The 2015–16 Arizona Coyotes season was the 37th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 22, 1979, the 20th season since the franchise relocated from Winnipeg following the 1995–96 NHL season, and the 44th overall, including the World Hockey Association years.

The season began its regular games on October 9, 2015 against the Los Angeles Kings.

Despite being unable to play since 2011 following career-ending injuries, the Coyotes acquired Chris Pronger's contract from the Philadelphia Flyers in a trade that sent Pronger and Nicklas Grossmann to Phoenix in exchange for Sam Gagner and a conditional pick.

Standings

Schedule and results

Pre-season Preseason game log: 0–5–1 (Home: 0–2–0; Road: 0–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 21 Los Angeles 5–1 Arizona Lindback –– 0–1–0 2 September 22 Arizona 2–3 Los Angeles OT Treutle 12,996 0–1–1 3 September 25 Arizona 1–4 San Jose Lindback 14,048 0–2–1 4 September 28 Arizona 0–1 Vancouver Smith –– 0–3–1 5 September 29 Arizona 0–4 Edmonton Lindback 16,839 0–4–1 6 October 2 San Jose 3–0 Arizona Smith 9,530 0–5–1 Notes: Game was played in at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, California.

Regular season Game log October: 5–5–1 (Home: 1–3–0; Road: 4–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 9 Arizona 4–1 Los Angeles Smith 18,230 1–0–0 2 2 October 10 Pittsburgh 1–2 Arizona Smith 17,125 2–0–0 4 3 October 14 Arizona 4–0 Anaheim Smith 15,172 3–0–0 6 4 October 15 Minnesota 4–3 Arizona Smith 12,029 3–1–0 6 5 October 17 Boston 5–3 Arizona Smith 13,411 3–2–0 6 6 October 20 Arizona 2–3 New Jersey OT Smith 12,171 3–2–1 7 7 October 22 Arizona 1–4 NY Rangers Smith 18,006 3–3–1 7 8 October 24 Arizona 4–1 Ottawa Lindback 17,270 4–3–1 9 9 October 26 Arizona 4–3 Toronto Smith 18,944 5–3–1 11 10 October 27 Arizona 0–6 Boston Smith 17,565 5–4–1 11 11 October 30 Vancouver 4–3 Arizona Lindback 12,166 5–5–1 11 November: 8–4–0 (Home: 5–1–0; Road: 3–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 12 November 5 Colorado 2–4 Arizona Smith 10,270 6–5–1 13 13 November 7 NY Rangers 4–1 Arizona Smith 13,029 6–6–1 13 14 November 9 Arizona 4–3 Anaheim OT Lindback 13,864 7–6–1 15 15 November 10 Arizona 3–2 Los Angeles Smith 18,230 8–6–1 17 16 November 12 Edmonton 1–4 Arizona Smith 15,545 9–6–1 19 17 November 14 Arizona 2–5 Columbus Smith 13,702 9–7–1 19 18 November 16 Arizona 2–5 NY Islanders Lindback 11,841 9–8–1 19 19 November 19 Arizona 3–2 Montreal Smith 21,288 10–8–1 21 20 November 21 Arizona 2–3 Winnipeg Lindback 15,294 10–9–1 21 21 November 25 Anaheim 2–4 Arizona Smith 11,578 11–9–1 23 22 November 27 Calgary 1–2 Arizona OT Smith 11,495 12–9–1 25 23 November 28 Ottawa 3–4 Arizona Lindback 12,727 13–9–1 27 December: 5–7–2 (Home: 4–2–2; Road: 1–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 24 December 1 Arizona 2–5 Nashville Smith 15,091 13–10–1 27 25 December 3 Arizona 1–5 Detroit Smith 20,027 13–11–1 27 26 December 4 Arizona 2–5 Buffalo Smith 18,204 13–12–1 27 27 December 6 Arizona 4–5 Carolina Lindback 9,021 13–13–1 27 28 December 8 Arizona 1–4 St. Louis Smith 16,301 13–14–1 27 29 December 11 Minnesota 1–2 Arizona OT Lindback 14,404 14–14–1 29 30 December 12 Carolina 5–4 Arizona OT Lindback 12,668 14–14–2 30 31 December 17 Columbus 7–5 Arizona Lindback 11,120 14–15–2 30 32 December 19 NY Islanders 0–1 Arizona Domingue 11,878 15–15–2 32 33 December 22 Toronto 2–3 Arizona Domingue 12,234 16–15–2 34 34 December 26 Los Angeles 4–3 Arizona OT Domingue 15,277 16–15–3 35 35 December 27 Arizona 2–1 Colorado OT Lindback 18,064 17–15–3 37 36 December 29 Chicago 7–5 Arizona Domingue 17,197 17–16–3 37 37 December 31 Winnipeg 2–4 Arizona Domingue 14,027 18–16–3 39 January: 6–4–2 (Home: 3–3–1; Road: 