NHL.com is providing in-depth analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 8 to Sept. 8. Today, three important questions facing the Arizona Coyotes.
[Coyotes 32 in 32: Season preview | Top prospects | Fantasy breakdown]
1. What about that road trip?
The Coyotes will play at least the next three seasons at Arizona State University’s new multipurpose arena, where a $20 million annex to house dressing and training rooms, weight rooms and coaches’ offices is being built. Because it won’t be completed until early December, Arizona has a 14-game road trip from Nov. 5-Dec. 7, one longer than when the New York Islanders began last season with 13 away from home while UBS Arena was being completed.
Although the Coyotes will play four home games from Oct. 28-Nov. 3 by creating temporary locker rooms in an auxiliary ASU rink, they have 20 of their first 24 on the road to start the season. Once they settle into the 5,000-seat arena (37 of their final 58 games are at home), they expect nightly sellout crowds to generate a decided home-ice advantage in the most intimate setting in the NHL. Nearly every seat is within 13 rows of the ice.
“We have really great fans, passionate about the team, passionate about hockey,” forward Travis Boyd said. “I expect a great atmosphere every single game. I think it will be a hard building to come into and win, and that’s certainly going to make it a lot of fun playing every night.”
The Coyotes hope to complete negotiations with the City of Tempe later this year for an arena and entertainment complex.
2. How far away are the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Although the Coyotes won their final three games last season and gained five of a possible eight points from the eventual Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche (2-1-1), they’re in the early stages of a major rebuild. They lost 14 of their first 15 games (1-13-1), were outscored 54-17 during an 0-8-2 slide from April 4-23 and their 50 regulation losses led the NHL.
Most offseason personnel moves were veteran role players replacing other veteran role players while continuing to build through the draft.
“When you go through a rebuild, it can be ugly,” general manager Bill Armstrong said. “The players care, the coaches care and when you go through that, the losing wears on people… so what we’ve preached around here is the process. How do we make sure we’re moving one step every day to becoming a championship organization?”
3. Can Jakob Chychrun rebound, and how has Clayton Keller recovered from a major injury?
Chychrun scored seven goals last season after leading NHL defensemen with 18 in 2020-21, and the 24-year-old was the subject of rumors ahead of the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline. He has three seasons remaining on a six-year contract he signed Nov. 13, 2018.
“Jakob is going to come back and play for the Coyotes,” Armstrong said. “That’s our plan, and we expect him to be a big part of the team.”
Keller, a forward, scored an NHL career-high 28 goals in 67 games before breaking his leg when he crashed into the end boards in the third period against the San Jose Sharks on March 30 and was taken off the ice on a stretcher. The Coyotes said he had surgery and was expected to make a full recovery in 4-6 months. They believe he’ll be ready near the start of the season at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 13.
Video: ARI@TOR: Chychrun hammers one-timer in for OT winner
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