For the Arizona Coyotes, this season is a new opportunity to grow from last season. Reinforcements were brought in during the offseason to make them a playoff team and a potential contender in the near future. Will they do the unthinkable and grab a playoff berth in 2023-24?
Arizona finished the preseason with a 4-5 record for 8 points, outscoring the opposition 30-28. They went 3-1 at home, which provides some optimism as playing at Mullett Arena suits their style of play.
Coyotes Announce 2023-24 Opening Night Roster
Arizona’s season begins on Friday, Oct. 13, on the road against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center, starting the season off with a four-game road trip. Their home opener, against the Anaheim Ducks, will be on Saturday, Oct. 21. The roster is now set and contains 13 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders.
Forwards
Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller, Alex Kerfoot, Jason Zucker, Nick Bjugstad, Jack McBain, Barrett Hayton, Liam O’Brien, Michael Carcone, Matias Maccelli, Lawson Crouse, Travis Boyd, and Logan Cooley
Defensemen
Josh Brown, Juuso Valimaki, Matt Dumba, Travis Dermott, Sean Durzi, Troy Stecher, and J.J. Moser
Goaltenders
Karel Vejmelka and Connor Ingram
While the Coyotes were finalizing their opening-night lineup, tough decisions had to be made. These are the transactions that stood out the most:
Notable prospects that were sent down include forwards Jan Jenik and Dylan Guenther, who were sent to the Coyotes’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. Defenseman Mavric Lamoureaux was sent to the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Guenther was a surprise, as he had a good camp and pushed his teammates to be better through his work ethic. Jenik recently signed a new deal, however, he did not have a good enough camp to push a player out of a roster spot.
Related: Coyotes Sending Guenther Down Is the Smart Move
Also, goaltender Ivan Prosvetov was placed on waivers on Oct. 8 and was claimed by the Colorado Avalanche. This move leaves newcomer, Matt Villalta, as the Roadrunners’ starter. He is capable of playing that role, as he had that same position with the Ontario Reign – AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.
Prize prospect Logan Cooley made the team after a strong training camp. The third-round pick from the 2022 NHL Draft was determined to put on a show, and he did just that. While he is young, he has the most potential of anyone in the Coyotes’ pipeline. It is still unknown what role he will play, but will instantly boost the team’s offense.
Cooley finished his college career with a dominating performance at the University of Minnesota with the Golden Gophers of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division 1. Last season, he posted 22 goals, 38 assists, and 42 penalty minutes in 39 games. He is offensively gifted and will be electric on the ice.
Coyotes Much Improved Throughout Lineup
This version of the Coyotes is more balanced than in previous seasons. Each forward line has a scorer, a playmaker, and a gritty forward capable of producing offense. The defense is more well-rounded with proven players who have NHL experience. The goaltending duo of Vejmelka and Ingram return after having successful seasons.
While the roster has improved, Arizona is in a tough conference. Most teams in the Western Conference loaded up by making trades and signing players to add depth, so the Coyotes will have their work cut out for them. They could improve by 15 points but still remain at the bottom of the division.
The Coyotes earned 70 points last season and did not qualify for the playoffs, finishing 13th in the West. However, the Chicago Blackhawks, who also failed to make the playoffs last season, now have the sensational Connor Bedard, while the St. Louis Blues did not make any major moves to improve on their disappointing 2022-23 campaign. This is key, as these were the two teams that finished near Arizona in the standings. The Coyotes are now in charge of their own destiny.
Arizona could surprise the NHL this season. The addition of Cooley, along with a team rebuilt from the defense on out, and a solid goaltending duo should make them a team to watch in 2023-24. A wild-card spot is obtainable.
