The Arizona Coyotes are just under a week from kicking off the 2023-24 campaign, and there is much anticipation. The team starts the season on a four-game road trip, beginning in New Jersey. Though, the Coyotes have not fared well to start the year in the previous two seasons. In 2021-22, they started 0-9-1, and then 3-6-1 in 2022-23. Clearly, the team hasn’t been known to get off to a hot start, but they have a chance with a much-improved roster to change that this season.
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With the signings of veterans Jason Zucker, Matt Dumba, and Alex Kerfoot, the Coyotes have a much better team on paper. However, it’s important they get off to a hot start; while going up against three playoff teams from last season will be challenging, anything is possible. Goaltenders Karel Vejmelka and Connor Ingram have played well during preseason play, and the team will need them big-time on this road trip. With that said, let’s try predicting how they’ll do to kick off the 2023-24 season.
New Jersey Devils – Oct. 13
It arguably couldn’t get more brutal than this to kick things off for head coach Andre Tourigny and company as they square off against one of the most complete teams in the NHL. Last season, the New Jersey Devils capped off a massive 2022-23 campaign with a 52-22-8 record, finishing second in the Metropolitan Division. The Stanley Cup playoffs also saw them defeat the New York Rangers in the first round until they fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round. The Devils are not a team to take lightly, and the Coyotes will have many players to keep an eye on, including Jack Hughes.
Hughes led all Devils in points with 99 in 78 games, finally breaking out. The former first-overall draft pick has established himself as a true superstar in the NHL, and the Coyotes will have to hope they can contain him. They also have the likes of Nico Hischier, Dougie Hamilton, and Jesper Bratt, who provide great secondary scoring. In net, they have a strong tandem in Akira Schmid and Vitek Vanecek, who were solid last season. So it’s clear their roster is destined for the playoffs this season, and hope to go even further than last year.
The main question still remains, do the Coyotes have a chance? Of course, they do; any team at any given moment can win in the NHL. However, I do not think they start the season off in the win column. It may be close, but I’d anticipate the Coyotes’ first game to end in a loss, especially against a star-studded Devils team.
Verdict: 5-3 loss
New York Rangers – Oct. 16
Next up on the schedule, they take on the New York Rangers. General manager Chris Drury was a busy man this offseason, adding veterans in Blake Wheeler, Jonathan Quick, Riley Nash, and more. Even though they signed a load of grizzled veterans, they already have their young core consisting of Adam Fox, Kaapo Kakko, and Alexis Lafreniere. However, they’re headlined by Moskova, Russia native Igor Shesterkin, who has played a monumental role in the team’s efforts the past couple of seasons. He also won the Vezina Trophy in 2021-22 and helped the Rangers advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
Although the Coyotes have plenty of newcomers who can make an impact and stop the Rangers’ top threats, including Logan Cooley, who will be making his NHL debut on this trip, and so far, he’s shown no signs of being a 19-year-old with his impressive preseason play. While the Rangers have their mix of superstars, the Coyotes have built a team full of depth, and it seems any line can be a threat on the ice.
This one is more complicated than the other; it could go either way. However, I believe experience plays a significant factor in this game, and the Coyotes will fall. I have them losing this game in overtime, but it will be a good test for this young Coyotes team.
Verdict: 3-2 overtime loss
New York Islanders – Oct. 17
In just their third game of the season, the Coyotes already have their first back-to-back, where they’ll visit UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders. The Islanders don’t score the most goals or have tons of highlight reel plays, but they play a simple game that wears opponents down. They can do this due to their young core of Mathew Barzel, Bo Horvat, and Oliver Wahlstrom, among others.
However, most of their scoring comes from the likes of Anders Lee and Brock Nelson, who have played prominent roles for the Islanders the past few seasons. Even though they made the playoffs last season, it seems the Coyotes have a legitimate chance to win this game. Of course, getting a win on opening night would be nice, but against the Devils, it’s not likely. Last season, the Coyotes swept the series, with the team winning the first game 2-0 and winning again in the second game 5-4.
Both of these teams have the talent to go out and blow the game up; they have the goalscorers and playmakers to do it. The Islanders also have Ilya Sorokin, one of the best netminders in the league, and it showed last season with his .924 save percentage (SV%). However, considering all factors, I believe the Coyotes get their first win of the season, taking down the Islanders in a close game.
Verdict: 4-2 win
St. Louis Blues – Oct. 19
The Coyotes’ last game of the road trip sees them making a pit stop in St. Louis, where they’ve done exceptionally well the past few seasons. Unlike the Coyotes, the St. Louis Blues haven’t made too many moves that look to impact their roster. However, they made one significant transaction in acquiring Kevin Hayes from the Philidelphia Flyers. Hayes had a good season with the Flyers in 2022-23, recording 54 points in 81 games.
Hayes certainly will help their offense, and though he is getting older, they have plenty of other players to rely on. Those names include Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas, and newly named captain Brayden Schenn. They only have a few young faces on the roster, but one that stands out is Jake Neighbours, who is looking to take another step forward in the NHL. It’s easy to compare rosters and lineups, but there is no denying the success forward Clayton Keller has had playing against his hometown team. In his career, he has ten goals and 14 assists in 24 games, all while playing the Blues.
Keller will look to have that same success again, this time coming off a historic season. Taking into account both teams and rosters, I believe the Coyotes will come away with their second win on the road trip. Nevertheless, I do think the game will be close. The games in the past few seasons against the Blues were always tight, but I have the Coyotes winning this one.
Verdict: 2-1 win
Coyotes Have Tough But Manageable Road Trip
The Coyotes usually open the season on the road, and the 2023-24 season is no different, seeing the team jump out to a challenging first four games. However, it’s a good reminder that this isn’t the tanking Coyotes team that we’ve seen in the past. This is a hungry and much-refined squad looking to make an impact throughout the season and play meaningful games until the end. It’s never easy playing on the road, but I have the Coyotes going 2-1-1 and taking five out of eight points.
