Last Word on Hockey’s Puck Drop Previews are back for the 2023-24 season! As the regular season approaches, Last Word will preview each team’s current outlook and stories to watch for the upcoming year. We’ll also do our best to project how things will go for each team over the course of the campaign. Today, we’re previewing the 2023-24 Arizona Coyotes.
2023-24 Arizona Coyotes
2022-23 Season
It was not a great season for the Arizona Coyotes, but they did enjoy the experience at Mullet Arena. Clayton Keller popped off for 86 points and a career year for himself. However, the desert dogs finished seventh in the Central Division and did not qualify for the playoffs. The future is bright with the Coyotes, as they have a lot of young guys emerging as cornerstone pieces entering the 2023-24 season.
2023 Offseason
Entering the 2023-24 Coyotes season, new faces will emerge. The team made a trade by acquiring young defenceman Sean Durzi from the Los Angeles Kings. Furthermore, many veterans are joining the fold to complement this young roster. Veteran defenceman Matt Dumba signed a one-year contract with the club to help anchor the back end, and Jason Zucker provides a scoring punch up front. Also joining the club is Alexander Kerfoot, an effective depth player. However, the most significant off-season move was having Logan Cooley announce that he would leave the University of Minnesota to join the club. Much of the same team is returning, but these moves help round out the respective roster.
Lineup Predictions
Forwards
Keller-Hayton-Schmaltz
Maccelli-Cooley-Zucker
Kerfoot-Bjugstad-Guenther
McBain-Boyd-Crouse
Top Six
The top six unit for the 2023-24 Coyotes will share the bulk load of the offensive production. Keller is coming off a career season, and Matias Maccelli was a bright spot in the lineup. His ability to emerge as a core piece of the team saw him earn a contract extension. Zucker has been a steady scoring presence but is coming off a down season. His veteran presence will be fabulous for these younger players to lean on. Nick Schmaltz has been great ever since joining the team. He is coming off back-to-back 50+ point seasons and was one goal shy of his career-high during the 2021-22 season. The most significant upside is having Cooley join the fold. He is coming off a monster season for the University of Minnesota, scoring 22 goals and 60 points. Having a youthful 1-2 punch of Barret Hayton and Cooley will be fun to see for this young Coyotes team.
Bottom Six
The bottom six for the 2023-24 Coyotes have more grit and sandpaper to the lineup. Lawson Crouse scored the second most goals on the team (24), and he has established himself as a solid power forward for the team. Dylan Guenther is one of the young forwards who looks to take the following steps in his development. Playing alongside veteran centre Nick Bjugstad will help, as well as Alexander Kerfoot. He comes over from the Toronto Maple Leafs and is a great depth addition to round out the roster. Kerfoot is capable of producing and can play centre or wing.
For the most part, the third and fourth lines look the same, and you’ll see the same players filling in those roles. The 2023-24 Coyotes have more depth and look better than last season with its forward groups.
Defencemen
Moser-Dumba
Valimaki-Stetcher
Durzi-Soderstrom
Top Four
The top four will look different for the 2023-24 Coyotes. Dumba has been a top-four defenceman his entire career and will be the anchor for the Coyotes. He is not known for his offensive production, but he plays a physical game and has shutdown ability. J.J. Moser looks to be paired alongside him and finished with the second most points among Coyotes defencemen last season. He generated the second most expected goals and showed his offensive upside, which will pair well with Dumba. Valimaki was the top producer for the Coyotes during the 2022-23 season and will look to continue that. Being paired with the veteran Troy Stecher, who has more defensive upside, gives the Coyotes another pair that compliments one another.
Bottom Pair
Durzi was a bright spot for the Kings during the 2022-23 season. He finished with the second most points for defencemen (38) and showed his potential offensively. Durzi is a smooth skater and good in transition, making for an excellent player on the third pair. He is not the most physical, but he is a shot-blocking machine and is willing to sacrifice the body. Victor Soderstrom will get a good look at the 2023-24 Coyotes. He has spent three years with the club and will look to solidify himself on the roster further.
Goalies
Vejmelka
Ingram
Connor Ingram will have the honour of backing up Karel Vejmelka. Ingram was solid in his 27 appearances, finishing with a 3.37 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. Vejmelka got the bulk of the load during the 2022-23 season, and will get the same this season. Arizona was not the best team defensively, but Vejmelka was a very stable goaltender. He finished the year with a 3.43 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage. Those numbers seem inadequate, but the team averaged 35.9 shots against per game. Getting peppered like that every night will not net you the best results each time. However, Vejmelka finished the season with 11.1 goals saved above expected, which is very good considering the amount of shots he faced. This will be a young team, and having a young goaltender backstopping them is enormous.
Players to Watch
Clayton Keller
The franchise player and cornerstone piece in Clayton Keller will be a player to watch for. He went on to shatter his previous career high in points from last season, where he had 63. This past season, he scored a career-high 37 goals, 49 assists, and 86 points. His blend of speed, skill, and a nose for the back of the net should see him propel further in production. The 2023-24 Coyotes have a better-supporting cast, which should bode well for Keller, and he is the face of the franchise.
Logan Cooley
The biggest summer story for the desert dogs was not the arena situation but Cooley joining the team. He was taken third overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, and after a successful season at the University of Minnesota, he is ready to take the next step in his hockey career. Cooley had high production in the 2021-22 year, where he tallied 36 points in the USHL and 75 points with the U.S. National U18 team. It is safe to say that the Coyotes will be happy to have his offensive upside. He is a player that will challenge for the Calder Trophy and be a fun player to watch this season.
Prediction for the 2023-24 Coyotes
The Central Division will be challenging, especially with the top teams leading the charge. Arizona bolstered its roster with proven veterans and has promising youth making the roster. The Desert Dogs are not a playoff team, but they are a team that will turn heads and make you want to tune into what they are doing. Expect another year at the bottom of the division, but better performance in terms of points.
Prediction: Seventh in the division. No playoffs.
Main Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
