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GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Arizona Coyotes, like every other NHL team, went into the 2015-16 season filled with optimism.Realistically, they -- and nearly everyone else -- knew it would be a rebuilding year, even after the team got off to a fast start.The Coyotes again have that optimistic slant heading into this season. This time, with a core of talented young players and some veteran additions, they expect to live up to it.Just walking in the rink, you feel it, Coyotes goalie Mike Smith said. You feel a different vibe. You feel like this team can do some damage.Arizonas talented core remains intact, headlined by All-Star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, with forwards Max Domi, Anthony Duclair and Tobias Rieder. Captain Shane Doan returns for his 21st season and goalie Mike Smith is back after being sidelined with an abdominal injury most of last season.The Coyotes also were active during the offseason under first-year general manager John Chayka, adding defensemen Alex Goligoski, Anthony DeAngelo and Luke Schenn, along with forwards Jamie McGinn, Radim Vrbata and Ryan White.Whether the group can end a four-year playoff-less run remains to be seen, but theres no reason to think the Coyotes wont improve upon their 35-win 2015-16 season.Youve got to be careful with optimism because theres 29 other teams that have a lot of optimism, too, but I think ours is genuine, Chayka said. I told the guys the other day were not looking to be a mediocre team. Were trying to be the best and we certainly feel we have the skilled players to get there, but its going to take some time to get there.A few more things to look for from the Arizona Coyotes in the 2016-17 season:DOMI AND DUCLAIR: Arizonas two young forwards burst upon the scene last season, giving the franchise the jolt of youth and speed it had been missing. Domi, son of former NHL tough guy Tie, was second on the Coyotes with 52 points and had 18 goals. Duclair, who arrived in a trade with the New York Rangers prior to last season, added 20 goals and 24 assists. Both players are 21 and work well together, so theres no reason to think they wont get better after that dynamic first season together.DOANER RETURNS: Doan took part of the summer to decide whether to return for another season in the desert. It didnt seem like much of a decision after the season he had in 2015-16. Coming off a couple of disappointing, injury-plagued seasons, Arizonas captain was at the top of his game a year ago. Doan seemed to be rejuvenated by the influx of young players on Arizonas roster, leading the Coyotes with 28 goals while chipping in 19 assists. Doan turns 40 next week, but he still has game and is one of top captains in the NHL.SMITHS RETURN: Smith was the key to Arizonas run to the 2012 Western Conference finals, often stealing games for the Coyotes with his stellar play. The past few seasons have been filled with injuries and inconsistency. Smith was limited to 34 games in 2012-13 due to injury and played 32 last season due to abdominal surgery. If he can stay healthy and play well, the Coyotes could make a strong playoff push.OEL RISES: Ekman-Larsson was considered one of the NHLs top up-and-coming defensemen his first few years in the league and has lived up to that hype the past few. The 25-year-old from Sweden has been an All-Star each of the past four seasons and last year led the Coyotes with 55 points, including 21 goals. If the Coyotes make the playoffs, expect him to be a strong contender for the Norris Trophy.IN THE SYSTEM: Chayka, who took over after Don Maloney was fired after last season, has been praised for building up Arizonas minor league system, turning it into one of the best in the NHL. The Coyotes are loaded with top prospects, including centers Dylan Strome, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 draft, and Christian Dvorak, who had 121 points for London of the OHL last season. The talent pool is deep in Arizona, setting up the Coyotes to be good for a while once they turn the corner.Kaufen Vans Schuhe Schweiz . -- There were so many positives from the Orlando Magics first victory of the season that it was hard for coach Jacque Vaughn to stop praising his players. Vans Schuhe Schweiz Outlet . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. http://www.vansschweiz.ch/ .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. Vans Schuhe Schweiz Store . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. Vans Schuhe Schweiz . