Selected in the first round (No. 17) by the then-Phoenix Coyotes in the 2005 Draft, Hanzal debuted in the NHL in the 2007-08 season and made a quick impact. He was sixth on the Coyotes with 35 points in 72 games and second with 470 faceoff wins.

Hanzal got an assist in his NHL debut, Oct. 4, 2007 against the St. Louis Blues, and his first NHL goal was the game-winner against the Nashville Predators, Oct. 11, 2007.

The following season Hanzal led the Coyotes in faceoff attempts (1,066) and faceoff wins (516) and tied for the team lead with two shorthanded goals. He got his first NHL hat trick on Dec. 4, 2008 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. At the time it was the fastest from the start of a game (20:27) in franchise history.

Hanzal got his first Stanley Cup Playoff point with an assist April 16, 2010, against the Detroit Red Wings. In 2010-11 he had 16 goals and four multipoint games, and led Coyotes forwards in average time on ice per game (19:30). His first Stanley Cup Playoff goal came April 20, 2011, against Detroit.

Named an alternate captain in 2011-12, Hanzal led the Coyotes in hits (239). In 2012-13, Hanzal again led Coyotes forwards in time on ice per game (18:32) and was second in power-play goals (four), second in hits (100) and tied for second in takeaways (24). The next season he had 40 points and led the Coyotes with 200 hits.

Hanzel recorded a natural hat trick, the sixth in Coyotes franchise history, Nov. 14, 2014, against the Vancouver Canucks. He played the 500th game of his NHL career Oct. 22, 2015, against the New York Rangers.

Before reaching the NHL, Hanzal played for HC Ceske Budejovice in his native Czech Republic, Omaha of the United States Hockey League and Red Deer of the Western Hockey League. In 2006-07 he led WHL rookies with 85 points, led Red Deer with nine playoff points and was named to the Eastern Conference Second All-Star Team.