Looking ahead for the Arizona Coyotes: More goal scorers required

As each NHL team is eliminated from playoff contention -- either mathematically or by losing in the postseason -- we'll take a look at why its quest for the Stanley Cup fell short in 2018-19, along with three keys to its offseason, impact prospects for 2019-20 and a way-too-early prediction for what next season will hold.

What went wrong

Injuries, injuries and more injuries. The Coyotes were in the top three in man-games lost this season (with only Anaheim and Dallas ahead), and for a team that doesn't exactly have championship depth to begin with, that was a crusher.

Goalie Antti Raanta, expected to backstop the Coyotes, was limited to 12 games. Defenseman Jason Demers, who played over 21 minutes on average last season, played 33 games. Center Christian Dvorak was limited to 18 games. Offseason free-agent coup Michael Grabner played 39 games. Derek Stepan played 70 games, but was injured at a critical time late in the season, and so on.

Those who weren't injured couldn't find the net. At one point, the Coyotes were last in the NHL with a 1.7 shooting percentage. Clayton Keller saw his production drop by nearly 20 points. Through 80 games, the Coyotes didn't have a 20-goal scorer, and were third-worst in goals per game, at 2.54. By Dec. 22, they were 15-18-2 and already seven points out of a playoff spot.

Then Darcy Kuemper happened. The 28-year-old goalie, acquired last season from the Kings for Tobias Rieder and Scott Wedgewood, went 14-3-3 in January and February to lead a Coyotes comeback in the Western Conference, one that unfortunately fell just short of the wild card.

Keys to the offseason

Bring in more finishers: It goes without saying that the Coyotes' offensive struggles were legion this season. You can chalk up some of that to injury, but not all of it. This team could use one or two more proven goal scorers on the roster, particularly on the wings. Two problems: There really isn't much of that on the unrestricted free-agent market this summer aside from a few superstars, and the team's economics -- both in real dollars from an uncertain ownership situation and against the cap -- probably means they won't dabble in RFAs. So the trade route likely works best, which means potentially dealing away draft picks or young forwards for established scorers.

Pray that Chayka bets correctly: GM John Chayka was hired in May 2016, and the Coyotes are now in their seventh straight season without a playoff berth. The Max Domi-for-Alex Galchenyuk trade looks bad, even if Domi has done what he's done after a much-needed change in scenery. The Dylan Strome-for-Nick Schmaltz deal is also a tough one given how Strome has blown up for Chicago, but Schmaltz showed promise in his short stint in Arizona. Enough promise for a seven-year deal worth $5.8 million annually, apparently.

He's not the only young player Chayka invested in: Dvorak is signed through 2025; so is Jakob Chychrun. Chayka is forming a foundation for this team; the question is whether it's a sturdy one. The bigger question: Can he swing a trade that's an all-out win for the Coyotes?

Sign the RFAs: With Schmaltz inked, the Coyotes have a few more RFAs to deal with. Center Nick Cousins, 25, is an accomplished pest having a career season. Lawson Crouse, 21, also had a good season in still-limited ice time. Ditto Josh Archibald, and goalie Adin Hill was a boon after Raanta went down and before Kuemper caught fire.

As for the UFAs, Calvin Pickard, Richard Panik and potentially Mario Kempe could all be gone. Oh, and we'll go out on a limb and say Dave Bolland's contract isn't going to be extended.

Hope for clarity on either team ownership or a new arena: Or, more likely, another summer of Andrew Barroway "searching for creative ownership solutions that could see the introduction of a new minority or majority owner at some point in the future," as the Arizona Republic put it, as well as more uncertainty over the team's post-Glendale home.

Impact prospects for 2019-20

Barrett Hayton, C, age 18: Despite his relative youth and the fact that he missed a good portion of this season with injuries, Hayton looks like he's going to give the Coyotes something to think about next season.

Hayton averaged 1.69 points per game during the OHL regular season and has been a driving force for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds during the playoffs. He should get the nine-game tryout with the Coyotes to start the season, and based on what I've seen from him this season, there's a solid chance he could grab a permanent spot. Either way, Hayton looks like a better bet today than he did when the Coyotes surprised everyone by taking him fifth overall last June.

Kyle Capobianco, D, age 21: Injury derailed Capobianco's strong 2018-19 season, but he looked a step closer to making a bigger NHL impact before he went down. His offensive numbers were slightly up this season in the AHL, registering seven goals and 25 assists, and he appeared in two games with the Coyotes.

Capobianco is adequate defensively and super smooth offensively. It's not exactly flashy, but he makes solid, confident decisions with the puck and should be an asset to the team's forwards. Given the time he lost this season, maybe starting in the AHL wouldn't be a bad idea, but I'd expect him to earn more significant NHL time next season, especially if their defensive corps gets into injury trouble.

Realistic expectation for 2019-20

With a few tweaks, a few bounce-back seasons and a bit of better luck on the health front, there should be enough here to challenge for a playoff spot in the Pacific Division. Especially after a season in which the Coyotes can feel good about their goaltending, team defense (2.69 goals against per game, sixth in the NHL) and penalty killing (85.2 percent, best in the league thanks to assistant coach Scott Allen). And especially with coach Rick Tocchet, who did exemplary work on a team with challenges on and off the ice, back to tie it all together.