Connecticut lost its beloved Hartford Whalers in 1997, when the team relocated to Raleigh as the Hurricanes. Now, Governor Ned Lamont believes there may be an opportunity to bring an NHL team back to the Nutmeg State, thanks to a precarious situation involving the Coyotes.
Voters in Tempe, Ariz. rejected a proposal to build a $2.1 billion entertainment district on Tuesday, which would have included a new arena for the Coyotes. The team is set to remain at Mullett Arena on the Arizona State campus in 2023–24, but commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement that the league is “terribly disappointed by the results of the public referenda” on the project.
The vote has spurred on relocation rumors, and Lamont appears set to throw his state’s hat in the ring, telling reporters that he’s reached out for a meeting with the NHL that he hopes will take place next week.
