The Arizona Coyotes and general manager (GM) Bill Armstrong have been extremely busy this offseason; from the 2023 NHL Draft to free agency, the team has had a hectic couple of months. Along with the recent unexpected signing of Logan Cooley, the Coyotes are in store for an exciting year. That said, here are three things to be excited about for the 2023-24 season.
Logan Cooley’s Arrival
It’s been a roller coaster of events for the Pittsburgh native over the past few months. In May of this year, Cooley announced he would return to the Golden Gophers for his sophomore season. Of course, there was plenty of speculation on this decision, some even saying he could stay at Minnesota for four years and then become an unrestricted free agent (UFA). However, the Coyotes silenced the rumors on July 27 when they signed him to an entry-level contract (ELC).
With all the hype around Cooley, how good is he? During this past season playing in the NCAA with the Gophers, he registered 22 goals and 60 points in 39 games. Along with his impressive freshman campaign, he was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, ultimately falling to the winner and third overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, Adam Fantilli.
“Any hockey player, it’s their goal to play in the NHL and obviously, that was my dream,” Cooley said. “I want to play at the highest level I can, I want to be pushed every day, I want to play with the best. Honestly, I’m just super excited about the future of the Arizona Coyotes and the direction they’re going.”
“We brought in those types of players that will not only support him, but make him a better player,” Armstrong said. “You don’t want to leave him out to dry. Sometimes, if you’re too young as a team and you’re bringing a player like that in, it can be a long season when you’re getting shelled every night. It’s a hard league. There’s always something coming at you and the grind is real. Now we have good veterans around him to help him along the way.”
Cooley will now look to challenge Fantilli and Connor Bedard for the Calder Trophy this season.
Clayton Keller Becoming Next Bonafide Superstar
It was a dark night in the desert on March 30, 2022, when Clayton Keller crashed into the boards, fracturing his femur. There was a lot of uncertainty about whether he’d be ready for the start of the 2022-23 season, as an injury like this can take several months to fully recover from. He came into the season without any live-action game experience, no preseason; he was jumping right into it. However, that didn’t matter since he was ready for the challenge ahead of him.
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“It’s an obsession with the game,” Keller said. That obsession helped him achieve what many thought was impossible, as he set multiple career highs. He wrapped up his 2022-23 campaign with 37 goals and 86 points in 82 games, tying Keith Tkachuk for most points by a Coyote in a single season. The three-time All-Star exploded offensively with linemates Nick Schmaltz and Barrett Hayton, showing his dynamic playmaking ability. He’s also becoming the leader the Coyotes need and, most importantly, their next superstar.
“I knew deep down that I could bounce back and have a great year, but doing it’s a whole nother thing,” he said. “I proved it to myself this year and I’m just super happy to be here. So many people in my life made a lot of sacrifices to get me to this point today — teammates, family, friends — and I definitely wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for all of them.”
New Faces in Town
After two seasons of having top-ten picks and struggling throughout the season, it looks like the recent moves will change that for this season and beyond. Arguably the biggest signing for Armstrong was when he signed forward Jason Zucker to a one-year, $5.3 million contract. He brings veteran leadership and an offensive presence to the team after spending the past three-plus seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins. One of the other notable names that inked a deal was former Toronto Maple Leaf Alex Kerfoot, who signed a two-year, $3.5 million average annual value (AAV) contract.
The signings and willingness to become more competitive didn’t stop there, as they brought back two familiar faces. One was Minnesota native, Nick Bjugstad, as he signed a two-year, $2.1 million AAV deal opting to come back to the desert. “Obviously Arizona is a good spot to live but the No. 1 choice was I think this team is headed in the right direction. I had a good conversation with Billy Armstrong (general manager)”, Bjugstad said. “Sounds like we’re going to take the next step and I’d like to be part of that and contribute in whatever way I can.”
They also signed Troy Stecher to a one-year, $1.1 million contract; similar to Bjugstad, he is also coming back to the Coyotes. “I felt the same way before I got to Arizona. It’s one thing to look on the outside and say, ‘no rink and they haven’t been that successful as an organization.’ And then once you get there as a player, it’s completely different than the perception. You’re surrounded with such good people that have a passion for the game, and that want to make an organization something special. I truly believe they’re going in the right direction.”
Plenty To Look Forward To
Armstrong has set the Coyotes up for an exciting 2023-24 season. With the additions of Zucker, Kerfoot, Bjugstad, Stecher, and Cooley, this team has a great mixture of veteran leadership and youth, along with the core players looking to take another leap forward. The Coyotes kick off their season in New Jersey on Oct. 13 and will look to start with a bang.
