After spending the first six seasons of his NHL career playing for perennial playoff teams in Colorado and Toronto, Alex Kerfoot is aiming to help elevate the Arizona Coyotes from a rebuilding squad to one that can compete for a playoff spot.
Signing a two-year, $7 million contract as a free agent on July 1, Kerfoot is one of several new faces Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong has brought in so far this offseason. Having recently signed 2022 third overall pick Logan Cooley and defenceman Matt Dumba, the team has also added Sean Durzi, Jason Zucker, Nick Bjugstad and Troy Stecher.
Kerfoot says he was sold on signing in the desert after a Zoom call with Armstrong, head coach Andre Tourigny and other staff.
"I just came away really impressed with where they're headed, what their mindset is at right now, and I think with what they're doing and where they envision the team going, it was a group that I wanted to be a part of," Kerfoot told NHL.com.
"Having played against them the last few years, they're a tough team to play against, they're competitive, they're fast, and I just felt like I could fit in with where I'm at. I was looking for a place where I thought that the fit was really good, and of the teams that I was talking to, I felt most comfortable with them.
"I felt like the fit was a big thing for me, and for the group, and everything else is an added bonus."
The summer's additions join a Coyotes core that includes Clayton Keller, Matias Maccelli, Nick Schmaltz and Lawson Crouse along with up and coming forwards Barrett Hayton and Dylan Guenther.
Having skated alongside of the elite talents in the game like Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen in Colorado as well as Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner with the Maple Leafs, Kerfoot says being around them helped him develop as a player.
"Just being around some of those top guys, you learn what it takes on a day-to-day basis," Kerfoot said. "There were guys like that in Colorado as well. There's guys like that in Toronto who have done it in different ways, and I think that the habits and the attitude that they bring to the rink every day is special."
The 29-year-old had 10 goals and 32 points in 82 games last season as well as two goals in 11 playoff games. In 2021-22, he had a career-high 51 points.
The Coyotes have missed the playoffs in 10 of the last 11 seasons but Kerfoot is optimistic in the team's direction.
"It just feels like they're in a different spot now. It feels like they're trying to take the next step," he said. "Being part of that change and helping grow the culture is fun to be a part of. Things are trending really well for this group, and I'm happy to be part of it."
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