Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith’s public bid for an NHL team didn’t come as a complete surprise this week. But the timing of the request was certainly up for debate.
Smith has talked about his desire to bring professional hockey to Utah for years. He’s had public discussions with NHL leaders — with the league receptive to the idea.
So why did he choose now to formally “initiate an expansion process” with the league?
“We basically decided if we’re going to go in, [then] we’ve got to go all the way in,” Smith said on the Pat McAfee show this week. “Like, we’re going have to come out and say that we’re ready, and be ready for everything that entails.
“Because unless we show the NHL that’s where we’re at, and have those discussions with them, it won’t work,” Smith said. “We get them in a spot where they’ve got to look at this and say, ‘Holy cow, like this is one of the youngest ownership groups in sports. Tech focus.’ I think if you put all that together, it’s a pretty compelling case.”
The NHL put out a statement, saying it “appreciates” Smith’s interest and would continue talks to bring a team to Utah.
“Them leaning in and saying, ‘Hey look, we know Utah is an incredible market. We haven’t been asleep,’” Smith said. “... I think that’s a really, really good approach — especially one from [commissioner] Gary [Bettman]. No one can see all of the future. But that’s a good acknowledgment of where we’re at.”
Since the announcement, there have been several details publicly debated.
With Smith saying Utah could host an NHL team as soon as next year, would that mean he is fine with an expansion team or a relocated team?
Smith deflected on the specifics. He said he’d leave all of the expansion details to the NHL.
“Our number one goal is let’s land the plane here and get NHL in Utah,” Smith said. “... I don’t care how it gets here. We just got to go.”
He mentioned other cities that have interest in adding an NHL team — like Atlanta, Houston and Quebec City — are not as advanced or ready as Salt Lake City is to host a team now.
“I’ve seen, just like you’ve all seen, multiple cities saying, ‘Hey, we’d love to do it.’ I think we’ve been in that spot,” Smith said. “I think this is a little different now [with Utah formally requesting a team]. We’re saying, ‘Hey, like we’re ready, and we can do it.’”
Smith said if a team comes next year, the Delta Center could host games where the Jazz play. It’s an arena built for basketball, but hosted specialty NHL events in the past.
“It’s not as many seats as we would like, because it’s not configured the right way,” Smith said. “But we can probably get 14,000-plus in there and get going on a launch.”
Eventually, Smith wants to build a hockey-specific venue. It is unclear where it would be built or how it would work.
Smith said the venue would not be used just to host the NHL team, but also create a junior hockey league similar to the Junior Jazz. The arena, he said, would allow for younger hockey players to get more ice time. With young families coming to the arena for junior hockey and the NHL team, he thinks he can build an entertainment area around a new arena.
“You create a full environment of entertainment around that, but actually giving hockey its moment,” Smith said.
Smith riffed on names for a potential team, saying he liked the possibility of Utah Yetis.
“Especially with the U and Y, they finally come together,” he said, playing on the University of Utah and BYU rivalry. Smith went to BYU.
He ended his pitch with why he thinks the NHL can work. He pointed to the Olympics possibly coming to Utah in 2034. He talked about Jazz attendance.
“Our ownership group is completely lined up, ready to go,” he said.