3–1–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 38 January 2 Arizona 3–4 Edmonton SO Domingue 16,839 18–16–4 40 39 January 4 Arizona 3–2 Vancouver Domingue 18,377 19–16–4 42 40 January 7 Arizona 2–1 Calgary Domingue 19,272 20–16–4 44 41 January 9 Nashville 0–4 Arizona Domingue 12,345 21–16–4 46 42 January 12 Edmonton 3–4 Arizona OT Domingue 11,391 22–16–4 48 43 January 14 Detroit 3–2 Arizona OT Domingue 12,014 22–16–5 49 44 January 16 New Jersey 2–0 Arizona Lindback 11,745 22–17–5 49 45 January 18 Buffalo 2–1 Arizona Domingue 11,134 22–18–5 49 46 January 21 San Jose 3–1 Arizona Domingue 12,251 22–19–5 49 47 January 23 Los Angeles 2–3 Arizona Domingue 14,195 23–19–5 51 48 January 25 Arizona 2–1 Minnesota SO Domingue 19,020 24–19–5 53 49 January 26 Arizona 2–5 Winnipeg Domingue 15,294 24–20–5 53 February: 3–10–1 (Home: 3–3–1; Road: 0–7–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 50 February 2 Los Angeles 6–2 Arizona Domingue 12,261 24–21–5 53 51 February 4 Chicago 5–4 Arizona OT Domingue 17,125 24–21–6 54 52 February 5 Arizona 2–5 Anaheim Lindback 17,342 24–22–6 54 53 February 10 Vancouver 2–1 Arizona Domingue 14,436 24–23–6 54 54 February 12 Calgary 1–4 Arizona Domingue 13,643 25–23–6 56 55 February 13 Arizona 1–4 San Jose Domingue 17,562 25–24–6 56 56 February 15 Montreal 2–6 Arizona Domingue 14,338 26–24–6 58 57 February 18 Dallas 3–6 Arizona Domingue 13,165 27–24–6 60 58 February 20 St. Louis 6–4 Arizona Domingue 15,839 27–25–6 60 59 February 22 Arizona 2–3 Washington Domingue 18,506 27–26–6 60 60 February 23 Arizona 1–2 Tampa Bay Domingue 19,092 27–27–6 60 61 February 25 Arizona 2–3 Florida Domingue 13,134 27–28–6 60 62 February 27 Arizona 2–4 Philadelphia Domingue 19,773 27–29–6 60 63 February 29 Arizona 0–6 Pittsburgh Domingue 18,435 27–30–6 60 March: 7–6–1 (Home: 5–3–0; Road: 2–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 64 March 3 Anaheim 5–1 Arizona Treutle 11,999 27–31–6 60 65 March 5 Florida 1–5 Arizona Domingue 12,361 28–31–6 62 66 March 7 Arizona 1–3 Colorado Domingue 15,393 28–32–6 62 67 March 9 Arizona 2–3 Vancouver OT Domingue 18,374 28–32–7 63 68 March 11 Arizona 4–1 Calgary Domingue 19,289 29–32–7 65 69 March 12 Arizona 4–0 Edmonton Smith 16,839 30–32–7 67 70 March 17 San Jose 1–3 Arizona Smith 13,005 31–32–7 69 71 March 19 Tampa Bay 2–0 Arizona Domingue 14,183 31–33–7 69 72 March 20 Arizona 0–3 San Jose Smith 15,756 31–34–7 69 73 March 22 Edmonton 2–4 Arizona Smith 13,408 32–34–7 71 74 March 24 Dallas 1–3 Arizona Domingue 11,887 33–34–7 73 75 March 26 Philadelphia 1–2 Arizona Smith 16,002 34–34–7 75 76 March 28 Calgary 5–2 Arizona Domingue 14,347 34–35–7 75 77 March 31 Arizona 1–4 Dallas Smith 18,532 34–36–7 75 April: 1–3–1 (Home: 1–0–0; Road: 0–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 78 April 2 Washington 0–3 Arizona Smith 17,125 35–36–7 77 79 April 4 Arizona 2–5 St. Louis Smith 19,465 35–37–7 77 80 April 5 Arizona 2–6 Chicago Domingue 21,884 35–38–7 77 81 April 7 Arizona 2–3 Nashville OT Smith 17,113 35–38–8 78 82 April 9 Arizona 0–1 San Jose Smith 17,562 35–39–8 78 Legend:

Player statistics Final stats

Regular season Player 75 21 34 55 −6 96 81 18 34 52 3 72 72 28 19 47 4 98 81 20 24 44 12 49 64 13 28 41 −5 77 ‡ 62 13 26 39 −28 10 76 17 21 38 −14 93 82 14 23 37 −21 10 75 6 30 36 −10 62 82 11 20 31 8 46 81 9 15 24 −9 18 78 6 11 17 5 48 † 18 4 9 13 5 8 70 4 8 12 −10 38 † 38 4 5 9 −3 39 71 2 6 8 −5 28 58 3 4 7 −3 24 70 2 5 7 3 20 26 3 3 6 1 53 † 39 3 3 6 −6 14 ‡ 19 2 4 6 −2 4 65 2 2 4 −7 10 14 1 2 3 −2 0 ‡ 7 1 1 2 2 2 † 11 0 2 2 −4 10 8 1 0 1 0 4 10 0 1 1 −1 2 † 13 0 1 1 0 4 ‡ 11 0 1 1 0 25 1 0 0 0 1 5 5 0 0 0 −2 7 1 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 0 0 0 2 † 1 0 0 0 0 0 † 7 0 0 0 −2 12

