1. Kessel shots
Right wing Phil Kessel had an NHL career-low 153 shots on goal in 70 games for the Arizona Coyotes last season, and his 14 goals were the second fewest in his 14 NHL seasons and 13 fewer than he scored in 2018-19, his final season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The drop-off in goals can be explained by Kessel taking fewer shots than previous seasons; he averaged 2.98 shots per game in his four seasons with Pittsburgh, but that number fell to 2.19 with Arizona. His shooting percentage decreased from 11.2 percent with the Penguins to 9.2 percent with the Coyotes, who will likely rely on him even more this season after the departure of left wing Taylor Hall, who led Arizona with 2.29 points per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time in 35 games after being acquired in a trade from the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 16, 2019. Hall signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 11. Kessel averaged 0.20 goals per game last season, but if he can increase his shot volume, he could produce closer to his NHL career average of 0.35 per game.
2. Kuemper's 5-on-5 save percentage
Darcy Kuemper had a .934 even-strength save percentage last season, third in the NHL (minimum 20 games played) behind Anton Khudobin of the Dallas Stars (.945) and Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins (.939). Kuemper's success at even strength was even more impressive considering the Coyotes were minus-215 in shot attempts differential (SAT), 24th in the League. Despite below-average puck-possession numbers, they were fourth in 5-on-5 save percentage (92.9 percent), behind the Bruins (93.3 percent), Stars (93.2 percent) and Colorado Avalanche (93.2 percent). Arizona, which finished with a .529 points percentage (33-29-8), has gotten elite goaltending at 5-on-5 and could have a higher points percentage this season if it can add more offense to a lineup that was 23rd in scoring last season (2.71 goals per game).
3. Penalty kill
The Coyotes were fifth in the NHL on the penalty kill last season (82.7 percent) despite the fact that defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson, who led them in average shorthanded ice time (2:40 per game), missed 43 of 70 games because of a lower-body injury. Antti Raanta's .917 save percentage against opponents' power plays was third in the NHL (minimum 30 games played), behind Martin Jones of the San Jose Sharks (.918) and Robin Lehner of the Vegas Golden Knights (.918). Raanta and Kuemper can perhaps be more effective on the penalty kill if Hjalmarsson stays healthy.
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