André Tourigny is leading the Coyotes into Phase 2 of their rebuilding project

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Bill Armstrong’s first move as the Arizona Coyotes’ general manager was to do nothing.

Wanting to take a calculated look at the moribund franchise, Armstrong sat back and watched for an entire season before deciding on a course of action.

His plan: a nearly complete overhaul.

To pull off his rebuild, Armstrong needed a coach who could connect with and develop young players.

André Tourigny was the perfect fit.

“The one thing about him was that he was firm with his players, he motivated his players, but didn’t leave a scar,” Armstrong said. “I felt like we needed that type of coach because we were in the process of gutting everything, keeping what we liked then added in young players. You need to bring them in properly and I felt like he could do that.”

The Coyotes have been a curiosity across the league as the franchise has gone through a string of owners, including four years of being operated by the NHL, regularly missed the playoffs and struggled to find a permanent home.

Playing at Arizona State University’s 5,000-seat Mullett Arena since last season has only intensified the novelty of hockey in the desert.

Now the franchise may finally be banking toward a better future, at least on the ice.

After years of trying to add players to their existing core, the Coyotes went all-in on Armstrong’s ground-up plan. Arizona started unloading veteran players to accrue draft picks, a decision that left them talent-thin on the ice, but fortified for the future.

When the franchise opted to part ways with coach Rick Tocchet after four seasons, Armstrong wanted a coach who had experience developing young players since that would be the primary makeup of the roster.