Coyotes Lose Utah Grizzlies as AHL Affiliate

The NHL lockout lasted longer than the Grizzlies did.

As reported in the Tribune last month, Elmore is in negotiations to sell his AHL rights to the Florida Panthers who will move the team to Orlando next season paving the way for him to bring a Central Hockey League or East Coast Hockey League team to Salt Lake City.

The move didn't come as a surprise to the Coyotes, but with one year plus an option left on their deal, they aren't very happy about Elmore's move. The team will turn the matter over to its legal department, which might be able to prove damages now that the Coyotes are left hunting for a home for their prospects.

"Naturally, we are disappointed. We had a multi-year deal and David made a unilateral decision to end it," Coyotes general manager Mike Barnett said. 'We're left on our own to come up with something. We loved having the team that close, after having to go to Springfield (Mass.) in the past. It's the kind of setup we want to have.

The Coyotes have three options. They can attempt to buy an AHL team or sign a primary affiliation deal, they can share an affiliation as they did in the past with Tampa Bay (the Springfield Falcons), or they can place four or five prospects with several AHL teams.