2015-16 record: 35-39-8 (78 points)
Missed the playoffs
Captain: Shane Doan
For the first half of the season, it looked like the Arizona Coyotes might challenge for a playoff spot, but as it does with all teams going with a full youth movement, that thought hit a wall. There were bright spots, though, as the Coyotes continue to build through the draft and trades for prospects, and already some of them are making an impact.
Up front, Shane Doan is going to be 40 during the season, yet he led the team in goals scored. It's no surprise, given his legendary workouts off the ice, and some of those habits are finding their way to Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, who are the youngsters already making an impact. While Martin Hanzal is still there and Radim Vrbata is back for one more round, it will be the next wave that will decide the Coyotes' future on the ice, as the release of Antoine Vermette clears the way for either or both Christian Dvorak and Dylan Strome to make an impact this season. Last season, defense was Oliver Ekman-Larsson and a bunch of question marks, so to that end, the Coyotes went out and got Alex Goligoski from Dallas and then signed him to a deal before he could hit free agency. Of the rest of the blue line, only Michael Stone appears to be a sure thing in the top four while the likes of Klas Dahlbeck, Jarred Tinordi, and Connor Murphy will try to establish themselves as regulars. Goaltending was a problem in the early going, as Mike Smith was horrible before a mid-season injury wiped out part of his time. By the time he came back, Louis Dominique established himself enough that it became a time-share, and both went on to post respectable numbers despite a porous defense in front of them. Offense remains an issue, but solving their penalty kill woes would go a long way in helping the Coyotes win more of the close games.
Prediction: 6th in the Pacific Division
Other than Doan, Ekman-Larsson, and the D-Brothers (Domi and Duclair), there are far too many question marks for the Coyotes to think about the playoffs this season. However, it is not necessarily out of the question, particularly if everything breaks right, especially when it comes to keeping the other team from scoring.
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