The Arizona Coyotes dropped to 0-8-1 with their loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday night, equaling the longest losing streak to start a season since 1943.

The Coyotes fell 5-3 on Tuesday night, despite outshooting the Islanders 35-25.

The team's lone point of the season came in an overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 7 and forward Nick Cousins described the locker room as fragile after their latest loss.

"I think we're really fragile right now," Cousins, who was acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in June, told Arizona Sports 98.7. "It's really frustrating. Guys are really sick of it. It's nice to see that guys hate losing including myself, but at the same time here, we've got to dig deep and starting Thursday, we've got to figure this thing out."

The Coyotes joined the 2002-03 Atlanta Thrashers and the 2005-06 Pittsburgh Penguins as the only teams in post-Original Six era to start a season with nine straight losses. The 1943-44 New York Rangers own the overall record with 11 straight losses to open a season.

Despite their dismal start to the season under new head coach Rick Tocchet, Coyotes general manager John Chayka told Craig Morgan of AZ Sports he has no plans to make any immediate changes.

"Staying the course," Chayka said. "Hope to get healthy sooner than later."

The Coyotes could get concussed forward Brandon Perlini back in the lineup in times for Thursday's game, while goaltender Antti Raanta and defenceman Jakob Chychrun have both resumed skating as they work to rehab lower-body injuries.

"They're good players," Tocchet told Morgan before Tuesday's loss. "It's going to add to the make-up of our team. It adds depth.

"In those situations with five, six minutes left, you want Raanta in net. You want a Perlini, maybe on a power play. You want a Jakob Chychrun, but we have other guys that need to step up. Some guys have. We've got to get more from some other guys and they know it. (If we do), maybe those games that are tied with five minutes left, we're going to win some of those games."

Perlini posted one assist in his three games with the team before the injury, while Raanta posted a .911 save percentage the three games he appeared in. Chychrun injured his knee in August and missed all of training camp.

The Coyotes will attempt to end their losing skid Thursday against the Rangers, who are off to a 2-6-2 this season.