Christian Fischer has spent his entire 318-game NHL career with the Arizona Coyotes. He’s seen the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
There’s nowhere else he’d rather be.
Fischer, who signed a one-year contract with the Coyotes on July 11, has enjoyed an offseason of travel, highlighted by trips to Cabo and Napa Valley. In between he spent time training both in Scottsdale and Chicago, his hometown, preparing for the upcoming season – his seventh with the Coyotes.
The former second-round pick (2015, 32nd overall) is proud to be part of what Arizona is building in the desert.
“I’m so excited to be a part of this group, because we’re a part of a plan, and that’s an exciting thing,” Fischer said. “You want guys that want to be a part of this and want to go through the trenches and come out on the other side, making the playoffs consistently every year.”
The 25-year-old forward is part of a core of players including Clayton Keller, Lawson Crouseand Jakob Chychrun that have played six seasons in The Valley, and the chemistry that they have built together is something that shines through, both on and off the ice.
Add in forward Nick Schmaltzwho’s entering his fifth season with the Coyotes following a career-best 59 points last year, and Fischer believes Arizona is on the path to sustained success, potentially in the not-so-distant future.
“I think the best thing is to be able to go through it with the five or six of us that have been together through it all; that’s the fun part,” he said. “A lot of the guys have come and gone, but to be one of the guys to stay, stick it out, grind through this, and want to be here, this is such a tremendous opportunity with a team to go through this and come out on the other side.
“It’s fun to do it with some of your best buddies.”
The team had to adjust to head coach André Tourigny’s new system at the beginning of last season, but this year he expects to hit the ground running with the help of those core players. Fischer recorded 10 points in 53 games last season, and said he’s spent this offseason preparing to show up to training camp in September in the best shape of his life.
He also credited Tourigny for fostering a locker room environment that encourages player accountability. That type of attitude is contagious, and having played with former Stanley Cup winners like Phil Kessel and Andrew Ladd In the past, he stressed the importance of that on day one.
A team’s success is very much dependent on its culture.
“It’s whether we want to take that next step and do the extra work,” Fischer said. “Do that extra rep. It’s kind of cliché to say, but it’s true. If you have three or four guys that aren’t going to be doing that, you’re never going to win.”
That’s not to say that Fischer isn’t a realist. On the contrary, he understands what the Coyotes are facing, but considers himself a leader on the team, and he embraces that challenge with open arms.
He knows he can help guide the clubhouse into a good spot, whether it’s holding himself or teammates accountable or keeping it light in the locker room.
@nhlcoyotes Fish is asking the important questions: Do you put your Christmas tree up before or after Thanksgiving? 🤔🎄 #nhl #hockey ♬ original sound – Arizona Coyotes
“I always want to bring everyone together,” Fischer said. “Some days are going to be tough, and we’re going to lose a few games here and there. We’re going to lose a few in a row, but you can’t let that be a repetitive pattern, and you put an end to it.”
Fischer will still be a restricted free agent when his deal expires at the end of this season, but he’s hopeful his journey with the Coyotes will continue. The offseason additions of veteran players such as Zack Kassian, Nick Bjugstadand Troy Stecher — among others — combined with the team’s returning core, gives him the belief that everyone on the team will have an opportunity to take the “next step” in their respective careers.
Simply put, the club has the tools to tune out the noise and focus entirely on the task at hand.
“I think overall from a team standpoint there’s going to be lots of opportunities here, because there are a lot of young guys getting shots, and the middle core guys like us are looking to grow our games,” Fischer said. “I think we all have to have the mindset, we’re playing to win every game, and we’re going to grow our games, get better as a team, and grow as a locker room, and everything coming towards that one big plan of growing and becoming a playoff team every year.”
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