Despite an offseason of uncertainty, the Phoenix Coyotes have been one of the surprises of the early NHL season so far.

With ownership still very much up in the air, and with Wayne Gretzky stepping down as head coach, it would be easy to forgive the Coyotes if they came out stinking. Instead, they’ve jumped out to a decent 4-2-0 record. While not leading the league, this team is playing in a way not seen in some time.

They’re confident. They believe in themselves. They’re getting incredible goaltending from Ilya Bryzgalov. There doesn’t seem to be a defeatist air about the team. If they get down a goal, they don’t roll over. They continue to press and play hard every night. They aren’t lighting up opposing teams (in fact their leading scorer, Radim Vrbata only has four points), but they’re playing a strong team game.

To be fair, not everything can be blamed on Gretzky’s coaching. The younger players are stepping up, and some of the new faces are making a difference. But Dave Tippet and Dave King have instilled a system that the players have bought into so far.

The Coyotes still may not make the playoffs in a strong Western conference, but there is a sense of what the future can hold for this franchise…at least on the ice.

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