Hockey fans react to speculation of Arizona Coyotes’ move to Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — Inside Legends Pub and Grill in downtown Salt Lake City, you’re bound to find all kinds of sports fans including hockey fans like Trevor Harding, who happens to own the sports bar.

“There’s just something always going on always something moving,” Harding said. “It’s just fun and you never get bored ever, ever, ever.”

Harding said he told his wife as soon as he heard the Arizona Coyotes could be relocating to Utah.

“Just being the owners of a sports bar and restaurant is amazing,” he said. “Clearly, we have a place like this because we love sports…it’s just a big deal.”

He’s not the only one excited by the news.

Tanner Schnurbush and Patrick Lowry both grew up hockey fans. Schnurbush is a Colorado Avalanche fan while Lowry roots for the Seattle Kraken.

“To be honest, I was surprised mainly because living here for five years now, Utah has never been a big professional sports scene,” Schnurbush said. “So kind of the inkling of the new MLB team and the new NHL team. It’s just exciting to see.”

“(The) possibility (of an) NHL team here bringing more business, more people to Salt Lake, I think it’s awesome,” Lowry said.

Visiting Salt Lake City

According to reports, Coyotes’ players and staff will be invited to visit Salt Lake City. All three fans said Salt Lake City has a lot to offer, including fans hungry for another professional sports team.

“I think that it’ll be the people I think the people are going to be the greatest part of coming to Salt Lake,” Harding said.”

“The biggest selling point of Utah in Salt Lake is the outdoors and the culture. It’s hard to find a culture that’s still feels so homey,” Lowry said.

Schnurbush said he hopes the team gaining an entirely new fan base will be a selling point. “The opportunities for people to come in and love winter sports here and then fall in love with hockey is going to be great for them,” he said.

Despite the speculation, those fans hope professional hockey will be here to stay.

“I think the Coyotes will be more than welcome here,” Lowry said.