Arizona Coyotes take ice in 2014-15

— -- The Phoenix Coyotes announced Wednesday that they will rename the team the Arizona Coyotes for the 2014-15 season.

"Becoming the Arizona Coyotes makes sense for us since we play our games in Glendale and the city is such a great partner of ours," Coyotes co-owner, president and CEO Anthony LeBlanc said in a statement. "We also want to be recognized as not just the hockey team for Glendale or Phoenix, but the team for the entire state of Arizona and the Southwest."

The team said the new name will lead to minor changes to the team jersey but not a major overhaul.

Formerly the Winnipeg Jets, the franchise moved to Arizona in 1996. The Coyotes were run by the NHL for four years before a lease agreement was reached in the summer of 2013 to keep the franchise in Glendale, ending speculation the team could relocate out of Arizona.

The Coyotes (25-18-10) are in ninth place in the Western Conference and next play Thursday when they host the Buffalo Sabres.