When thinking about hockey in North America, Arizona is most likely one of the

 

last places someone would consider. Over the past decade the growth of hockey in

 

Arizona has increased dramatically. According to a report done by USA hockey after the

 

2013-2014 season, Arizona had a total of 4,820 adult and youth hockey players which

 

registered as the 25th spot on a national scale. They also had the third-highest growth rate

 

for the number of registered hockey players in the whole country. This leads many to

 

question, why is there a sudden urge to play hockey in the desert?

 

 “The move to NCAA Division 1 at Arizona State, and Auston Matthews
 

(Scottsdale Native) are both driving factors behind the growth of the game in

 

Arizona.” Said Arizona resident, and hockey player Al Taylor.  “High schools are

 

starting to show support for their hockey teams and I will be shocked if it’s not

 

ruled a sanctioned sport in the future.” The local high school hockey league in Phoenix

 

features over 14 teams at the Varsity and Junior Varsity level.

 

            Auston Matthews is an 18-year-old elite prospect from Scottsdale, Arizona

 

who is predicted to go number 1 overall in the 2016-2017 NHL draft. He’d be the third

 

player in NHL history to be drafted after being brought up in Arizona, behind most recent

 

Philadelphia Flyers star Sean Couturier who was born in Phoenix, and drafted in 2011.

 

Matthews personal success will open the eyes to many people around the world in the

 

hockey community that Arizona has potential and talent to offer. It will also influence

 

many people in the Arizona community seeing a homegrown talent who has had so much

 

personal success, and as much potential as Matthews does, to give hockey a try. The

 

youth will have a new local figure to look up too, which could lead to even more

 

registered hockey players in the future. It will give many a glimpse of hope that even

 

someone in the most unsuspecting place, like the desert could produce a top hockey

 

prospect.

 

The Arizona State University club hockey team could also be credited with a

 

huge impact on the growth of the hockey community in Arizona. In 2014, ASU won their

 

first ever ACHA Division 1 National Championship which opened the eyes too many.

 

This eventually helped with the team becoming an NCAA D1 program opening the door

 

to endless hockey talent from around the world to be recruited to come play in Arizona.

 

ASU is the only southwest school that has a division 1 NCAA hockey team. Arizona

 

State will also be offering for the first time a women’s hockey program, opening a new

 

door for female athletes to compete and play hockey at the collegiate level. The team will

 

compete at the ACHA division 1 level beginning in the Fall of 2016. Within a span of 15

 

miles Arizona has two hockey teams that are competing in the best league, and another

 

very elite league in the United States in the NCAA. Those being the Arizona State Sun

 

Devils, and the Arizona Coyotes of the NHL. This makes it easy for any non-hockey

 

person to get exposed to what it has to offer, and get to see it when it’s played at its very

 

best.

 

            “It’s such a great game, I love it. It makes me happy to see it grow so much in my

 

backyard. The Coyotes were on the verge of leaving Arizona, it almost happened too, I

 

would have been heartbroken.” Said Arizona resident Ben Bodziner. “Women’s

 

hockey is also intriguing, I think it’s eye opening for many local Phoenix residents, I

 

don’t think anyone saw this coming.”

 

The Arizona Coyotes have been making strides to not only stay in Arizona, but

 

make it one of the more popular sports for the community to partake in. The Coyotes

 

Foundation helps promote the Coyotes as well as trying to enhance the life in Phoenix

 

communities. The city of Glendale recently reached a $28 million, 5-year contract deal

 

with a new management group, AEG Facilities on April 26, 2016 to run Gila River Arena

 

and one official hopes it’s enough to keep the Arizona Coyotes in the desert. AEG is has

 

contracts with other big venues such as Staples Center in Los Angeles, and is responsible

 

for all things related to Gila arena, as well as the fan experience, and how much fans

 

enjoy going to games. They are also expected to help fix the relationship between the

 

Coyotes and Glendale as well. This is huge in trying to keep the interest of hockey in the

 

state. If the Coyotes were to move to somewhere else in North America it would hurt the

 

interest level, which could lead down to the youth and the urge to follow or play the

 

game.

 

Reports have also recently be reported that the Arizona Coyotes purchased there

 

AHL farm team, the Springfield Falcons and are trying to relocate them from Springfield,

 

Massachusetts to Tucson, Arizona for the 2016-2017 season. This is very beneficial for
 

exposing the game to the southern part of the state as well at a very high level. Tucson as

 

of now only has one team being the University of Arizona Wildcats.

 

“It’s exciting, I follow the Wildcats season but it’s always a hassle to make the

 

long drive to see the Coyotes play.” Tucson resident Mitchell Regina said. “When I first

 

moved out here I didn’t really no anyone to watch the games with, now everyone loves

 

it.”

            All over the state the game seems to be grossing. As of now there’s over eight

 

rinks in the Phoenix Arizona, which are home to over seven youth hockey programs,

 

three college hockey teams, and two junior hockey programs. The Coyotes recently

 

reached a deal with all of these rinks to help promote the game, as well as the Coyotes

 

franchise. “Part of the Pack” also features gear donations to young kids trying to learn to

 

play, and player visits to the rinks to meet and sign autographs for fans. The Northern

 

Arizona Ice Jacks club hockey team is also on the rise as they are trying to make the jump

 

from division 2 ACHA club hockey to division 1 club for the 2016-2017 season. Moving

 

up a division can help expose, or influence people to the game of hockey in Flagstaff or

 

other parts of Arizona. The Arizona State club hockey team just had the transition and

 

was accepted to move up and compete at the division 1 club hockey level for the 2016-

 

2017 season.

 

“It’s awesome to see, many youth programs and club teams have sprouted and

 

developed throughout Arizona. Adult hockey’s been growing in popularity, as well as

 

many opportunities for people to get involved and learn the game.” Former Ice Den of

 

Chandler employee Preston Ames said. 

 

The game of hockey is being exposed to males, females, youth, and adults all

 

over the state at a high level, drawing more and more interest from people of all ages and

 

different backgrounds.

 

“A lot was eye opening to me, coming from Toronto I didn’t expect much out of

 

the hockey but I was shocked.” Toronto native, and Tempe resident Stefan Valvur said.

 

“The biggest surprise was seeing how many people out here actually play hockey,

 

especially in adult league after their competitive career is finished.”

 

            The reasons for the growth of hockey in Arizona could be credited to numerous

 

reasons that have accumulated in such a way that the public eye in the desert is being

 

exposed to hockey in a way like never before. Whether it’s youth programs, college

 

programs, or even at the professional level, hockey in the desert could be considered at an

 

all time high right now. It’s not thriving as much as it would be in a state such as

 

Minnesota, but it is definitely on an incline and is hopefully a sign for things to come.