LOS ANGELES — Ryan Smith didn't necessarily beat around the bush when asked about the relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah, a move expected to be announced within days.
Speaking at a sports business conference Wednesday in Los Angeles, Smith was asked about the Coyotes reports that have made headlines for over a week.
"There's no secret on what's out there online. Normally, not everything on the internet is true, but in this case, it's pretty true," said Smith, according to Sports Business Journal reporter Alex Silverman.
The words from Smith seem to finally make official what has long been rumored.
When asked by the moderator what he's most excited about in bringing the team to Salt Lake City, Smith championed the fans in Utah.
"I have incredible faith in the people of Utah. We show up," he said. "I'm excited about that. I'm excited about showing that."
Smith went on to talk about the hectic process he went through to purchase the Utah Jazz, which occurred while his company was going through an IPO.
Later Wednesday night, the Coyotes are scheduled to play their final game in Arizona before moving to Utah. The NHL's Board of Governors is expected to vote to approve the relocation as soon as Thursday.
Phoenix-area sports talk show host John Gambadoro said Coyotes management canceled a meeting to address team staff before Wednesday's game 10 minutes before it was scheduled to begin.
