Phoenix Coyotes Preseason Countdown: 45 Days

Before the start of last year's shortened season, the Coyotes did not have a lot of financial wiggle room to acquire new players to fill the holes in their roster. Unfortunately, many of the Yotes' free agents did not work out. Steve Sullivan was traded at the deadline, Nick and Chad Johnson spent most of their time in Portland and neither were re-signed by this past offseason.

The Coyotes did manage to sign one player who seemed to fit very well with the team. A Michigan native, who spent his entire NHL career up with the Calgary Flames, David Moss. Moss was drafted by the Flames in the 7^th round of the 2001 NHL Draft and he started playing with the AHL Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights during the 2005-06 season. He started the next season with the Knights but he was recalled December 19, 2006 and scored the game-winning goal in his first NHL game. Moss would score a goal in each of his first three NHL games. He would finish that season with the Flames, and spent the next five years in Calgary where he recorded 61-63-124 in 317 games.

Moss signed a 2-year deal with the Coyotes on July 1, 2012. In his first 45 games with the team, he scored five goals and 20 points.

Historically, the 31-year-old has had injury problems in the past, but remained relatively healthy during his first season in the Desert. He only missed three games in the shortened season, a significant decrease compared to the previous three seasons where he missed a total of 87 games.

The Coyotes will be relying on Moss to play a third line role, possibly with Antoine Vermette, this season.