Melbourne, Australia – Nick Bjugstad doesn’t want to take all the credit from the free agents who signed with the Arizona Coyotes this summer. On the other hand, the attacker does not want to say that he is not entitled to a loan.

A free agent himself, Bjugstad tried pretty aggressively to convince a few of his friends to come join him in the desert and accept a contract with the Coyotes to help the team build for this season and the future.

And it worked.

Not only has Bjugstad himself settled with Arizona and returned to the team that traded him just before the trade deadline last season, but Jason Zucker, Troy Stecher, Alexander Kerfoot and Matt Dumba have also emulated him.

“He called me a few times and asked how my thought process was going,” Zucker said. However, I accepted my contract before him, so I think he was waiting to see what we would decide. He knew he wanted to go back there, but it wasn’t confirmed yet, so he didn’t push too hard. »

When Zucker made his decision, he also spoke with Travis Boyd and Stecher, who work at the same agency as him.

“Everyone had nothing but good words, so that definitely played a big role,” Zucker admitted.

With the Coyotes currently rebuilding and having made the Stanley Cup Playoffs just once in the last 11 seasons (2019-20), it might be difficult to convince some veterans. However, that wasn’t the case this summer as Arizona has so many talented young players, most notably Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther and Matias Maccelli, with others on the horizon.

“The team is getting better,” said Bjugstad. They try to get other players and they’ve succeeded, it’s really good. Dumba, Sugar and Kerfoot, the transaction for [Sean] Durzi. The same coaching staff is one of the main reasons for my return, plus I will have the chance to take the next step with this team. It’s getting more and more pleasant.

“We rely on young players. We are not old. I guess me and Zucker are the oldest (both 31). It will be a very pleasant year. We really believe we can surprise people. Now the training camp starts. »

This camp begins on the road as the Coyotes traveled to Melbourne, Australia to compete in the 2023 NHL Global Series. They will play two preseason games against the Los Angeles Kings at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday and Sunday. Games begin at midnight Eastern Time and will be broadcast on NHL Network and ESPN+ in the United States, Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ in Canada, and 9Go, 9Now, ESPN and the ESPN App in Australia.

Bjugstad knew the Coyotes well. He recorded 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists) in 59 games with them last season before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers on March 2. He loved the coaching staff and cited the presence of head coach André Tourigny as one of the reasons for his return.

“Bear (Tourigny) and the entire coaching staff have played a big role with the way they lead and interact with the players,” Bjugstad said. It is very important for me. It is a pleasant working environment in which even older players still have the opportunity to improve and perfect their game. »

That’s what he told Sugar and Dumba. Bjugstad met the latter at a wedding this summer while the defender was still weighing his options. After playing the first ten seasons of his career with the Minnesota Wild, Dumba was looking for a new address.

“He said in an interview that I didn’t give up on him, which may be true,” Bjugstad said. I was very persistent. »

Zucker is coming off one of his best seasons in his career, with his second-highest total points (48) and goals (27) in 78 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He’s seen what’s happening with the Coyotes, where all of their draft players are knocking on the NHL’s door.

This was also a factor in his decision making.

“It’s really important,” Zucker admitted. That largely explains my choice. Because if you play in this league long enough, you know how difficult it is to find good, talented players. The Coyotes are currently relying on four to five of these very good young top players. This will take us very far. »

The hiring of these veterans represents very good news, both for these veterans themselves and for the recruits. These older players will be able to help the newcomers, and these young guys will provide exciting games that the Coyotes can build their future on.

“A big part of my decision is based on the amount of talented young players on this team,” assured Zucker. This is a fascinating organization with everything it’s doing right now. They’re doing a lot of things right and have done a good job of changing the narrative around their absence from the arena and the like. This is a very good hockey team. On paper we should be good. We love the team that supports us. We just have to get on the ice and prove it. »