Durzi Aims to Bring Versatility to Coyotes' Blue Line

Sean Durzi recalls the Arizona Coyotes playing a "tenacious" style of hockey in 2022-23.

He's going to fit right in this season in the desert.

Durzi, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings this past June in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick, set career bests in his second professional NHL season, notching 38 points on nine goals and 29 assists last year. He has averaged 19:42 of ice time over 136 career games, and recorded three assists in three games against Arizona just one season ago.

Now, the 24-year-old defenseman is part of a 2023-24 Coyotes team that has somewhat transformed over the summer, joining fellow blue-liner Matt Dumba and forwards Jason Zucker and Alex Kerfoot as newcomers that have potential to make an immediate impact on the ice.

Durzi said he can't wait to get going.

"If you look at the direction the organization is going in, the players, the people I've talked to and met so far, it's really been first class, and it's something special you want to be a part of," he said. "I think that's the exciting part for me, is just knowing the intentions. The people they're bringing in, the people they have, the character, and what they're building around is obviously very exciting for a player like myself."

The Mississauga, Ontario native has enjoyed training at home this offseason, but also said he's eager to meet up with his new teammates when training camp kicks off next month. Durzi classified himself as a puck-moving defenseman that's not afraid to step up with a gritty style of play, which is easy to see considering he finished second on the Kings in 2022-23 with 142 blocked shots.

He spent time on both the power play and penalty kill last season, averaging 2:06 per game with the man advantage and 1:28 while shorthanded. His power-play time was especially meaningful, as he notched one goal and 15 assists on a Kings team that ranked fourth in the league.

"I really try to take pride in that because, in this NHL, it's such a big part of the game and you see teams that are winning hockey games just off of special teams," Durzi said. "I think that's something that, whether it's an 11-0 game or an 8-0 game, you try to bring the same compete level to every single game.

"I think that's really important to show that kind of pride, that you're playing for the crest on the front of your jersey and for your teammates, no matter what the situation is and no matter what the time is."

He brings that mentality to a Coyotes team he said was a "really tenacious group," and will rejoin forces with Troy Stecher, who re-signed with Arizona this offseason after being traded to the Calgary Flames at the 2023 trade deadline.

The pair played in LA together briefly during the 2021-22 season, and Durzi said he's excited to reunite with his former teammate.

"He's been one of the best guys I've ever played with. He's an awesome leader and an awesome person," he said of Stecher. "He's a team-first guy that you want to play for, and you want on your team."

Stecher

cited head coach André Tourigny

and his staff as one of the main reasons he re-signed with the Coyotes this past offseason, and Durzi said he's had the opportunity to meet with Arizona's coach already this summer.

The team is continuing to forge its identity as a gritty, tough-to-play-against group under Tourigny and General Manager Bill Armstrong, and Arizona's newest blue-liner is excited to join that culture.

"One thing that [Tourigny] really touched on is the atmosphere in the organization, the character that everybody has, what they bring every single day, and it's exciting," Durzi said. "That kind of culture is really important for winning hockey games because it creates a winning culture where it's exciting to come to the rink every day, and you want to compete for not only your teammates, but your coaches, too."

Though Durzi is enjoying the waning moments of this offseason at home, where he's spending time both with his family and on the golf course while continuing his summer workout routine, his arrival in The Valley is inching nearer with each passing day.

He's excited to play whatever role is asked of him this season.

"Part of being a good player, and part of being a good teammate, is being adaptable to any situation," Durzi said. "At the end of the day, you need a team that meshes well together, and you want to be a player that can do that for the team.

"My role is not really up to me; all I can do is play to the best of my abilities. I'm really looking forward to the opportunity they want to give me, and I'm ready to play that role."