It was an exciting time when the Arizona Coyotes were in Edmonton for the 2020 NHL Playoffs. Not only was it the first time the team had been in the playoffs since 2012, but players like Clayton Keller, Christian Dvorak, and Conor Garland were getting their first taste of the postseason. At the time, those were the faces of the franchise, players guiding the team into what most thought was a solid direction. They also had veterans like Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jason Demers, and Alex Goligoski, who added a lot of experience.
After defeating the Nashville Predators 3-1 in the qualifying round, they took center stage, going toe-to-toe with Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche weren’t a team to mess around with having all the pieces other than maybe goaltending to win a Stanley Cup. Understanding that the Coyotes’ time in the playoffs was short-lived, they were sent packing after a quick five-game series.
Related: Rise of Utah GM Bill Armstrong: The Quest for a Cup
Seeing back-to-back 7-1 defeats, change needed to occur, or the team would be stuck in mediocrity for an eternity. That’s happened to teams, and newly appointed general manager Bill Armstrong had a chance to change that. Of course, that started with trading captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Garland to the Vancouver Canucks, followed by Christian Dvorak to the Montreal Canadiens and Derek Stepan to the Ottawa Senators. Plenty of moves that rewarded the team with a wealth of draft capital, which they’ve used to draft players and as trade assets.
All these trades have left Armstrong at this moment, where they enter the 2024-25 season looking to take a prominent leap, not only in the standings but also in the growth of their players.
Keller, Schmaltz, and Sergachev Take Charge
When rebuilding or going through the latter half of a rebuild, having leaders in the locker room is extremely important. At the start of the rebuild, there’s no denying the Coyotes were not a good team, and their record showed that. It was hard to watch at times, but there were guys like Andrew Ladd, Antoine Roussel, Jay Beagle, and Loui Eriksson in the locker room. It was evident that even though the result on the ice wasn’t great, there were winners on the roster.
Fast-forward to the start of the 2024-25 season. Slowly coming out of the rebuild, they have guys like Keller, Lawson Crouse, Nick Schmaltz, and newly acquired Mikhail Sergachev. These are going to be the players who guide the youngsters; they’ll be the ones who help in the locker room after a tough loss. It’s the kind of thing that NHL teams need to win a Stanley Cup one day.
It’s unknown if head coach Andre Tourigny will name a captain for the upcoming season, and it seems more likely than never; I’d expect one of these guys to be named captain. Maybe less on the Sergachev train, as he’s new to the team and culture, but a guy like Keller would fit perfectly as captain.
Cooley, Guenther & Doan To Take Next Steps Forward
On the flip side, some youngsters are still paving their way in the NHL. For example, Logan Cooley was sheltered a bit last season and most certainly didn’t reach his full potential, but that’s not an accident. Playing him with the right players and gluing him with the players who fit his play style helped him grow. That was highly evident in the last 20 or so games with Cooley, who blossomed and is going into his sophomore season.
Alongside Cooley, there are guys like Dylan Guenther and Josh Doan, who are some of the young risers of Utah’s pipeline. After Jason Zucker suffered a two-game suspension last season, Guenther was called up back to the NHL. While it was said to be a short-term solution, Guenther never made his way back down to the American Hockey League, and that’s credit to the work he put in down in Tucson. Doan also shined in the 11 games he played with the Coyotes, notching nine points, and had a historic debut, scoring two goals at Mullett Arena.
Of course, it’s not just these three who will take steps; there will be call-ups throughout the season, and those players will see time in the NHL; that’s just part of the excitement throughout the NHL season.
Maccelli, Hayton & Durzi Growing With Team
Aside from the youngsters still paving their way in the NHL and the veterans, some players are growing with the team. An excellent example of this is none other than Toronto, Ontario, native Sean Durzi. When Durzi was dealt from the Los Angeles Kings to the Coyotes last offseason, he had a chance to earn a payday and a future role with an up-and-coming team. Last season, he saw a lot of success, especially on the power play, which saw him earn a big extension, keeping him in Utah for the next four years.
The same happened with Matias Maccelli and Barrett Hayton, who were restricted free agents (RFAs) and signed a deal to stay in Utah and continue growing with the team. It’s hard to grow as a player in the NHL, as it’s the best of the best, but having a good supporting cast makes it easier, and that’s what’s ultimately going to happen with Maccelli and Hayton.
With all these players signed in Utah for at least the next two seasons, it’ll be exciting to see what direction they go in as they continue to develop.
Rebuild Year 4 Awaits Exciting Season for Utah
Of course, the NHL these days doesn’t see many or any relocations, unless it’s the Vegas Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken we are talking about, but they were expansion teams. Thus, all eyes are set on Oct. 8, Utah’s home opener, where they take on the Chicago Blackhawks. This season will be about growth, as Utah has many interesting players who hope to take that next step forward, most of whom are mentioned above. All in all, Utah will be an exciting team in 2024-25, and it’ll be intriguing to see how it all plays out.
