Health, help on the way for struggling Coyotes

NEW YORK — Injuries represent just one of the factors that have contributed to the Coyotes’ franchise worst eight-game start. All the same, coach Rick Tocchet would like to see his team at full strength as it tries to post its first win of the season.

Help appears to be on the way. Forward Brendan Perlini took part in a full practice on Monday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. General manager John Chayka said Perlini will have a baseline (concussion) test on Wednesday, at which point the Coyotes hope he will be cleared to play.

“He looks good to me but obviously it’s always best to follow the protocol and be over-cautious, especially when you’re dealing with things like that,” Chayka said.

The Coyotes have struggled to find secondary scoring to support the strong play of their top line of Derek Stepan, Max Domi and Clayton Keller. Perlini could help.

“He’s a skilled guy. He can shoot the puck,” Tocchet said. “We can always use one of those guys.”

Starting goaltender Antti Raanta was also on the ice Monday, but he only did some light skating, solo drills and stretching during practice. He worked with goalie coach Jon Elkin afterward.

Raanta is further away from returning than Perlini, but the hope is that he will play at some point on this five-game trip. That is why he accompanied the team.

“Obviously, if we can get him in shape here where he can play, it’s obviously going to boost our team,” Tocchet said. “You add him, you get Perlini back, [Jakob] Chychrun is around the corner, you start strengthening your team.”

Chychrun has resumed skating after knee surgery on Aug. 3. Chayka said Chychrun will continue to work out on his own and will not join the team at any point on this trip.

“He’s got to log hours now,” Chayka said. “This is his training camp. He just got back on the ice for the first time but he’s pushing himself.”

Chayka said it is difficult to simulate the training camp environment that might have helped Chychrun get up to speed quickly.

“At the same time, he’s done a great job of staying mentally strong,” Chayka said. “He’s watched a ton of video, talked to the coaches about what they’re looking for him to do. Now he’s got a progression of skating and drills that he’s going through to best prepare himself.”

The Coyotes won’t have any of the aforementioned three players back when they play the first game of this 10-day day trip on Tuesday against the Islanders, but Tocchet can see a light at the end of the injury tunnel.

“They’re good players,” he said. “It’s going to add to the make-up of our team. It adds depth.

“In those situations with five, six minutes left, you want Raanta in net. You want a Perlini, maybe on a power play. You want a Jakob Chychrun, but we have other guys that need to step up. Some guys have. We’ve got to get more from some other guys and they know it. [If we do], maybe those games that are tied with five minutes left, we’re going to win some of those games.”

Coyotes at Islanders

When: 4 p.m., Tuesday
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn
TV: FOX Sports Arizona
Radio: ESPN 620 AM
Records: Coyotes — 0-7-1. Islanders — 4-3-1.

Injury report: Coyotes — D Jakob Chychrun (knee) and F Brendan Perlini (upper body) are on injured reserve. G Antti Raanta (lower body) is day-to-day. Islanders — F Alan Quine (upper body, IR), Shane Prince (ankle, IR).

Islanders scouting report: — New York has won two straight games and the Islanders are 22-4-4 against Western Conference opponents at Barclays Center since beginning play there in the 2015-16 season … F Anders Lee leads the Islanders with five goals and is tied with Josh Bailey and John Tavares for the team lead in points (6) … Tavares broke a four-game point drought with three points in a win over San Jose on Saturday.

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