Five Questions for Coyotes Leading into 2023-24 Season

There are some big questions for the Arizona Coyotes that should all be answered through the course of the 2023-24 season.

The Arizona Coyotes 2023-24 season is vastly approaching. Here are five questions about the Coyotes leading up to this highly anticipated season.

The Coyotes 2022 third overall pick Logan Cooley signed his entry level with Arizona earlier this summer and will be making the jump from the NCAA to the NHL.

The 19-year-old center is coming off a fantastic year with the University of Minnesota where he had 22 goals, 38 assists and 60 points in 39 games.

Coyotes coach André Tourigny will be tasked with a difficult decision of whether to put Cooley with the team’s most explosive forward Clayton Keller.

On the one hand Keller and Cooley could be a lethal duo using their speed and high offensive abilities to their advantage. However, Keller seemed to have good chemistry with center Barrett Hayton so it should be interesting to see what Tourigny ultimately decides to do.

The Coyotes planned to build a brand new sports and entertainment district in Tempe but their proposal was rejected in a special election vote back in May.

While the team will play at Mullett Arena for their second straight season, they are still in search of a permanent home.

Earlier this month, Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo put in a letter of intent purchase a parcel of land in northwest Mesa to potentially build a new sports arena and entertainment district for the franchise.

At some point this season, there should be an update regarding the situation in Mesa and about the team’s plans for a future arena in general.

Arizona made some changes to their blue line during the offseason acquiring Sean Durzi and Matt Dumba.

With these new additions, the question is who will be the Coyotes true No. 1 defenceman?

Coyotes general manager Bill Armtsrong has stated that he expects Durzi to play a huge role for the team specifically on the power play.

This past season J.J. Moser had a great season for Arizona and the 23-year-old should continue to play crucial minutes for the team.

Dumba is a proven veteran that may not be the Coyotes No. 1 defenceman but he will have a pivotal role at both ends of the ice. It will be interesting to see how Tourigny handles this defensive core.

This past season Keller posted a career high 37 goals, 49 assists and 86 points in 82 games.

It’s hard to top a season of that magnitude but each season Keller seems to be getting even better so this could be the year where he establishes himself as one of the best wingers in the NHL.

At only 24-years-old, Keller has accomplished so much yet there is still always room to grow especially at that young age.

Expect the Keller show to be on full display at Mullett Arena.

Over the past couple of seasons, the Coyotes have placed at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

However, with the West becoming progressively more balanced, there is a shot that Arizona can slide into a playoff spot.

Armstrong went out and boosted the offense acquiring players like Jason Zucker, Alexander Kerfoot and Nick Bjugstad. The additions of Cooley, Durzi and Dumba should also make a big difference in the team’s performance on the ice.

It is yet to be seen whether the Coyotes are ready to make that sort of jump to where they will compete for the playoffs but if there is any year to do it, this would be the year.