There’s an easy camaraderie as Ahron Cohen, Olivia Matos and Oliver Ekman-Larsson take to the ice to pose for pictures along with the Coyotes team mascot, Howler. Howler wears number 96 on his jersey, representing the year the Winnipeg Jets moved to Arizona and began their quest to turn the Valley into a hockey town. It’s a goal this likable group is trying hard to achieve. Cohen joined the Coyotes in 2015 and was named president and CEO of the club last summer. “I’ve seen the positive momentum that we’ve developed,” he said. Still, as someone who grew up in Minnesota, “where hockey is a religion” and moved to Arizona to attend law school at Arizona State University, he admits this isn’t a traditional hockey market. “That’s what I love about this opportunity,” he said. “It’s a fun process and a challenge to develop a strong fandom for our team and get more people playing hockey.” The team hasn’t had it easy. With its move from downtown Phoenix to Gila River Arena, ownership changes and other challenges, conversation about the Coyotes has often centered on elements other than hockey. But things seem to be on the upswing. “We have an exciting young team and we’re playing really well right now, which is exciting,” Cohen said. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson is emblematic of this new era. The soft-spoken 27 year old started playing the sport in his native Sweden when he was 5. After playing with the Coyotes for nine seasons, he was named team captain AHRON COHEN Arizona Coyotes president and CEO OLIVIA MATOS Arizona Coyotes Foundation executive director OLIVER EKMAN-LARSSON Captain of the Coyotes WHEN IT COMES TO CHARITY, THE ARIZONA COYOTES FOUNDATION HAS GOALS COVER STORY {by karen werner} 22 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | DECEMBER 2018

Part of the teamʼs ongoing effort is to help grow hockey in the state of Arizona, including introducing the sport to more children.