Goaltenders Regular season Player 39 36 2,206 15 18 5 101 2.75 1142 0.912 2 0 1 0 32 32 1,754 15 13 2 77 2.63 921 0.916 3 0 1 2 19 13 906:08 5 7 1 47 3.11 443 0.894 0 0 1 0 2 1 50 0 1 0 5 6.00 20 .750 0 0 0 2 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Coyotes. Stats reflect time with the Coyotes only. ‡Traded mid-season Bold/italics denotes franchise record

Awards and honours

Awards

Regular season Player Award Awarded NHL Third Star of the Week October 12, 2015 NHL All-Star game captain January 2, 2016 NHL Second Star of the Week January 4, 2016 NHL Rookie of the Month February 1, 2016

Milestones

Regular season Player Milestone Reached 1st career NHL game1st career NHL assist1st career NHL goal1st career NHL point October 9, 2015 1st career NHL goal October 10, 2015 1st career NHL hat-trick October 14, 2015 900th career NHL point October 17, 2015 100th career NHL assist October 17, 2015 S. Doan 1,400th career NHL game October 20, 2015 500th career NHL game October 22, 2015 400th career NHL game November 10, 2015 400th career NHL game November 14, 2015 100th career NHL point December 1, 2015 100th career NHL game December 8, 2015 1st career NHL shutout December 19, 2015

Transactions The Coyotes have been involved in the following transactions during the 2015–16 season.

Trades DateRef To Philadelphia FlyersSam GagnerConditional 4th-round pick in 2016 To Arizona CoyotesNicklas Grossmanninjured contract of Chris Pronger To Calgary FlamesNYR's 2nd-round pick in 2015 To Arizona Coyotes3rd-round pick in 2015WSH's 3rd-round pick in 2015 To Edmonton OilersLauri Korpikoski To Arizona CoyotesBoyd Gordon To Colorado AvalancheBrandon Gormley To Arizona CoyotesStefan Elliott To Montreal CanadiensLucas Lessio To Arizona CoyotesChristian Thomas To Nashville PredatorsStefan Elliott To Arizona CoyotesVictor Bartley To Montreal CanadiensVictor BartleyJohn Scott To Arizona CoyotesJarred TinordiStefan Fournier To Pittsburgh PenguinsMatthias Plachtaconditional 7th-round pick in 2017 To Arizona CoyotesSergei Plotnikov To Colorado AvalancheMikkel Boedker To Arizona CoyotesAlex TanguayConner BleackleyKyle Wood To Nashville PredatorsCorey Potter To Arizona CoyotesFuture Considerations To Pittsburgh PenguinsDustin JeffreyDan O'DonoghueJames Melindy To Arizona CoyotesMatia Marcantuoni To Dallas Stars5th-round pick in 2016 To Arizona CoyotesAlex Goligoski (negotiating rights) To San Jose SharksMaxim Letunov6th-round pick in 2017 To Arizona Coyotes4th-round pick in 2016DET's 3rd-round pick in 2017

Free agents acquired Date Player Former team Contract terms(in U.S. dollars) Ref Brad Richardson Vancouver Canucks 3 years, $6.25 million Zbynek Michalek St. Louis Blues 2 years, $6.4 million Anders Lindback Buffalo Sabres 1 years, $875,000 Steve Downie Pittsburgh Penguins 1 year, $1.75 million Dakota Mermis Oshawa Generals 3 years, entry-level contract Dustin Jeffrey Bridgeport Sound Tigers 3 years, entry-level contract Antoine Vermette Chicago Blackhawks 2 years, $7.5 million Alex Grant Binghamton Senators 1 year, $600,000* Eric Selleck Portland Pirates 1 year, $575,000* Derek Smith ZSC Lions 1 year, $650,000* John Scott San Jose Sharks 1 year, $575,000 Niklas Treutle EHC Munchen 1 year, entry-level contract Corey Potter Calgary Flames 1 year, $650,000

Free agents lost Date Player New team Contract terms(in U.S. dollars) Ref Mike McKenna Florida Panthers 2 years, $1.15 million Mark Arcobello Toronto Maple Leafs 1 year, $1.1 million John Moore New Jersey Devils 3 years, $5 million Justin Hodgman St. Louis Blues 1 year, $575,000 Tye McGinn Tampa Bay Lightning 1 year, $660,000 Martin Erat Avangard Omsk undisclosed Andrew Campbell Toronto Maple Leafs 2 years, $1.15 million

Claimed via waivers Player Former team Date claimed off waivers Ref Viktor Tikhonov Chicago Blackhawks December 6, 2015 Kevin Connauton Columbus Blue Jackets January 13, 2016 Jiri Sekac Chicago Blackhawks February 27, 2016

Lost via waivers Player New team Date claimed off waivers Ref

Player signings The following players were signed by the Coyotes. Two-way contracts are marked with an asterisk (*).