Coyotes Add Talented & Character Players on First Day of Free Agency

Arizona Coyotes General Manager Bill Armstrong has been extremely busy lately.

He wouldn't have it any other way.

Armstrong, who just wrapped up a 12-pick NHL Draft on Thursday, signed six players on Saturday - a whirlwind of activity on what was just the first day of free agency.

Three of those players - Nick Bjugstad, Alex Galchenyuk, and Troy Stecher - have previously played in Arizona. Bjugstad and Stecher played with the team this past season before being traded prior to the deadline, while Galchenyuk had two stints with the Coyotes, in 2018-19 and again in 2021-22.

The 30-year-old Bjugstad recorded 13 goals and 10 assists in 59 games with the Coyotes before getting traded to Edmonton, where he recorded six points in 19 games. He scored three goals in 12 playoff games with the Oilers.

Stecher, meanwhile, was a consistent force on the blue line for 61 games in Arizona last season, chipping in seven assists while averaging 17 minutes of playing time per game. He recorded three goals and four assists in 20 games following a trade to the Calgary Flames.

Armstrong said the duo epitomizes the culture that he and head coach André Tourigny have been trying to instill on the Coyotes.

"They want to be a Coyote and for us, those guys coming back into our team, we just love their work ethic and we love them as people and what they bring to the Coyotes," Armstrong said. "The character is huge on Stech and Bjugstad. They came to the desert last year and wanted to make a statement, and they helped our team get better.

"For us, to have those guys back, wanting to be in the desert, wanting to compete and bleed in the desert, those are our guys."

Galchenyuk will make his third appearance with the Coyotes, and has played 132 total games with Arizona, recording 25 goals and 37 assists over that span.

Bjugstad credited Tourigny and his staff for helping "instill confidence" in him last season, saying it was a big reason he decided to return to Arizona.

"I think they're heading in the right direction, especially under André," Bjugstad said. "He's a great coach, and I enjoyed playing for him, so that was a huge reason for me."

Jason Zucker is coming off a full season in Pittsburgh last year, where he recorded 27 goals and 21 assists in 78 games. The 31-year-old has 338 points in 628 career games, having spent nine seasons in Minnesota in addition to the four he played in Pittsburgh.

He also knows Bjugstad, Stecher, and forward Travis Boyd, and said he's looking forward to taking on more of a leadership role in the desert, especially with a team full of young players.

"I'm just hoping that in general I can help them grow their games, their personalities, their professionalism, in just the worlds they're living in," Zucker said. "Hopefully we can really grow their game, grow themselves individually, and I hope to be a part of that."

Armstrong said Zucker, who signed a one-year deal, was a good fit with the Coyotes because his gritty style of play compliments his high skill level.

Combine that with his versatility on the ice, and Arizona has added what looks to be a key component to the 2023-24 season.

Alex Kerfoot signed a two-year deal late on Saturday, coming to the desert from the Toronto Maple Leafs where he recorded 134 points in 285 games. He spent two years in Colorado prior to that, notching 34 goals and 51 assists in 157 games.

The Coyotes' GM referred to him as "glue."

"He's someone who can come in and play left wing, right wing, or center. He can take draws. Play the PK, play the PP. He's really a glue guy for us," Armstrong said. "He provides something different. He can protect them. He's a guy that, as a coach, you love this guy because he can do anything you need."

That was all just on day one of free agency.

The 2023-24 team is beginning to take shape, and with an ever-growing prospect pipeline following last week's NHL Draft, there's plenty for Coyotes fans to get excited about.

"If you look at where we are as an organization, it's a proud point to be because of how many picks we've accumulated, and the picks that we've not only made, but the quality of team that's on the ice in a small timeframe," Armstrong said. "Now we can take another step in being a better team, but we're taking that step with a boatload of draft picks and a lot of talent coming."