29 Phoenix Coyotes

This year's Coyotes are being marketed as A NEW BREED, with redesigned brick-red retro uniforms, a new coyote mascot that looks more wild than Wile E. and a sparkling suburban arena scheduled to open for hockey on Dec. 27 Alterations in the team itself, though, have left it with little bite. Last season's big free-agent acquisition, right wing Tony Amonte, was dealt to the Flyers at the March trade deadline. Then in the off-season defenseman and captain Teppo Numminen was shipped to the Stars in a three-way deal. The Coyotes also moved Danny Markov, one of their top four blueliners, to the Hurricanes. In each transaction Phoenix got younger, less expensive players in return. The team's best player, 36-year-old goalie Sean Burke, is also trade bait and may never play a home game at the new arena if Phoenix starts the season slowly. The franchise's most recognizable face, managing partner Wayne Gretzky, has even heard grumblings from the local media about how rarely he attends games. The largely anonymous roster has led many prognosticators, including SI, to pick Phoenix to finish last in the powerful Western Conference. "That's irrelevant," says general manager Mike Barnett. "The only thing that matters to us is what we do on the ice."

If Phoenix is to stay out of the cellar, one of its young forwards must develop into a star. The best candidate is 24-year-old left wing Ladislav Nagy, who the coaching staff believes can be a 40-goal scorer. "He can take it as far as he wants to," says coach Bob Francis. "He has elite skills." In his four years in the NHL, however, Nagy has never scored more than 23 goals in a season.

The Coyotes also need a healthy season from the injury-plagued Burke. Phoenix lost just six of the 22 games he appeared in in 2002-03, but Burke missed the majority of the year with a right knee sprain, a sprained left ankle and a groin ailment. The defense is big (average size 6'3" and 215 pounds) but green and will struggle. So will the Coyotes, no matter what they are wearing.

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