At what point do the Arizona Coyotes take any infraction simply to go on the penalty kill?

While that's an absurd notion for any team, it's amusing to consider because Arizona has now notched nine short-handed goals this season through only 14 games, including two on the same minor penalty during Thursday's overtime loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Coyotes now have a shot at the short-handed goals record. The 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers are the current record holders after scoring 36 short-handed goals.

The Coyotes' penalty kill is a rare offensive threat, and the team is also shutting down the opposition in that situation, as Arizona is killing off a league-best 91.1 percent of its penalties. The Coyotes have the best penalty kill success rate since the New Jersey Devils finished the 2011-12 campaign at 89.6 percent.

"It's a combination of everything: system, execution, players, courage, and following instruction. They all play a part and I wouldn't say there is one particular thing that matters most," Coyotes assistant coach Scott Allen, who runs the team's penalty kill, told The Athletic's Craig Morgan earlier this month.

"Aggressive with purpose is my philosophy," he added. "There are reasons behind it and how we do it. It's not on a whim. It's structured aggressiveness."

On Thursday, the Flyers couldn't find the back of the net on their two power-play opportunities. Scoring has been a rare occurrence this season against a Coyotes penalty-kill unit that's allowed just four goals, and the club is plus-five with a man in the box, the NHL's best showing in more than 40 seasons.

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Dave Tippett is enjoying life in the front office and isn't interested in making a return to being behind the bench.

"I didn't come here to coach," Tippett told theScore's Puck Pursuit Podcast. "If I wanted to coach, I could probably be back coaching. I came here with the mindset of helping build an organization and working with great people."

In June, Tippett was named senior advisor to the potential ownership group that hopes to bring an expansion franchise to Seattle.

"It's been a really interesting and fun process for me. Different from coaching," Tippett said. "I look back, I was a player for a long time, I was a coach for a long time, and having the ability to be involved in the startup of an organization that could end up being a legacy organization in the league, that's a pretty neat project."

Tippett last coached the Arizona Coyotes in 2017, but also doubled as the executive vice-president of hockey operations in his final season.

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The seven members of the Ottawa Senators who were seen criticizing the team's coaching staff in a leaked video responded to the incident Monday.

Forwards Matt Duchene, Alex Formenton, Chris Tierney, and Colin White, plus defensemen Thomas Chabot, Dylan DeMelo, and Chris Wideman issued the following statement:

"We want to apologize publicly to Marty Raymond, our teammates, and coaches for our comments in Phoenix, Ariz. on Oct. 29," the players said, according to TSN. "Our private conversation was recorded without our knowledge or consent. We're passionate about our team, and focusing on growing together. We are grateful for the support of our fans and organization. This is an important learning experience, and we will do better."

Senators head coach Guy Boucher also issued a statement, coming to the defense of his coaching staff and noting that the incident is now considered an internal matter.

"Nothing is more important to us during this rebuild than making sure our players and coaches are fully committed to our plan, our values and our system of play," Boucher said, according to TSN. "We have every confidence in Marty Raymond's coaching; in the effort and determination of our team; and in the sincerity of our players' apology. We are now treating this as a team matter, and will be making no further comment to the media."

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The Los Angeles Kings have fired John Stevens and named Willie Desjardins as interim head coach, the team announced Sunday.

Stevens' dismissal comes with the Kings sitting in last place in the Western Conference with a 4-8-1 record. A 4-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday was evidently not enough to save his job.

"This is a critical time in our season and our results to date have fallen well below our expectations," Kings general manager Rob Blake said in a statement. "With that in mind, this was a difficult decision but one we feel was necessary."

Stevens was in his second season as head coach. He posted a 45-29-8 record last season before Los Angeles was swept in the first round of the postseason by the Vegas Golden Knights. Stevens previously served as an assistant to former bench boss Darryl Sutter and was a part of two Stanley Cup wins in Los Angeles in 2012 and 2014.

Desjardins was the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks from 2014-15 to 2016-17, posting a 109-110-27 record and making one playoff appearance. He was also the head coach for Team Canada at 2018 PyeongChang, where the team claimed bronze.

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Jason Spezza likes life in Dallas, so much so that he won't let salary cap concerns stop him from sticking with the Stars.

The veteran forward is in the final season of a four-year, $30-million pact he inked in 2014, but handing out another big-money extension to the aging talent may not be an option for the Stars, particularly with a lucrative new contract set to kick in next year for Tyler Seguin.

Fortunately, there appears to be plenty of room for negotiation on Spezza's side of the table.

"I really don't care (about the value of the next contract), like I really could care less," Spezza told Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. "I have lots of money."

Now in his fifth season with the Stars, Spezza is experiencing an offensive renaissance under new bench boss Jim Montgomery, already with 10 points in 13 games, while the turnaround also appears to have erased any possibility of the 35-year-old hanging up his skates any time soon.

"I want to stay and play, and as long as I have a good role they can take my money and give it to someone else and give us more depth," Spezza added. "I'd take it, you know?"

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Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron missed Thursday's contest against the Washington Capitals due to a lower-body injury. On Saturday, coach Claude Julien announced the ailment will keep him sidelined for at least the next three games.

Byron will not suit up Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, nor will he make next week's trip to New York to take on the Islanders and Rangers.

An extended absence could be a key loss for Montreal, as Byron is tied for fifth in team scoring with seven points in 11 games.

Byron is in his fourth season with the Canadiens. He inked a four-year, $13.6-million extension during training camp.

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There's always next year for Sebastian Aho.

After picking up at least one assist through the season's first 12 games - a feat that matched NHL legend Wayne Gretzky for most all time - the Carolina Hurricanes forward failed to add another helper in Friday's overtime loss to the Arizona Coyotes.

Aho was held scoreless on the night, and while he won't take sole possession of top spot in NHL history, his showing through the first dozen contests was, naturally, good enough to set a Hurricanes record.

The Finnish forward has registered 17 points across 13 contests this season.

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed forward Yanni Gourde to a six-year extension carrying a $5.166-million cap hit, the club announced Friday.

Last year marked Gourde's first full season with the Lightning, in which he finished third in NHL rookie scoring with 64 points in 82 games.

"Yanni personifies our team's identity with his speed and relentlessness on the ice and his strong character off of it," Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said in a statement. "He is proof of how far hard work and dedication can take you, and we look forward to him continuing his career in Tampa Bay."

Gourde joined the Lightning as an undrafted free agent in 2014.

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Florida Panthers netminder Roberto Luongo will make his return to the crease Friday versus the Winnipeg Jets in the second game of the NHL Global Series in Finland.

Luongo has not suited up since Florida's season opener, when teammate Frank Vatrano fell on his leg midway through the second period. It was later announced he'd miss two-to-four weeks with an MCL injury.

In his absence, the Panthers have turned to backup James Reimer, who suited up Thursday in the first of a two-game set against the Jets. Across eight appearances, Reimer has posted just one win and a .885 save percentage. He allowed three goals on 35 shots in Thursday's loss to Winnipeg.

Luongo returns with the Panthers in an early hole, as the team sits last in the Eastern Conference with a 2-5-3 record.

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Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard has been assigned to the Ontario Hockey League's London Knights, the team announced Friday.

In a corresponding roster move, the Oilers have recalled blue-liner Kevin Gravel from the AHL's Bakersfield Condors.

Bouchard appeared in seven games with the Oilers, a stretch that saw him register his first NHL goal against the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals.

The Oilers selected Bouchard with the 10th overall pick in last year's draft. He recorded 87 points in 67 games for the Knights last season.

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