Back to the Arizona Coyotes Newsfeed

Coyotes open camp with high expectations

Maybe it was the absence of their head coach and some key players or the arrival of new faces after another roster overhaul in the offseason. Either way, the Coyotes gathered at Gila River Arena Thursday for the start of training camp amid a unique vibe.

This was unlike the way they assembled a year ago at the outset of their rebuilding process and definitely dissimilar to the mood when they were last together at this past season’s end.

“You feel a different buzz,” goalie Mike Smith said. “There’s a different feeling around the locker room. … I think there’s a different expectation this year, too, with what we’ve done.