Yotes Notes: Coyotes Finalize 23-Player Roster For Opening Night

The regular season is finally here.
Now that the NHL preseason is in the rearview mirror, the Arizona Coyotes have
set their roster for opening night
, as the team will travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins on Thursday at 4 pm MST. Notable names include former first-round draft pick Dylan Guenther, who will be making his NHL debut, as well as recent waiver claims Juuso Valimaki (D) and Connor Ingram (G).

"I think that's a really exciting thing for him," Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong said of Guenther. "The first time in the NHL is a pretty special moment."
Also included on the Coyotes' opening night roster is forward Matias Maccelli, who had one goal and five assists in 23 games last season, and Jack McBain, who notched three points in 10 NHL games at the end of last season.
In all, the roster includes 13 forwards, eight defensemen, and two goalies. It should also be noted that Jakob Chychrun, Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little, Jonas Johansson, and Ben McCartney were listed on injured reserve.

Preseason Highlights

The Coyotes wrapped up their preseason slate on Saturday -- below are a few highlights from the team's exhibition season:
- Barrett Hayton led all scorers with six points in five games. - Hayton and Matias Maccelli led the team with two goals apiece. - Hayton's four assists also led the team. - Arizona finished ninth in the league with a 25 percent power-play success rate (5-for-20). - Arizona finished 14th in the league with an 84.2 percent penalty kill (32-for-38).

Chillin' With the Affiliates

Tucson Roadrunners (1-1-0 Preseason)

Team Leaders
(Preseason)

Atlanta Gladiators (0-0-0)

Team Leaders

The Sweet Spot

Oct. 4: Guenther intercepts a pass from Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill, and though Hill makes the initial save on the ensuing chance, Hayton was there to send the rebound home.

Bear's Necessities

"It's tough to be better than we were (in the second period). When I talk about the pace, the pressure we put on them, the reload we had. We crashed the net really good, we had good goalie presence, so I think that was a really good period." -- André Tourigny on the Coyotes' second period against the Golden Knights on Oct. 4. Arizona outshot Vegas 28-5 in the period.

What to Watch For

Oct. 13 at Pittsburgh, 4 pm MST

Arizona opens its 2022-23 season at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, having just finalized its 23-player roster on Monday. The Penguins were 3-3-0 in six preseason games, led by Bryan Rust, Sidney Crosby, and Danton Heinen, who each had four points. Goalie Tristan Jarry played the most minutes during the team's exhibition slate, posting a 2.86 goals-against average and .901 save percentage. Casey DeSmith played 20 fewer minutes than Jarry, recording a 2.45 GAA and .915 SV%.
Pittsburgh finished in third place in the Metropolitan Division last season, and were led by Crosby and Jake Guentzel, who each finished with 84 points. The Penguins were eliminated by the New York Rangers in seven games in the first round of the playoffs.
TV: Bally Sports Arizona | Radio: ESPN 620 AM

Oct. 15 at Boston, 4 pm MST

The Bruins also finished 3-3-0 in the preseason, with forwards Marc McLaughlin, David Pastrnak, Pavel Zacha, and David Krejci each posting four points. Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark split time in net, with Swayman posting a 2.97 GAA and .897 SV% while Ullmark recorded a 2.04 GAA and .915 SV%.
The Bruins finished in fourth place of the Atlantic Division last season with a record of 51-26-5, and ultimately fell to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games in the first round of the playoffs. Brad Marchand led all scorers with 80 points.
TV: Bally Sports Arizona | Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM

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