Kerfoot’s Versatility Jump-Starts Top Line, ‘He’s a Swiss-Army Knife’

SAN JOSÉ, CALIF. -- Alex Kerfoot is doing it all for the Arizona Coyotes.

The 29-year-old forward most recently notched a goal and two assists against the San José Sharks on Thursday, marking his fourth three-point game this season after having seven in his entire career entering the 2023-24 campaign.

He's recorded three of them in December, matching the output from Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov, and he's done it while logging over 20 minutes of ice time in four of his last five games.

“He’s a Swiss Army knife,” head coach André Tourigny said. “You can play him center, right wing, left wing, PK, power play, end of the game when you lead, end of the game when you need a goal. He’s that kind of a player.

“We’re lucky to have him.”

Kerfoot has especially found his niche with the Desert Dogs as of late, centering the team’s top line between Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz in each of the last three games. He has brought a high hockey IQ and steady playmaking ability to a line that hadn’t found much consistency since Barrett Hayton suffered an injury on Nov. 16 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and that was evident in Thursday’s win over the Sharks considering those three players combined for three goals and five assists in the 5-2 win.

Prior to him joining the line, Keller and Schmaltz had played with Travis Boyd, Logan Cooley, and Jason Zucker. Kerfoot has gelled with the duo quickly, though, assisting on all three of Keller’s goals over the last three games and recording the primary assist in Schmaltz’s tic-tac-goal power-play tally against the Sharks on Thursday.

“Me and Kells have played with Barrett Hayton for a long time, and he’s been out,” Schmaltz said. “It’s tough when you have to get that chemistry going again. But Kerfs is a hard-working player, he goes to the net a lot, makes a lot of little plays that you might not see on the scoresheet, but he gives us the puck in good spots and he works his [tail] off, so he’s a lot of fun to play with. 

“He’s a very good player at both ends of the ice, and we’re having fun.”

So what makes him so versatile?

“I think part of it is the mentality, the mindset of being open to different roles,” Kerfoot said. “And then being exposed to different roles, you develop different skillsets, so when you’re put in different situations you learn how to handle those. I’ve been fortunate enough to be in those situations.

“I feel well-equipped, and I’d those are the two biggest factors.”

Though Kerfoot’s impact isn’t always measured on the scoresheet, his recent play has helped spark the Coyotes to their current four-game winning streak.

They have won nine of their last 13 games -- winning five straight against the previous six Stanley Cup champions (Vegas 2023, Colorado 2022, Tampa Bay 2021 & 2020, St. Louis 2019, and Washington 2018) -- but then dropped four consecutive games before kicking off their current run with a win over the Sharks on Dec. 15.

Kerfoot has preached exactly what Tourigny’s message has been throughout: Maintain a level head and resist the urge to get too high after wins, and too low after losses. Prior to his arrival in Arizona he played with some of the league’s top talent in both Colorado and Toronto, experience that is especially valuable on the Coyotes, who are one of the youngest teams in the league.

“It’s never going to be a straight line to the top,” he said. “It’s a process trying to get to where we want to get to. You’re going to have times where it feels like you’ve figured everything out, and you’re really rolling, and things come easy. Then, all of a sudden, it kicks you right back down. 

“You just have to be able to handle the highs and lows, and put in the work on a daily basis.”

For all the praise he receives off the ice with his attitude and preparation, Kerfoot’s impact on the team is also evident on the scoresheet. In 32 games this season he has three goals and 17 assists, and the Coyotes have not lost in any of his multi-point games. They’re also 3-0-0 when he has registered a goal.

He's on pace for 52 points, which would top his career-high mark of 51 set with the Maple Leafs in 2021-22.

That's no surprise to Tourigny, who knew what he was getting when Kerfoot signed as a free agent in July.

“He’s so smart,” Tourigny said. “I often joke that one day I will work for him. He’s really, really smart. He understands the game, he has a good understanding of what makes a team successful, or not. It goes way above-and-beyond what he just brings on the ice. 

“Off the ice, he’s a real pro, he’s a real gentleman, he’s a real good guy. He loves his teammates, brings a lot of leadership, and he does it out on the ice, too.”

Keller agreed.

“With Kerf now we’re starting to figure things out,” he said. “Having a guy inside is huge. Those are struggles that you’re going to have, and ultimately that’s what’s going to make you a better player down the road. You go through those stretches when you really learn about yourself and your game, is those tough stretches, not when everything is going your way, and going in.”

Kerfoot deflected any credit from his current linemates, saying he’s just playing his role and trying to support them as best he can.

Even so, those little things he’s brought to the team could continue to make a difference for the Coyotes well into the spring.

“You need to understand that it takes a lot of work and a lot of time to get there, and if we keep doing the right things we’ll keep building that long-term momentum,” Kerfoot said. “It’s not really about being perfect all the time, it’s just about putting us in the best situation of getting better each day and climbing the ladder.”