There is no doubt that the Arizona Coyotes are entering yet another interesting season in the team’s history.
From lingering arena concerns to returning to Mullett Arena, the Coyotes haven’t avoided questions about their home. There still is plenty of time before the Coyotes make their home debut on Oct. 21. Here’s a look at the state of the team ahead of the season opener on Friday in New Jersey.
How good is Coyotes rookie Logan Cooley?
It’s hard to put the rookie’s talent into a box, but he’s been the standout for the Coyotes throughout training camp. He’s been a lot of things so far, from muscling his way through defenders to the net to showcasing a physical side to his game with a hit on Trevor Zegras in the preseason.
Cooley had points in all four games this preseason, including three goals, one a penalty shot in Arizona’s 7-1 win on Saturday over Anaheim in Tucson. There’s no doubt he’s ready for the next level.
Arguably the biggest debut for the Coyotes since Clayton Keller, Cooley will draw eyes regardless of what he does. It’s already been said by head coach Andre Tourigny that he won’t be on the top power play unit just yet, but there’s a chance he could be getting a good number of chances there.
What changes for the Arizona Coyotes defense?
The Coyotes defense remains a work in progress as it has the past few seasons. It got some attention over the offseason with the team trading for Sean Durzi and signing Matt Dumba.
Although in different stages of their careers, both have an opportunity for a fresh start. Durzi found some struggles defensively in his first two seasons, but has the scoring touch. Dumba spent 10 years in one place and isn’t producing offensively like he did in the past, but will provide help to the young group.
If J.J. Moser and Juuso Valimaki can start where they left off, the Coyotes will have a better chance.
How far into the rebuild is this year’s Coyotes team?
For several years the Coyotes have been playing for the future. That will likely still be the case this season, but some improvements suggest it won’t end like the past few campaigns.
In a year where the free-agent class wasn’t filled to the brim, the Coyotes managed to bring back last season’s surprises in forward Nick Bjugstad and defenseman Troy Stecher. The team added depth to its forwards group with veterans Jason Zucker and Alex Kerfoot.
General Manager Bill Armstrong didn’t guarantee this team will be in the playoffs, but he said it’s ready to play meaningful games. Keller said this year’s team wants to push for the playoffs. Only time will tell where the Coyotes will finish.
What went into the Coyotes’ new TV deal?
The Coyotes finally solved where games will be shown on television with a multi-year deal with Scripps Sports nearly one week before the season began.
The unfolding saga with Bally Sports put this season’s TV network up in the air. The organization worked within the legal parameters to find a new network throughout the process with Bally. The Coyotes followed the examples set by the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, along with the Vegas Golden Knights, and sought a free model for local broadcasts.
Where will the Coyotes play in the near future?
The elephant in the room, it seems.
It wasn’t a positive time for the Coyotes in May when the arena proposal in Tempe was voted down, but the team confirmed it wasn’t relocating and would be staying at Mullett Arena this season. The Coyotes are under contract to play at the arena through 2024-25 with an option for 2025-26.
The time is quickly approaching for the Coyotes to solve their permanent home dilemma. Arizona has been looking at multiple sites on private land around the East Valley. The team is expected to deliver the proposal to the NHL midway through the season.
Commissioner Gary Bettman has long championed for the Coyotes to stay in Arizona, so it’s not surprising that he shared positive news on the arena search. In an interview with Phoenix Business Journal this month, Bettman said in the “next few months, they will finalize something.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Five burning questions for Coyotes, including arena progress
