(Sports Network) - Wayne Gretzky began his winning ways early in his playing career, but finding success as a head coach has been much more difficult.

Gretzky is entering his third season as the head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes and, so far, "The Great One" has yet to get his team going. The Coyotes are 69-85-10 under Gretzky and have missed the playoffs both years.

That is not to say that the Coyotes recent struggles should fall squarely on the shoulders of Gretzky, after all the team is in the midst of a rebuilding process.

Phoenix was very busy at last year's trade deadline, but instead of acquiring veteran leadership the club dealt away some of its most productive players to get young prospects and draft picks in return.

The decision to build for the future was a smart one and it's probably the best way to get this franchise back into the postseason. However, this year should be tough to watch as the Coyotes wait for the draft picks and younger players to pay dividends.

The Coyotes are basically coming into this year as an expansion franchise and Gretzky and his team must be willing to take their lumps now while keeping the promise of future success on their minds.

FORWARDS - The best returning player for the Coyotes and the captain of their team is right winger Shane Doan.

Doan is a well-rounded player who combines a rough style of play with a decent amount of offensive skill. He is also a strong two-way player who can lead with both his words and actions.

Last year, Doan was the leading scorer for Phoenix as he notched 55 points on 27 goals and 28 assists.

After Doan, there is a big drop-off in terms of offensive production from returning players. Steve Reinprecht played in just 49 games last year after suffering a broken collarbone, but still posted nine goals and 24 assists. Reinprecht, a 31-year-old center, will be a boost for the club if he can stay on the ice this season.

Phoenix did pick up some scoring depth in the offseason when they traded for winger Radim Vrbata. The 26-year-old Czech played n 77 games with the Blackhawks last season and punched in 14 goals and 27 assists.

The Coyotes also signed veteran forward Mike York over the summer and the team hopes the 29-year-old American can rebound from a down season. York had 50- plus points in four of his first six campaigns in the NHL, but was dreadful last year with just 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 66 games with Philadelphia and the New York Islanders.

Gretzky's team did get a pleasant surprise with the play of undrafted winger Bill Thomas last year. Thomas, a 24-year-old from Pittsburgh, PA, played in 24 games with Phoenix last year and recorded 14 points (8g, 6a). Thomas should see more action this year as the Coyotes try to determine what kind of future he may have in the NHL.

Phoenix is also ready to give highly-touted centerman Peter Mueller a shot in the NHL this year. The 19-year-old native of Bloomington, Minnesota was selected by the Coyotes with the eighth overall pick in the 2006 draft and should see a great deal of ice team this season.

Martin Hanzal, 20, is another youngster ready to make the jump to the NHL this year for Phoenix. The 6-5, 208-pound Czech forward was the 17th overall selection in the 2005 draft.

DEFENSE - The Coyotes leader on defense will once again be Ed Jovanovski, a three-time All-Star, who had a disappointing season in 2006-07.

Jovanovski signed with Phoenix last summer after spending the previous seven years in Vancouver. The 31-year-old battled injuries for a sizeable portion of his first season in the desert and wound up playing in just 54 contests. However, "Jovo" did produce when he was in the lineup as he notched 11 goals and 18 assists.

The next two defensemen on the Coyotes depth chart also missed considerable time due to injury last year. Keith Ballard played in 69 games while Nick Boynton managed to see action in just 59 contests. Ballard was productive when he was on the ice with five goals and 22 assists, but Boynton struggled even when healthy and finished the year with just 11 points (2g, 9a).

The Coyotes could have a decent blue line if Jovanovski, Ballard and Boynton manage to stay healthy in 2007-08.

Phoenix also has an up-and-coming defenseman in 24-year-old Zbynek Michalek. The Czech native played in all 82 games for the Coyotes in each of the past two seasons and has shown solid offensive skills from the blue line. Last year, Michalek chipped in with four goals and 24 assists.

Also, expected to see increased minutes this season is 24-year-old Matt Jones. The American moved up and down from Phoenix's AHL affiliate in San Antonio all season, but wound up playing in more games (45) with the big club. Jones, who had one goal and six assists with the Coyotes last year, is billed as a smart player with a solid, all-around game.

GOALTENDING - Poor play between the pipes was a big problem for the Coyotes last year and the situation doesn't seem like it's been fixed heading into the 2007-08 campaign.

Curtis Joseph was the main option for the Coyotes last year, but the 40-year- old was not re-signed.

The No. 1 goaltender for Phoenix this year is expected to be David Aebischer, but backup netminder Mikael Tellqvist could easily supplant him for the top spot.

The 29-year-old Aebischer played in 32 games (27 starts) with the Canadiens last season and was 13-12-3 with a .900 save percentage and lofty 3.17 goals against average. The goaltender who once was expected to replace the legendary Patrick Roy in Colorado will now be playing for this third team in less than two seasons.

Tellqvist was acquired in a trade with Toronto in November of last season and played in 30 of his 31 games with the Coyotes. The 28-year-old Swede posted a 11-12-3 record in 2006-07 and also sported poor numbers in save percentage (.885) and GAA (3.35).

WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE - The Coyotes are not expected to compete for the playoffs this year and that could be a good situation for the younger players. Gretzky and some of Phoenix's veteran players will get to play the role of teacher to the youngsters as the franchise goes through the rebuilding process. The Coyotes are a prime candidate to finish last in the West this season, but that could change if the young players make a quicker adjustment to the NHL than expected.