Jazz's Lauri Markkanen Sounds Off on NHL Coming to Utah

The Utah Jazz forward gave some thoughts on the newest pro sports team heading to Salt Lake City.

Mar 31, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (center) sits on the / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Some big changes are on the way for the professional sports landscape of Salt Lake City.

With the announcement of the Arizona Coyotes finalizing their relocation to Utah, the move effectively gives Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith even more stake in his empire of this city's sports teams. The NBA, NHL, and both men's and women's soccer squads in town make for some thrilling times cooking in Salt Lake City.

And when asking the Jazz's own in Lauri Markkanen about the changes coming to the city, he shares much similar feelings about what's to come.

Markkanen touched a bit on Utah's new team during his end-of-season presser for the Jazz, where he dove a bit into what hockey has meant and the influence the sport had for him growing up.

"I'll be excited. Love to go to the games any time I can on the road. Been following that for a long time, obviously. Grew up playing that in a team. Went outside to play after school multiple times a week, so, big fan."

Growing up in Finland, it's easy to see how Markkanen has some early ties to the stick and puck, as the country stands out as one of the premier hubs for hockey as a whole with a massive viewership base.

Around 1.3% of the Finnish population is registered in the International Ice Hockey Federation, ranking behind just Canada as the highest participating hockey percentage in the entire world. Now, the introduction of the NHL can bring a sense of familiarity to Markkanen in his new home in Salt Lake City.

When Markkanen was asked during the presser if he had a favorite team to follow in the league, he declined, then going on to voice his current situation as a "free agent" fan:

"Right now, no. I had a couple of friends play for Nashville, so I was rooting for them for a long time. They retired, got traded, don't play there anymore. So, currently, I'm a free agent."

In the event Lauri was in the hunt for a new franchise to follow in the NHL to go forward with, it almost feels like there could be a perfect candidate on the way for him next season (even if team doesn't have a name yet).

Anticipate several more compelling announcements on what's to come as the unraveling of hockey in Salt Lake City continues to unfold over this summer.