The Arizona Coyotes are in the midst of a full-team rebuild, thus achieving their goal of finishing second-last in the entire NHL this past season. The Yotes finished with a harsh 57 points and a -106 goal differential, far worse than the last-place Montreal Canadiens.
Clayton Keller:
Although harsh, few of the Coyotes actually had solid seasons. For example, Clayton Keller. The former seventh overall pick, arguably, had his best statistical season since his rookie year, 2017-18. In 67 games played, the elite offensive-minded forward scored 63 points. Keller represented the Coyotes at the All-Star game.
Keller averaged over 20 minutes per game, playing on the power play while also on the penalty kill. He has significantly improved his two-way game, as represented by his two shorthanded points and his career high in blocks.
The assistant captain will look to build on his success during the 2022–23 season. He is set to return in time for training camp after breaking his leg near the end of the 2021-22 season.
Shayne Gostisbehere:
Gostisbehere, also known as "Ghost", was a pleasant surprise for the Arizona Coyotes. The Florida native was acquired during the 2021 offseason from the Philadelphia Flyers for a seventh round pick. Arizona also got a 2022 second-round pick to pay for Ghost's $4.5M contract.
Essentially a cap dump, Gostisbehere has had a significant offensive effect on the Coyotes. Playing on the top power play, the d-man scored 51 points in 82 games. Although defensive metrics weren't great, Ghost's offensive capability made up for the weaker aspects of his game.
The Coyotes will retain Gostisbehere for the 2022–23 season before he is set to hit unrestricted free agency.
Netminders:
Goaltending was a hard position to judge for the struggling Arizona Coyotes. The crease was split between Karel Vejmelka and Scott Wedgewood. However, Harri Sateri, Josef Korenar, Ivan Prosvetov, and Carter Hutton combined to play in 14 games.
Let's start with Karel Vejmelka. The Czech-born goalie played first NHL action this season, in 52 games. Vejmelka's numbers are rough, but this doesn't take away from the solid potential he showed. The rookie finished with a record of 13-32-3 and a save percentage of .898. Keep in mind that it is likely Vejmelka's numbers would be better if he played for a better team.
Scott Wedegewood was claimed off waivers by the Coyotes mid-season from the New Jersey Devils. In his limited stint in Arizona, he posted a 91% save percentage and a 3.16 GAA, before being traded to Dallas at the trade deadline.
The Rookies:
Victor Soderstrom is the top defensive prospect in the entire Coyotes farm system, but he had a sub-par season. Soderstrom seemed to struggle with NHL action, compared to his brief stint during the 2020-21 season. He started the year by playing 16 pointless games with the Yotes before being sent down. Soderstrom had a solid AHL season, putting up 19 points in 32 games.