Ryan Smith, the owner of the NBA's Utah Jazz and shares in MLS' Real Salt Lake and the NWSL's Utah Royals, has reportedly shown interest in bringing an NHL franchise to Salt Lake City.
According to Elliotte Friedman of sportsnet.ca, Smith had dinner with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, which has sparked speculation about the possibility of an NHL team in Utah. However, there are challenges with the current arena, Vivint Arena, which has limited seating capacity for hockey games and requires a configuration that is not visually appealing.
A new facility may need to be built, and Salt Lake City's bid for the 2030 Olympics could provide an opportunity for that. If NHL expansion is not an option, the possibility of relocating a struggling team, such as the Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, Florida Panthers, or New York Islanders, may be considered.
