2022-23 Arizona Coyotes Season Recap

The 2022-23 Arizona Coyotes season is over. They finished with a 28-40-14 record placing them 27th in the NHL standings. So, it’s time to do a recap of the season and evaluate the team’s performance.

2022-23 Arizona Coyotes – Forwards

When we discuss the forward lines of the team, it goes without saying that Clayton Keller had a record year. He tied the Coyotes scoring record set by Keith Tkachuk in 1996-97 with 86 points. He came very close in the final game to breaking the record.

The hard work and determination that Keller put in to be ready for the season really paid off. He is up for the Bill Masterson trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.

Nick Schmaltz

Schmaltz formed a dynamic duo with Keller as they showed some magic on the ice. He added 22 goals and 36 assists in 63 games. His issue has always been staying healthy. He missed another 19 games this season. Over the last three seasons, he has missed 25 percent of games due to injuries. That gets unsustainable after a while.

He was the subject of trade rumors before the deadline, but teams were strapped for cap space. His contract is backloaded where he is due $7.5 million next year, $6.95M in 24/25, and $8.5M in 25/26. He could still be dealt this summer when teams have more available cap space.

Matias Maccelli

Maccelli has really developed into a top forward this season and will get votes for the Calder Trophy as the league’s best rookie. He tallied 11 goals, 38 assists in 64 games. Maccelli is a true playmaker and has been instructed to shoot more often. He dished 12 assists on the power play, second to Keller’s 14 helpers. Together on a line with Lawson Crouse, he has really come along nicely. Expect more good things going forward for him.

Lawson Crouse

Crouse also progressed exceptionally well this season. He had 24 goals and 21 assists in 71 games. He’s big and strong and can be the power forward the Yotes need going forward. His 15.9 percent shooting percentage shows his linemates need to get him the puck, and Maccelli has done just that. Crouse was the subject of trade rumors also, but trading him just doesn’t make any sense. He’s on a good $4.3M contract good through 2026-27. He fits the mold of the kind of player general manager Bill Armstrong likes. He needs to stay in Arizona, and he has expressed his desire to stay in the desert.

Barrett Hayton

Hayton got his chance to shine this season by playing every game and averaged 17:30 of ice time. He produced 19 goals and 24 assists to show 0.52 points a game. He found a home with Keller and Schmaltz and that certainly helped his progression. Hats off to Andre Tourigny to have confidence in Hayton’s play. As this team drafts more talented prospects, expect Hayton to continue excelling.

Defensemen for the 2022-23 Arizona Coyotes

Juuso Valimaki

One of the more adept moves that GM Armstrong made was to claim Valimaki off of waivers from the Calgary Flames in October of last year. He has turned into a very skilled blueliner with four goals and 30 assists in 78 games.

Valimaki had 98 blocks and was a good puck-possession player. He was the Flames 16th overall pick in the 2017 draft and wasn’t getting much ice time in Calgary. A soon-to-be restricted free agent after next season, it appears that the Yotes found a player they can use on the blue line.

J.J. Moser

Moser was another pleasant surprise on defense. He appeared in every game this season and had seven goals and 24 assists. Moser too was excellent in helping his goalie with 137 blocks, which led the team. He averaged just over 21 minutes a game which shows that he is a trusted defender on the club.

He had a physical game as well, adding 90 hits. His puck possession statistics show he needs improvement in that areas, but all-in-all, he did an adequate job on defense.

Josh Brown

Brown came over as a free agent signing last summer. He is strictly a defensive blueliner who only collected four goals, three assists in 68 games. His biggest contributions came with his physicality which cost him 87 penalty minutes. He won’t back down from anyone. Brown added 118 blocks and 152 hits in 68 games.

He is signed for one more season at a cap hit of $1.275 million. It’s debatable that he may be traded since the Coyotes have been trying to bring along young Victor Soderstrom who appeared in 30 games this season.

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Goaltending for the 2022-23 Arizona Coyotes

Karel Vejmelka

“Veggie” was the clear starter with an 18-24-6 record. His .899 save percentage and 3.43 goals-against average are not great, but he really has had moments of brilliance. He had three shutouts on a team who allowed an average of 3.60 goals a game.

Don’t think other teams didn’t notice Vejmelka’s play. He was rumored to be traded before the deadline, but that didn’t happen. He’s on a very reasonable deal for $2.75 million good through the 2024-25 season.

The big question going forward is… will he be the Yotes’ goalie when they get past the rebuild? Possibly. He does have potential and at this point, he’s their best solution between the pipes.

Connor Ingram

Here is another player that Armstrong grabbed off of the waiver wire who has worked out pretty well. He had a 6-13-8 record with a .907 save percentage and a 3.37 GAA. He will be a restricted free agent this summer, and with his $733,333 contract who knows if he will remain in Arizona.

With the rebuild continuing, there will be many changes this summer. While Ingram was an adequate backup goalie, there may be better solutions this summer to choose as a backup netminder.

Ivan Prosvetov

Prosvetov has been brought along slowly in the AHL Tucson Roadrunners organization. His progress was tested late in the season and the results were not glossy. He only collected a 4-3 record with an unimpressive .880 SV% and a 3.98 GAA. His $750,000 contract expires this summer and it will be time to decide if the team wants to continue with his development.

David Tendeck, who has not played a game in the NHL is also becoming an RFA at $783,333. Other than him, the Yotes have Anson Thornton in their system and he is just 19 years old. It seems that GMBA will be on the lookout for a backup goalie and perhaps with all his draft picks, may be able to draft a netminder, or better yet trade a draft pick for a solid backup goalie.

What the Future May Hold

Of course, the whole organization will be watching the May 16th vote on the Tempe Entertainment District which will include a new arena for the team. Without that vote being approved, this franchise will again be in limbo wondering what their future may hold.

As far as prospects coming to the team, there are some exciting possibilities. While Logan Cooley hasn’t signed a professional contract yet, it seems inevitable that he will. Adding him along with other young players like Dylan Guenther, Josh Doan, Connor Geekie, to name a few adds to great prospect pool.

The draft this summer will be very interesting to see what GM Armstrong can do. He has lots of picks, so let’s see what happens.