Meruelo Family Donates $2 Million To Matt Shott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – The Meruelo Family, former owners of the Arizona Coyotes and owners of the AHL Tucson Roadrunners announced today a $2 million contribution to the Matt Shott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation to help support and enhance youth hockey programs throughout Arizona. The donation, which is composed of both monetary and other assets, supports the mission of the Matt Shott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation to conserve the growth of hockey in the state of Arizona. 

The donation allows the former Coyotes Hockey Development team to continue the relationships and programming from their current resources. This substantial support aims to honor the memory and legacy of Matt Shott, a passionate advocate for hockey in Arizona, by providing equipment and resources to young hockey players, ensuring accessibility and opportunities for all.

“Our donation to the Matt Shott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation is a key part of our family’s commitment to make sure youth hockey continues to thrive throughout the state of Arizona,” said Alex Meruelo Jr. “Matt Shott will always be remembered as an important part of the legacy of Arizona youth hockey, and we are proud to help support his long-term mission.”

The donation will be used to provide equipment, programming, and coaching to amateur hockey players, ensuring accessibility and opportunities for all. With the donation to the Matt Shott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation, Arizona Hockey will find ways to come together to continue to provide for hockey players, coaches, and fans of all ages in the community. The donation will strengthen relationships with the local USA Hockey affiliate, Arizona Amateur Hockey Association (AAHA) and will soon provide a deeper connection to each youth and adult hockey organization, many of which Matt Shott was directly affiliated with throughout his career.

“We thank the Meruelo family for their donation,” said Lyndsey Fry, Founder of the Matt Shott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation. “The day before Matt passed, he and I had a deep heart to heart and he asked me to please change the narrative. He didn’t want to be remembered for being sick. He wanted to be remembered for leaving the Arizona hockey community better than he found it and for giving thousands of kids the opportunity to fall in love with our game. 

“It was on Matt’s bucket list to leave a legacy,” Fry added. “This Foundation is designed to continue his life’s work and solidify that legacy through the programs he built and by supporting all of the youth organizations and rinks in Arizona who already proudly have his name hanging in their facilities.”

“The Matt Shott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation is going to be such an important pillar for the ongoing growth and development of youth hockey in Arizona,“ said Kevin Erlenbach, Board Member and Assistant Executive Director of Membership at USA Hockey. “It ensures that all the progress made over the years continues and will be able to complement and support the great initiatives being implemented by local USA Hockey leaders, and that future will remain extremely bright for hockey in the desert.”

The mission of the Matt Shott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation is to conserve the growth of hockey in the state of Arizona. Foundation programs include learn-to-play hockey and PE programs. Over the last decade, the NHL/NHLPA subsidized learn-to-play programs have produced an average of 700 players per year, filtering over 5,000 players across every rink and program in the state. The introduction of Learn to Play provided many participants their first experience in an ice hockey rink, leading to a high demand for ice throughout local rinks.

Predominantly through NHL funding and Matt’s networking, the PE Curriculum Program was introduced to 617 schools in the state, introducing the game of hockey in its most raw form. Many participants introduced to the game at school made their way into local rinks with the goal of playing ice hockey.

The Matt Shott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation aims to continue these growth initiatives and create opportunities for individuals to engage with the game, regardless of their starting point. The foundation plans to support all rinks, programs, and facilities within the Arizona Amateur Hockey Association.

Learn more about the Matt Shott Arizona Hockey Legacy Foundation at azhockeylegacy.org.