from John Shannon of Sportsnet,

With the City of Glendale backing out of the long-term agreement with the team to run the arena, the ownership group has been forced to look elsewhere in the Greater Phoenix area to build an arena.

Stories are certainly circulating about potential opportunities in downtown Phoenix (across from the baseball stadium), in Scottsdale and near the Arizona State University campus in Tempe.

There is little doubt that a new downtown arena appears to be the front-runner, but don’t rule out competing bids from the university as a second choice. There are some even suggesting that there is a fourth potential site for the Coyotes to play within five years. Suffice it to say — barring any last-minute philosophical changes by local government in Glendale — that the 2016-17 season could be the final year of hockey at Gila River Arena.

In the interim, as planning and construction of a new rink occurs, the Coyotes might contemplate a return downtown and play a season or two (even three?) as a tenant of the NBA's Phoenix Suns in Talking Stick Casino Arena with its many hockey obstructed seats. It wouldn’t be ideal, but given the rather acrimonious relationship between the team and Glendale, it might be a viable option — and the only option.

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