NHL Team Guide: Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes have a long and interesting history. The franchise was founded in 1972 as the Winnipeg Jets of the old World Hockey Association (WHA). The Jets were part of the WHA merger into the NHL in 1979. In 1996, the franchise moved to Arizona where it was first known as the Phoenix Coyotes. In 2014, the team was re-named to its present Arizona Coyotes.
Arizona fans can watch nationally broadcast Coyotes games on NBC or NBCSN. Most of the Coyotes NHL schedule can be watched on FOX Sports Arizona. All games broadcast by FOX Sports Arizona are available for live streaming on the FOX Sports GO app. Coyotes fans can also watch games via live stream on the NBC Sports app.
NHL Standings
When the Jets relocated to Arizona, the team remained in the Central Division of the Western Conference. NHL realignment in 2013 moved the team to the Pacific Division where it remains currently. Beginning with the 2021-22 NHL season, the Coyotes will move back to their original home, the Central Division, and remain in the Western Conference.
Championship History
Since relocating from Winnipeg, Arizona has had its share of struggles. The Coyotes qualified for the postseason in each of their first four years in Arizona. The franchise has made the playoffs just ten times since the move and has not qualified for the postseason at all since taking the name "Arizona Coyotes".
Arizona has won one division championship. That was in 2011-12 when the Coyotes posted a 42-27-13 record and advanced all the way to the Western Conference finals. The Coyotes lost to Los Angeles in five games. That remains the furthest Arizona has advanced in postseason play.
Home of the Coyotes
When Arizona began play in the NHL in 1996, the team played at what was then known as America West Arena in Phoenix. The team moved to its current home, the Gila River Arena in Glendale, prior to the 2003 season. The Gila River Arena seats 17,125 fans for hockey games.
Best Coyotes
Hall of Famers Bobby Hull and Dale Hawerchuk never played for Arizona playing their entire careers in Winnipeg. Hull’s years with the Jets were when the Jets were part of the WHA. Hawerchuk was the first pick in the 1981 NHL draft going to the Jets. He won the Calder Trophy as the league’s Rookie of the Year after scoring 45 goals and 103 points in 1981-82. Hawerchuk played nine years in Winnipeg and is second on the Coyotes all-time scoring list with 929 points.
Shane Doan ranks first on the franchise’s scoring list. He was the seventh overall pick in the 1995 draft and played a total of 21 seasons all with the Winnipeg/Arizona franchise. He was the last remaining NHL player from the original Jets until his retirement in 2017. Doan ranks first in goals (402), assists (570), and points with 972. He served as the Coyotes captain for 15 seasons from 2003 to 2017 and never won a Stanley Cup. His No. 19 will be the first jersey to be retired by the Coyotes.
Author: Dan Anderson