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- While the New York Giants are off to their best start since 2009, the obituaries are seemingly being prepared for the defending NFC East champion Washington Redskins.Jay Grudens team is 0-2. There have been reports from anonymous sources about frustration in the locker room, much of it directed at quarterback Kirk Cousins play. The defense is struggling. Its not good.The Redskins will carry that load into MetLife Stadium on Sunday when they face the Giants (2-0) in a game with the added attraction of matching Washington cornerback Josh Norman against New York receiver Odell Beckham Jr.The two tangled a year ago in a game here that resulted with both acting like bullies and Beckham getting a one-game suspension.Thats the sideshow.Its pretty much a now-or-never game for the Redskins. Only three teams since 1990 have started the season 0-3 and made the playoffs, the last being the Bills in 1998.Veteran defensive back DeAngelo Hall says there is no secret formula to winning. Its protecting the ball, forcing turnovers, stopping the run and eliminating the stupid mistakes.Weve got a mindset that we want to take the fight to them, he said. But I mean the plan is the same as it always is. And its just up to us to go out there and try to execute it and be dominant to the best of our ability.Cousins, who returned with a one-year contract under the franchise tag, said two games dont decide a season.Ill let the body of work speak for itself at that point, Cousins said . But, Im excited about the challenge we have this week, and really I have enough of a challenge that I dont need to look much further forward or further back than just the Giants this Sunday.Cousins will be facing a much-improved New York defense. It has allowed 32 points without forcing a turnover.Eli Manning and the Giants offense scored three touchdowns in the win over Dallas, but did not get into the end zone against New Orleans. Three fumbles hurt.Manning isnt looking at this game as a chance to bury the Redskins.Hey, its the next game, he said. Were worried about our season and what weve got to do and its a chance for us to go 3-0 and thats all we are concerned with.Starting 3-0 has its advantages. Ninety nine of the 131 teams that have won their first three games since 1990 have made the playoffs. Thats something the Giants have not done since the 2011 season.Heres some things to watch in the game:NOWHERE TO RUN: The Redskins have about as unballanced an offense as possible, with 89 pass attempts and only a league-low 29 rushes heading into Week 3.dddddddddddd. This despite a lot of talk from GM Scot McCloughan about how he wanted to be a physical team. We have not given the running game really an ample opportunity to flourish, coach Jay Gruden said. Thats something we have to look at.WHERES THE PRESSURE?: The Giants spent a lot of money to sign Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison and to re-sign Jason Pierre-Paul for the defensive line. Through two games, New York has two sacks, one by safety Landon Collins and the other from nickel back Leon Hall.STALLING OFFENSE: Among Washingtons many problems through two games, two stand out on offense: converting on third down (36 percent) and scoring touchdowns in the red zone (30 percent). In last weeks loss to Dallas, Washington took over inside the Cowboys 40 twice in the second half and came away with six points before the worst possession of all, when Cousins threw an interception on third-and-goal from the 6. Third-down efficiency, we are behind in that category, and red zone has been bad. It really has, Gruden said. It has been surprisingly bad.WHOS GOT THE BALL?: With Rashad Jennings dealing with a thumb injury to his left hand, look to see who gets the ball. Jennings insists he can carry the ball with his hand taped. Expect Shane Vereen and Orleans Darkwa to get a few extra carries this week against a Redskins D ranked No. 28 against the run.FADE-HAPPY: Cousins repeatedly tried to throw fade patterns into the end zone in Week 2, with zero success. That doesnt mean the Redskins are ready to give up on that particular play call. Hindsight, I wish we wouldnt have tried as many, Gruden said, but well throw more fades.WINNING THE CLOSE ONES: New York lost six games last season either late in the fourth quarter or in overtime in missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year. The Giants have won their first two by a total of four points. It is the first time they won consecutive games by a combined margin of four or fewer points since Oct. 22 and Oct. 29, 1939, when they beat the Bears, 16-13, and the Brooklyn Dodgers, 7-6.---AP Pro Football Writer Howard Fendrich and freelancer Ian Quillen in Ashburn, Virginia contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '