Coyotes sale expected within week, Arizona to get NHL expansion team: report

The Arizona Coyotes will likely be sold to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith shortly after the team's final game and will include a provision guaranteeing current owner Alex Meruelo an expansion team if a new arena is built within five years, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Saturday.

The $1 billion US sale is expected to happen between the Coyotes' final game of the season Wednesday and start of the playoffs Saturday, barring unforeseen circumstances, the person said on condition of anonymity because the planned deal has not been announced.

The deal will transfer the franchise's hockey operations first to the NHL and then to Smith, who plans to move the team to Salt Lake City, and Meruelo will maintain business operations to move forward with a planned $3 billion project that will include a new arena in north Phoenix. Meruelo also will continue to own the Tucson Roadrunners, the franchise's American Hockey League affiliate, and plans to move the team to Mullett Arena in Tempe, the current temporary home of the Coyotes.

Once an arena is built, Meruelo will pay back by the $1 billion and move forward with the expansion franchise.

Meruelo and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman are expected to announce the deal at a joint news conference next week once the deal is completed. Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong travelled to Edmonton on Friday night to inform players and coaches of the team's plans after news of the potential relocation to Utah were leaked.

"We are focused on a myriad of issues that are unresolved and therefore we are unable to make any official comments at this time," Meruelo said in a statement released on Saturday. "However, you have my commitment that I am going to speak on all of