Over the course of the past two seasons, the Arizona Coyotes have lacked a true number-one defenseman. Last season, they had Shayne Gostisbehere and Jakob Chychrun, who played well with the team but were both dealt at the trade deadline. This left general manager Bill Armstrong without a go-to guy on the roster, leaving them often crawling back from leads. They had J.J. Moser and Jusso Valimaki, who were blossoming into prominent roles, but it wasn’t an ideal situation to be in. As a result, Armstrong had to get creative in finding a player who could drive a power play and become a core piece of the team down the road.
Days before the 2023 NHL Draft, he did just that, acquiring Sean Durzi from the Los Angeles Kings, who has since shined with the team. It was unknown what his role would be as preseason rolled on, but after the first week and a half, it’s evident Durzi’s effect is making a monumental difference in games.
Coyotes Gave Up Minimal Assets to Acquire Durzi
Last season, Durzi came off a career-high in both goals and points as he wrapped up with nine goals and 38 points. These numbers likely could’ve been higher if he hadn’t played behind Drew Doughty and Vladislav Gavrikov. It’s fair to say he was the odd man out in Los Angeles and with looming rumors regarding Pierre-Luc Dubois, the Kings needed assets. Trading Durzi is exactly what that did, as they fetched a 2024 second-round pick, which originally belonged to the Montreal Canadians. This draft selection would eventually head to the Winnipeg Jets as part of the Dubois deal.
With his production to start the season, giving up just a second-round pick doesn’t seem too bad. Obviously, the Coyotes are still just five games into the season and have a long way ahead until they can properly grade the trade. It’s also important to mention that Armstrong has built up an absurd amount of draft capital for the 2024 draft class and beyond, so it wasn’t the largest loss.
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“If you look at the direction the organization is going in, the players, the people I’ve talked to and met so far, it’s really been first class, and it’s something special you want to be a part of,” Durzi said. “I think that’s the exciting part for me, is just knowing the intentions. The people they’re bringing in, the people they have, the character, and what they’re building around is obviously very exciting for a player like myself.”
Hot Start Due to Power Play Sucess
To kick off the 2023-24 campaign, one of the bright spots amongst the Coyotes has been the power play’s success. In five games, the team has converted on 29% of their power plays, which ranks seventh best in the entire NHL, ahead of both the Colorado Avalance and Vegas Golden Knights. This is credited to a multitude of people, especially the coaching staff. However, most of the success has fallen on the shoulders of Durzi, who has been controlling the power play and making it lethal to play against.
Durzi’s two goals have come on the power play, and the chemistry he’s building with Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz, and Barrett Hayton has been a treat to watch. In previous seasons, the power play was dreadful and, most of the time, didn’t come through; this season has been a complete flip of the script. The immense question now looms: Can they nourish this success? Can they make this power play lethal not for five games but for all 82?
Having Durzi, it looks like he’ll persist in doing a superb job driving the play off and on the power play, which is why he’s off to such a hot start. This is also one of the many reasons Armstrong made a deal with Kings GM Rob Blake, trading for the Mississauga, Canada native. “He really is a no-nonsense forward puck mover where, boom, it just flies off his stick, but I think he can be our guy back there on the power play, too. He’s got a great shot from the point. We think he can have some impact and the other thing about him is he kills penalties. We think he can grow into that top-four range and play over 20 minutes and have good value for us.”
What to Expect From Durzi for the Remainder of the Season
Durzi has four points in five games wearing the kachina, and as stated, most of that success has been attributed to the power play. However, there is more to his game than just his offense. Much concern still resides on the defensive side of the puck, where he has been labeled a high-risk player in his own end, often time causing turnovers. While this has yet to be a prominent issue this season, it could become an issue down the line.
With his offensive production up, Durzi is undoubtedly on track to break his current record of 38 points, which would be significant for this upcoming offseason as he will be a restricted free agent (RFA). The Coyotes dealt with two RFAs this offseason in Matias Maccelli and Jack McBain, eventually resolving them, but getting Durzi signed sooner rather than later will be most beneficial. In his short stint, it’s been impressive what Durzi has been able to do with such a young Coyotes team, but seeing consistency will be critical to his development in Arizona.
Durzi Finding His Game in the Desert
The Coyotes’ power play has found light, and it’s due to the success Durzi has had driving the play and using his elite shot. However, it can’t go dark in a season where the Coyotes seem to be in the midst of most games; the power play can’t go dark for a game or games, as special teams in the early going have pushed this team forward. Take their first game against the New Jersey Devils as an example. They were down 3-2; then a Nick Schmaltz power-play goal tied it and sent the game to overtime. While it’s not just on Durzi, he tends to be that guy on the first unit, as it looks to be among the best power plays in the NHL come April.
