The Richmond, British Columbia native wasted little time returning to The Valley, signing a one-year deal with the Coyotes on the first day of free agency this summer. Stecher played a vital role on the team's blue line last season, helping foster the identity that head coach André Tourigny and general manager Bill Armstrong envision for the team.
He said he is proud of the Coyotes' direction and looking forward to reuniting with familiar faces on the blue line, which includes newly acquired Gustav Lindstrom, whom he played with during his time with the Los Angeles Kings in 2021-22.
Home, sweet home.
"There are so many positives," Stecher said. "The group of guys that they have the returning, having that familiarity in joining them again, and going to work every single day to make Arizona a good team in this league.
"We're moving in the right direction."
Stecher -- who played 61 games with the Coyotes last season before being traded to the Calgary Flames at the deadline -- was joined by teammate Gustav Lindstrom in his return, and both credited Tourigny and his coaching staff for fostering an environment and a culture that made it an easy decision to return.
The 29-year-old was especially critical on special teams, where he averaged the third-most penalty kill minutes per game, at 2:47 (tied with Josh Brown).
"[Tourigny] is one of the main reasons why I wanted to come back, and I have a ton of respect for him," Stecher said. "I have nothing but good things to say about the entire staff, they are a dedicated group that puts in a lot of hours, and a lot of people don't see that behind the scenes.
"They have the respect of the room, the players, and I feel like they try to get the best out of us at all times."
Tourigny, for his part, agreed, praising both Stecher and Bjugstad at the start of the team's prospect development camp earlier this month.
"That's great for us because it shows how much a player likes to play here," Tourigny said. "They had opportunities to go elsewhere, they had offers elsewhere, and they chose to come back here. They chose to come back to our environment, and they chose to come back to play for their teammates in our brotherhood, in our group.
"Right from the moment they had to leave, they expressed their wish to come back. That shows a lot about our program."
Coupled with the team's recent flurry of activity - the Coyotes added free agents Gustav Lindstrom and Alex Kerfoot in addition to trading for Durzi - Stecher said he's excited for what's to come in the 2023-24 season.
"Guys around the league want to come to Arizona, and it's really exciting as a player," Stecher said. "As a player in the league, you want to be surrounded by some of the best, and I feel like we did a really good job of getting really good players to come help the guys that are already here."
His desire to be in Arizona doesn't end with his teammates and the coaching staff, either. He prides himself in his community involvement and was actively engaged in The Valley throughout last season, often present at events held by both the team and the Arizona Coyotes Foundation.
That mindset stems from Stecher's upbringing in the Vancouver area, because the experiences he had with professional athletes that visited him left a lasting impression. In addition to the community work he's done in Arizona, Stecher is also hosting a Pro Camp in Vancouver, and he's currently raising money through for Diabetes Canada, which funds life-saving diabetes research, education, support services, and advocacy.
According to his fundraising page, all money raised "supports the millions of Canadians living with diabetes and prediabetes and Diabetes Canada in their mission to prevent diabetes, help those affected by the disease live healthy lives, and ultimately find a cure."
It's a cause that's incredibly meaningful to Stecher following his father's tragic passing from the disease in 2020.
"I want to set a good example, and it's something I take pride in," Stecher said. "Whatever I can do -- obviously there are school visits or raising money for different charities. I just try to be a good citizen."
Those interested in donating to Stecher's fundraising campaign can do so here.
That kind of leadership also has a positive impact within the locker room and has the potential to bring an already tight-knit group even closer together. Stecher knows firsthand how tough it is having to come into Mullett Arena and play the Coyotes, as he returned to Arizona to face the Coyotes just 11 days after he was traded to Calgary.
He knew exactly the kind of team the Flames were going up against - during a playoff push, no less - but the Coyotes nonetheless came away with a 4-3 overtime victory. Stecher chipped in an assist on a late third-period goal, but it wasn't enough to help Calgary come away with a win.
"It's a credit to the coaching staff and the players because they have that identity of being hard to play against, and that's exactly what it was," Stecher said. "We're a team that just doesn't go away, and you have to take a lot of pride in that."
The veteran defenseman won't have to worry about that as the 2023-24 season opens, as he'll begin the upcoming season just as he did last year - calling Mullett Arena home.
He wouldn't have it any other way, and is looking forward to getting back to work in Arizona.
"The onus is on the players to come in every day and continue to get better as individuals, we're going push each other in practice, and we'll have internal competitions that bring out the best in you," Stecher said. "There are a lot of good pieces in place, and the future is really bright.
