Photo: Conde Nest Traveler
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Smith Entertainment Group, the owners of the NBA’s Utah Jazz, has asked the NHL to “initiate an expansion process” to bring an expansion team to Salt Lake City.
“The NHL appreciates the interest expressed by Smith Entertainment Group to bring NHL hockey to Utah. During conversations over the course of the past two years, we have been impressed by Ryan and Ashley Smith’s commitment to their community and their passion and vision for Utah, not only as a hockey market, but as a preeminent sports and entertainment destination. Utah is a promising market, and we look forward to continuing our discussions,” the league said in a statement released on Wednesday morning.
Smith Entertainment Group said that they have an “immediate ability” to take on an NHL team with Delta Center open right now and a new rink on the way for the 2034 Winter Olympic Games.
The NHL would need to go through a process with the Board of Governors, which is not something that has happened yet.
Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
The NHL is the most recent North American professional league to expand, doing so twice in the past seven years with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017 and Seattle Kraken in 2021.
It is unknown when a Salt Lake City squad would debut.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun interviewed Jazz owner Ryan Smith in June about bringing the NHL to Utah, which can be found here.
Smith Entertainment Group — owners of the Utah Jazz — ask NHL to “initiate an expansion process” to bring a team to the state. pic.twitter.com/2xq5MAr4p5
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 24, 2024
By Harrison Brown
