Gov. Lamont wants Coyotes in Hartford

Gov. Ned Lamont has reached out to the NHL and plans to meet with league officials next week about the potential relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Hartford.

“This is a great hockey state and a great hockey town,” he said. “It’s evidenced by the passion we have for the Whalers going back years, still one of the best selling jerseys. I think we can guarantee them a very strong market right here, and a government that’s ready to come and be their partner.”

Lamont spoke with Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin on Thursday, just a few days after voters in Tempe rejected a proposed new arena for the Coyotes. Bronin tweeted Thursday night that he was interested in the Coyotes looking to Hartford, something he’s pushed in the past as the franchise has long dealt with arena issues in Arizona.

“We will be talking, my hope is next week,” Lamont said, adding that he’s spoken with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman about the Coyotes’ potential relocation in the past. “Let him know about the serious interest that Connecticut has and in particular Hartford has.”

Bronin, speaking with a reporter Thursday, said “I think an NHL team would thrive in Hartford and in Connecticut.”

The Hartford Whalers left Connecticut in 1997, moving to North Carolina and becoming the Carolina Hurricanes. The decision crushed the Whalers faithful to the point that now, decades later, it’s still a regular discussion point.

With every discussion about expansion or NHL team facing some kind of disruption on conflict about the future in their particular city, a bit of hope emerges for fans of the former Hartford franchise and those yearning for a pro sports team in the capital city. There has been speculation through the years of teams moving to Hartford, but the state of the XL Center and questions about just how large regular crowds might be have dissuaded teams from a Connecticut move.

The Coyotes stadium controversy, however, comes as the Capital Region Development

Authority, which helps manage the XL Center, is readying to field bids to revamp the 48-yearold XL Center. The cost estimate is at least $107 million. Whether that is enough to woo a team to the East Coast remains to be seen.

This isn’t the first time a governor has had talks about a move, of course. During his terms, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy also reached out to individual NHL teams and the league itself. Though unsuccessful, Hartford and Connecticut leaders could make a pitch on dedicated fan bases for teams that have emerged in recent years including the Hartford Yard Goats and the UConn men’s hockey team following its move to Hockey East.

“I think this would be a great market for an NHL team and I think that this state, this region would rally around a team here,” Bronin said this week.

Lamont