. The team has long struggled to draw fans to its suburban rink, and it has never contended for the Stanley Cup, despite putting Wayne Gretzky, hockey’s “GOAT,” behind the bench for four seasons.

This month, the Coyotes may have reached a nadir. Glendale, Ariz., threatened to lock the team out of Gila River Arena in the middle of its season because Alex Meruelo, the team owner, owed $1.3 million in unpaid state and city taxes and arena operating costs from last season.

The City of Glendale, which was owed about $250,000 in taxes, had told Xavier Gutierrez, the Coyotes’ chief executive and president, that it would cancel the team’s business license if the total amount was not paid by Dec. 20.

Ahead of the deadline, but not before the Arizona Department of Revenue put a tax lien against the Coyotes’ parent company, IceArizona Hockey L.L.C., Meruelo paid $1.3 million to state officials and ASM Global, the company that manages Gila River Arena for the city.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/sports/hockey/arizona-coyotes-glendale-nhl.html