Arizona Coyotes feeling more confident in this year's team ahead of season opener

Growing pains are inevitable right now for the Arizona Coyotes.

Last year’s Coyotes lost 11-straight games before winning its first game in November.

While this year’s preseason, in which the Coyotes went 0-6-1, isn’t a promising sign for a team embarking on six-game road trips where half of the teams were in the playoffs last season. However, this year’s group seems to have a better grasp of team identity.

“I think we were much ahead of where we were last year in terms of structure and understanding what we’re trying to do in our structure,” Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny said. “In terms of player evaluation, we have a number of players who are NHL capable.”

While most of the key pieces from last year’s group remain, there are shakeups in all positions.

The main thing to watch in the beginning is goaltending.

Karel Vejmelka became the starter after rising up through multiple camps and remaining healthy during numerous injuries to goaltenders at the start of last season. Vejmelka came into this year’s training camp as the probable starter and remained at the top while the Coyotes evaluated several netminders.

The team settled on Connor Ingram after claiming him off waivers Monday.

Tourigny is familiar with Ingram’s career, which features past success in the American Hockey League. Ingram spent last season in the Nashville Predators organization, playing three NHL games and 54 in the AHL.

“He’s really talented, he’s young. So there is a lot of potential,” Tourigny said.

The defense returns two players who played 60 games or more with Shayne Gostisbehere and Dysin Mayo, while adding veteran blue-liners Josh Brown, Patrik Nemeth, and Troy Stecher. Juuso Valimaki, who was added to the roster Sunday, began practicing with the team on Monday and brings in 82 games of NHL experience.

Offensively, the Coyotes received promising news on Monday when Nick Schmaltz returned to practice after being day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The Coyotes’ offense underwhelmed in the preseason without Clayton Keller and Schmaltz.

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The last three games saw a total of four goals. The worst showing came against the Vancouver Canucks on Friday where the Coyotes posted seven shots in an entire game.

“I think our offense was not at the level during the training camp,” Tourigny said. “Our power play and our special teams were pretty good. We had a progression that we wanted. But our offense on 5-on-5 in the offensive zone and neutral zone will need to be better.”

A potential surprise that can happen for the Coyotes comes with forward Dylan Guenther making the opening night roster. The ninth overall pick in 2021 will receive up to nine games before the team decides to keep him or send him back to his junior team, the Edmonton Oil Kings.

“Guenther has been pretty good in main camp and I really like his mindset and I like the way he moves the puck,” Tourigny said.

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Projected lines

Clayton Keller-Travis Boyd-Nick Schmaltz

Nick Ritchie-Nick Bjugstad-Matias Maccelli

Lawson Crouse-Barrett Hayton-Christian Fischer

Liam O’Brien-Jack McBain-Zack Kassian

Reach the reporter at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com or 602-647-4122. Follow her on Twitter @jennarortiz. 

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Coyotes open 2022-23 NHL season more confident than last year