The perspective around the Arizona Coyotes immediately altered when top prospect and Pittsburgh native Logan Cooley signed his entry-level contract. It also changed when they signed veterans Matt Dumba, Jason Zucker, and Alex Kerfoot, as well as bringing back Nick Bjugstad and Troy Stecher, who were previously dealt at the trade deadline. There then was a sense that this team could sneak into the playoffs. That would be something the Coyotes have yet to do since the 2020 run in the Edmonton bubble but were toppled by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round.
While the season is still young, the Coyotes have answered a swarm of questions we fans have had entering the season. Andre Tourigny’s group has displayed flashes of executing at a high level while, on the flip side, lacking in several crucial departments. Now, what can this team build off of, and what can they improve upon?
Good: Clayton Keller & Nick Schmaltz Continue to Dominate
In the NHL, having a superstar is monumental to a team’s success, and it’s easy to look at teams and immediately know who their guy is. The Edmonton Oilers have Connor McDavid, arguably one of the most dynamic players in the world, and the Florida Panthers have Matthew Tkachuk, who’s known for his grittiness. The Coyotes have struggled for countless years to find a player like that who can rise to the occasion when needed. While they have already been established with the Coyotes, Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz continue to get the job done, especially to start the 2023-24 campaign.
To begin the highly anticipated season, Keller and Schmaltz are tied for the team lead with eight points in eight games. The chemistry between the two of them has developed beautifully since the trade that sent Schmaltz to the Coyotes in 2018, putting them on league notice. Whenever they are both on the ice, they seem destined for a scoring chance due to how great they are when playing together. The key will be for them to stay healthy throughout the entire season since they’ve been the heart of this Coyotes offense to start the season.
Good: Sean Durzi’s Offensive Abilities As Advertised Early On
The rise of former first-round pick Oliver Ekman-Larsson was a sight to see, particularly during the team’s deep playoff run in 2012. Keith Yandle also spent some time with the Coyotes, where he showed his offensive capabilities every night. Since then, the Coyotes have severely lacked an offensive defenseman who could push play and make things happen in all zones. That changed when general manager Bill Armstrong acquired Sean Durzi from the Los Angeles Kings.
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Last season, Durzi racked up 38 points with the Kings, and while his role was limited behind a stacked defensive core, he had quite the season. To start his first season in Arizona, he is off to a scorching start, having seven points in his first eight games. He has been the center of the power play, and it’s one of the main reasons Armstrong traded for him. He also just turned 25 years old, so he fits in perfectly with the core who will hope to lead this team to the playoffs soon. Durzi has done wonders so far; the question is if he can sustain the rapid start he’s gotten off to.
“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.”
Bad: Crouse & Hayton Having Chances, Not Capitalizing
Now that we’ve covered some of the positives that have stood out at the start of the season, what hasn’t worked for the Coyotes? One of the main reasons this team hasn’t gotten off to a hotter start is not capitalizing on chances, specifically for forwards Lawson Crouse and Barrett Hayton. These are two players the team believes are part of the core for now and the future of the Coyotes. To begin the season, Hayton, who’s playing alongside Keller and Schmaltz, has zero points through eight games. In order to play first-line minutes, he has to step up to the task and play like he did towards the latter half of last season.
With Crouse, just a season ago, he had a career-high 24 goals but is off to a relatively slow start with just two assists in seven games. While these two will hopefully pick it up soon, it’s hurting the Coyotes right now. Most of the time, the Coyotes have been one-dimensional, resulting in the first line getting all the work done and calling it a night. Everyone knows that’s not how the NHL works and all 12 forwards need to have their motors running. Both are vital to this team’s future and while there’s no need to overreact yet, seeing some points on the board soon would surely propel his team forward.
Bad: Relying Too Much On Goaltending
Relying too much on goaltending has hurt the Coyotes in the past, and it’s once again biting them to start the 2023-24 season. It was up in the air what Connor Ingram would be after he was claimed off waivers last season, but since then he’s been terrific. That can be said as well for Karel Vejmelka, who has been off to a good start all things considered, but the Coyotes can’t rely on them as much as they have two weeks into the season.
Related: Coyotes’ Connor Ingram Finding His Way in Arizona
While it’s nice to know they have two rocks in the crease, the defense must play better. This was put on notice against the Kings when they had a 4-1 lead to start the second period but lost the game 5-4. With a lead like that, the defense has to lock down the opposition and play better. While it could take more time for the Coyotes’ newcomers on the blue line to glue together, they need to ensure they square things out, as this is not sustainable moving forward.
Not a Terrible Start, but Could Be Better
The Coyotes entered the 2023-24 campaign with a new hype surrounding them. Of course, the start of the season is always an exciting time, especially if there are multiple storylines to look forward to. The Coyotes have just that and some with the group they’ve established. However, while there have been plenty of positives, there have been a few negatives that have dragged the team down. They have all season to square away some of the issues, but Tourigny can’t be too upset with a 4-4-0 record to start the season.
