Coyotes find glimmers of hope after rebuilding season

By JOHN MARSHALL
AP Sports Writer

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Coyotes knew it would be a difficult season after jettisoning players and contracts for future draft picks. Goals were hard to come by, hard to stop at the other end and losses piled up, often in stretches of five or more in a row. The rebuilding led to one of the franchise’s worst seasons since relocating from Winnipeg to the Valley of the Sun, but there were just enough bright spots to believe a solid foundation has been set for the future. The Coyotes opened the season with 11 straight losses and finished with the NHL’s second-worst record with 57 points. They did have a few good stretches, including three straight wins to close the season.