Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City

Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.

The deal, once signed and approved by the NHL Board of Governors, will turn over the franchise's hockey operations to Smith, who intends to move it to Salt Lake City.

When delays pushed the land auction until June, the NHL and the players' association got cold feet about continuing to play at Mullett Arena, the loud-but-bandbox-sized venue shared with ArizonaState University.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) skates with the puck against Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller (9) during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz.

Arizona Coyotes season-ticket holders comfort one another as time expires in team's NHL hockey game against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Tempe, Ariz. (Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo)

They rallied when the Coyotes unexpectedly reached the 2012 Western Conference Finals, but the desert has been dry outside of a trip to the NHL's 2020 postseason bubble.