5 monumental NHL team relocations that left fans crushed 

By Sam Nestler

Modified Apr 20, 2024 21:40 GMT

The Arizona Coyotes have been sold and will be relocating to bring an NHL team to Salt Lake City, Utah. The Utah or Salt Lake [insert team name here] will hit the ice in the 2024 season.

This is obviously disappointing news for fans in Arizona, but this is far from the only relocation in NHL history.

Let's take a look at five other NHL relocations.

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5 NHL franchise relocations that crushed fans

#1, Quebec to Colorado - 1995

Quebec is synonymous with hockey. So when the Quebec Nordiques came to the city in 1979, it was like a homecoming.

Quebec had a lot of success right off the bat. After missing the playoffs in their first year, the Nordiques made the postseason in the next seven seasons, getting as far as the conference finals in 1981-82 and 1984-85.

But the success was short-lived. After missing the playoffs in five straight seasons and six of eight, Quebec sold the team to a Denver-based group. The team became the Colorado Avalanche, who won their first cup in 1996.

#2, Arizona to Utah - 2024

This year's relocation was one of the most crushing in history. The Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes have been an underperforming franchise for a long time since their relocation from Winnipeg in 1996.

The Coyotes made the playoffs in their first four seasons in Arizona. However, since then it has been one or two appearances followed by long droughts of six, seven and currently four years without a postseason berth. The move signals a fresh start for the team but leaves a fanbase bereft.

#3, Minnesota to Dallas - 1993

Another hockey hotbed, Minnesota, relocated to a non-hockey community. The Minnesota North Stars were a very inconsistent team, but they did make the playoffs in 18 of their 26 seasons.

Once Mike Modano came onto the scene in 1988, the franchise became all about their star player. Modano was breaking records, scoring 60 goals, and eventually, the team became bigger than the financials they had in Minnesota. So they relocated the club to Dallas, where the Dallas Stars won their first and only cup in 1999.

#4, Hartford to Carolina - 1997

Hartford has been calling for an NHL return ever since its team was sold to Carolina in 1997. It may get one, but not yet.

The Hartford Whalers were not a very good team. In 18 seasons, the Whalers made the playoffs only eight times, seven of which came in consecutive seasons from 1985-1992.

Outside of that, Hartford missed the postseason 10 times, including two droughts of five years (1980-1985 and 1982-1987). They sold in search of better financials and became the Carolina Hurricanes, who won their first cup in 2006.

#5, Ottawa to St. Louis - 1934

For this one, we go way back to the Great Depression. Ottawa, Canada, similar to Quebec or Minnesota, is a hotbed for hockey.

The Ottawa Senators came into the NHL in 1917. After struggling through the war years, the Ottawa Hockey Association put the club up for sale for $5,000, moving them into the NHL.

After a rough first season, the Senators won five Stanley Cups from 1920-27. In 1934, the team succumbed to the same financial troubles from the Great Depression that relocated or folded multiple NHL teams.

After selling to St. Louis and becoming the Eagles, the team was defunct after only one season. The present-day Ottawa Senators were a rejuvenation project in 1992.