ONE. MORE. DAY! NBA and NHL Playoffs start tomorrow. For today, enjoy some RBC Heritage Golf, 4 NBA teams fighting for their playoff lives, and a little bit of baseball! The craziness starts tomorrow, so take a deep breath, enjoy the day, and get DIALED in for some top-tier sports entertainment!

LETS. GET. INTO. IT.

THE DAILY STUMPED🔮 

STUMP STORY OF THE DAY✍️ 

We’re off the Salt Lake

I know we’re all excited to get to the playoffs, but first, there’s some massive news coming out of Arizona. The Arizona Coyotes franchise is officially being relocated to Salt Lake City for the start of next season! The Salt Lake franchise will retain the Coyotes roster, but leave behind the Coyotes franchise history. This means new branding and jerseys, which is always exciting! The Salt Lake franchise will have their home in the Delta Center, which they’ll share with the Utah Jazz. There will be no realignment and the Salt Lake team will play in the Central Division just like the Coyotes did. 

If you’re a fan of hockey in Arizona, don’t be TOO worried. You’re going to just have to wait this out. The Coyotes had an ongoing issue finding a fitting arena after the Gila River Arena terminated their contract following the 2022 season. Since then, they’ve played their home games at Mullett Arena on Arizona State’s campus. Mullett has only 5,000 seats - far fewer than what’s necessary for an NHL team.

Their owner will be attempting to win an auction for a large plot of land in Phoenix where he could build a brand new $1 billion arena and training facility. However, the timeline for completion would be way out in 2027. The NHL thought this would be far too long to have a team playing in a small college arena. The league plans to grant Arizona an expansion team if the Coyotes owner can win the auction and build the arena. That being said, hockey may be back in Arizona sooner rather than later.

I do feel for the Coyotes though, because if they do get their franchise back, all their years of drafting and rebuilding will have been granted to Salt Lake City, leaving them with another blank slate to start from. Regardless, I think this is a win-win for the NHL. Moving a team is always tough, but staying in a college arena isn’t sustainable. I’m sure many loyal fans are excitedly waiting in Salt Lake City for a new team, and hockey will hopefully be back in Arizona very soon!

🎙️SONG OF THE DAY

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! - ABBA

Friday! GIMME GIMME GIMME THE WEEKEND!

Link to enjoy: LINK

WHAT’D YOU MISS⁉️📰 

• 🏀 Heat star Jimmy Butler expected to miss several weeks with knee injury suffered last night

  • If the Heat advance tonight and make a run, they’ll have to do it without him

• 🤸Oklahoma Women’s Gymnastics was eliminated in the NCAA semifinals yesterday

  • Their first time in 12 years not being in the championship

• 🏀 Steve Kerr got candid about the Draymond Green situation in Golden State... give it a listen: LINK

• 🏌️Wesley Bryan shoots a 63 (-9) to lead the Corales Punta Cana Championship

• 🏀 Kentucky phenom Reed Sheppard officially enters NBA draft following one season in college

• ⚾️ Red Sox star Raffy Devers underwent an MRI on a sore knee and came back with a bone bruise, should be day-to-day

• 🏀 UConn forward Alex Karaban enters draft process, maintains college eligibility for potential return

• 🏒 Arizona Coyotes makes the Salt Lake City move official as NHL approves sale, will begin 2024-2025 season in Utah

• ⚾️ Jack Leiter, one of baseball’s top prospects, was roughed up in his debut start for the Rangers in yesterday’s Rangers win

  • 3 2/3 innings, 7 runs allowed, 8 hits, 3 walks