The new-look Coyotes, who added Jason Zucker, Alex Kerfoot, Logan Cooley, Matt Dumba, Sean Durzi, and Travis Dermott over the offseason, still have plenty of familiar faces set to suit up. Three-time All-Star Clayton Keller posted a career-high 86 points last season, tying the Coyotes’ single-season mark that was set by Keith Tkachuk during the 1996-97 season.
The weekend will also likely feature the NHL debut of phenom Logan Cooley, who the Coyotes drafted third overall at the 2022 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award last season after a stellar freshman campaign in which he recorded 22 goals and 38 assists in 60 games with the NCAA’s Minnesota Golden Gophers.
“He’s a high prospect, and you see his work ethic every day, his mentality, and his approach, and it’s not easy to come into the league when you’re a young player, let alone 19,” forward Nick Bjugstad said. “For him, I think what separates him from a lot of 19-year-olds is how he handles his business. He’s a hard worker, and he doesn’t seem like he’s going to want anything handed to him.
“That’s an impressive thing I’ve seen so far this week.”
Player to Watch: There are so many good candidates heading into the first preseason game of the year, but Keller deserves everyone’s attention following an incredible season that saw him finish as a finalist for the Masterton Trophy.
ABOUT THE KINGS
LA finished in third place in the Pacific Division last season, and ultimately fell to the Edmonton Oilers in the First Round of the 2022 NHL Playoffs. The Coyotes were 1-1-1 against the Kings in 2022-23, with the lone win coming 2-1 in a shootout at Mullett Arena on Dec. 23.
Captain Anze Kopitar led the team with 74 points, notching 28 goals and 46 assists in a full 82 games played. The 36-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down after posting his highest point total since the 2017-18 season, and has 1,141 career points in 1,292 games, all spent in Los Angeles.
There’s plenty of other firepower in the Kings’ lineup, including Adrian Kempe (67 points), Viktor Arvidsson (59 points), Phillip Danault (54 points), and Quinton Byfield, who was selected second overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow, we’re finally playing our first game in however many months,” defenseman Drew Doughty said. “I’m excited to play.”
Forward Pierre-Luc Dubois was traded to the Kings from the Winnipeg Jets on June 27, and promptly inked an eight-year deal shortly thereafter. The 25-year-old posted a career-best 63 points in 73 games last season, and has amassed 123 total points over the last two seasons.
Starting goaltenders have not yet been announced, but expect to see both Cam Talbot and Pheonix Copley this weekend. Copley enjoyed a breakout season last year, posting a 24-6-3 record with one shutout, a 2.63 GAA and .903 SV%, while the veteran Talbot -- who signed a one-year deal with the Kings this offseason -- was 17-14-2 with a 2.93 GAA and .898 SV% with the Ottawa Senators. The 36-year-old netminder has recorded 28 shutouts in 423 career games played.
Player to Watch: Keep an eye on Kopitar, who has enjoyed huge success against the Coyotes in years past. He’s recorded 91 points in 88 career games against Arizona, the most points he has recorded against any team in the league.
