Mike Smith is looking forward to a return to form this season. Smith struggled a bit last season with injuries and saw his save percentage fall from .930 to .910 while his GAA jumped to 2.58 from 2.21. His record was also so-so as he was 15-12-5 in 2013 after a sensational 38-18-10 2011-12 season. "He's one of the elite goaltenders in the league, and he's shown he can do that," coach Dave Tippett said. "Thereƒ?Ts no reason why we shouldn't believe that's the goaltender he'll be this year." Look for Smith to win over 30 games and be a top-ten fantasy goalie.

Mike Smith is expected to play in Sunday night's exhibition opener against the Kings. Not sure if he will start but it is likely. Shane Doan and Mike Ribeiro are also expected to dress and participate in Sunday night's contest.

Mike Smith knows that the best way to secure a spot on Team Canada is to excel with the Phoenix Coyotes. "First and foremost, I want to do well for this organization and I think that's a big thing," Smith said. "If that happens, then it'll all look after itself. If I'm there, I'll be ecstatic and honored to be there and if I'm not, then it wasn't meant to be and I'll move on. But, obviously, it'd be a tremendous honor to play for your country in the Olympics." Team Canada doesn't have a clear starting goaltender, so the opening months of the NHL season will be a big determining factor. Smith certainly has a shot at it if he returns to his 2011-12 form.

Mike Smith says he felt relieved to see the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes earlier this summer. "It's one less thing to think about," he said. "We always talked about not letting it creep into our room and it seemed the last two camps I was at guys kept saying, 'We can't worry about what's happening with ownership' but this past year it started to weigh on us. It's been four years - I was only there two - and you're always being asked questions about it, so it's hard not to let it creep into your mind." Retaining free agents was a good step to maintaining stability for the franchise and Smith inked a six-year extension worth $34 million to remain in the desert.

Mike Smith and the Coyotes have agreed to a six-year, $34 million contract extension. The contract will be signed Monday afternoon. This was reported as likely Sunday but it turns out to be fact on Monday. Good solid signing by the Coyotes as their goaltending is now settled through 2019.

Mike Smith is on the verge of signing a six-year deal to remain with the Phoenix Coyotes according to Sarah McLellan of the Arizona Republic. The deal needs NHL approval as the Coyotes are still owned by the league. He will get $5.67 million per year on average. It's a good move by the Coyotes as Smith was outstanding in 2011-12 and pretty good last season with a 2.58 GAA and a .910 save percentage in an injury-filled year.

Mike Smith is reportedly close to inking a new deal with the Phoenix Coyotes. Smith's potential contract is believed to be in the ballpark of $5.7 million annually for six seasons. He had expressed some hesitation about the Coyotes unclear ownership situation, but the re-signing of coach Dave Tippett probably helped. Smith had a 2.58 GAA and .910 save percentage in 34 starts last season, but he'll probably improve on those numbers in 2013-14.

Mike Smith and the Phoenix Coyotes still appear to be in serious talks about a contract extension. Smith's main concern seems to be about the future of the franchise, which he should get some clarification on around July 2. That's when the NHL is threatening to start looking for alternative homes for the franchise if the city doesn't reach an arena agreement with prospective Coyotes owners. That being said, the fact that Coyotes coach Dave Tippett re-signed has reportedly been a positive development in these negotiations.

Dave Tippett's contract has apparently helped speed up the Phoenix Coyotes' talks with goalie Mike Smith. According to the Arizona Republic, Tippett and the team's management met with Smith and his agent in Vancouver last week. Smith has made it clear he wanted Tippett to return. "I really have a clear idea where he stands, and I think he has a good idea of where we stand right now," Maloney said. "We're still kind of working the process to see if there's a gap to be bridged." Smith is scheduled to be a unrestricted free agent July 5.

Phoenix captain Shane Doan made a "soft pitch" to Mike Smith to stay with the Coyotes when the two of them saw each other in Vancouver 10 days ago. "I didn't put any undue pressure on him other than how badly I want to play with him and be with him on my team," Doan said Wednesday. "I think that's well-known." He would also like to see coach Dave Tippett return. "I think they're both at the top of their positions as coach and goalie," Doan added. "On top of that, they're good people and that's vital for me. That's really way more important than anything else."