The Coyotes open their second training camp under head coach Rick Tocchet and third under President of Hockey Operations and General Manager John Chayka when the club hits the ice for its first organized practices Friday.

But, training camp officially gets underway Thursday with player physicals, fitness testing and media day at Gila River Arena. All practices throughout camp are free and open to the public. A complete schedule can be found below.

But before the first on-ice session at 9 a.m. on Friday in Glendale, here is everything you need to know before the preseason gets underway:

Key questions

What role will Dylan Strome have?

It’s a question we’ve been asking since the end of last season, but it remains one of the most intriguing to watch as Dylan Strome tries to earn a role as a center amongst a group that includes Derek Stepan, Alex Galchenyuk, Christian Dvorak and Brad Richardson.

Strome played well during his most recent call-up at the end of last season, tallying eight points in his final eight games while playing a third-line role. Tocchet experimented with Strome on the wing early in the 2017-18 campaign, but it remains to be seen what position he’ll play this year.

From being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 draft, it feels like Strome has been around forever. However, the left-handed shot is still just 21 years old and won’t turn 22 until March. Perhaps this is the season in which Strome sticks with the big club.

How healthy, productive will Antti Raanta be?

Raanta ended last season with a well-earned, three-year contract extension worth an average of $4.25 million per season. Now that the club has made a commitment to him, Raanta will have to prove that he can be both healthy and productive over the course of a full season.

When healthy, Raanta was one of the best. Among goaltenders who played at least 47 games last season, Raanta ranked first in the NHL in both goals-against average (2.24) and save percentage (.930).

The issues for Raanta were his health, and if he can play anywhere from 10 to 20 more games with the same production over the course of the season, he could find himself contending for a Vezina Trophy.

How did Chayka do?

After Max Domi was sent to the Montreal Canadiens in June, Chayka completed a organizational revamp that left him with just one player (Oliver Ekman-Larsson) who was on the Coyotes' roster prior to his arrival in 2016.

Chayka has almost completely rebuilt the Coyotes’ roster in just two years, and has essentially sealed his fate for better or worse.

Sure, there are players like Strome and Dvorak who were drafted before Chayka’s time, but the 2018-19 season will be the first in which Chayka can be fairly judged for the production and performance of his roster.

MORE:Projecting the Coyotes' lines for next season

Prospects to watch

Barrett Hayton, Center

Hayton, the fifth overall pick in June’s draft, will take part in his first professional training camp on Friday. Hayton played well for the club’s contingent at the 2018 Vegas Rookie Faceoff and demonstrated his refined all-around game.

Although Hayton is likely headed back to juniors this season after signing his entry-level deal in July, camp should offer a unique experience to the 18-year-old center. Look for Haytonto crack an NHL lineup as soon as possible.

Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Defenseman

Still just 19, Joseph remains ineligible to play in the AHL this season so he’ll likely be headed back to juniors unless he cracks the Coyotes' roster out of training camp. With the club’s depth on the blue line, it could be a challenge for the 2017 first-rounder.

Joseph, who signed his entry-level deal in December, wore an ‘A’ during the rookie tournament and potted a pair of assists in the tournament in Las Vegas. If he doesn’t make the NHL roster, he’ll head back to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for a third season.

Kyle Capobianco, Defenseman

Capobianco is likely the lone prospect in camp that has a legitimate shot to crack the NHL roster. The 21-year-old appeared in one game with the Coyotes last season and spent most of 2017-18 with the Roadrunners, where he notched 30 points in 48 games.

The left-shot defenseman was the only player in rookie camp with any NHL experience, and it showed, as Capobianco wore an ‘A’ for the team and had two goals in the club's second game. Look for him to find a new stride in his second professional season.

RELATED:Can any rookies make Coyotes' roster?

Position battles

No. 4 left wing

There aren’t many spots up for grabs this season, but when Jordan Martinook was sent to the Carolina Hurricanes in May, a fourth-line role opened up for the Coyotes. The players likely to contend for the position are Lawson Crouse, Nick Cousins, Josh Archibald and Mario Kempe.

Crouse, a former first-round pick in 2015, seems to be the favorite given his combination of scoring ability and physicality. Cousins and Archibald likely have an inside track to make the roster as the extra forwards, while Kempe could return to Tucson (AHL) next season.

No. 7 defense

The one thing that will really make this interesting is whether Jakob Chychrun is healthy enough for the season opener. If not, newly acquired Jordan Oesterle will likely grab a spot in the top six and another defenseman will need to be added for depth.

The most likely candidates are two offseason acquisitions in Robbie Russo and Ilya Lyubushkin, both right-shots. Some outside contenders could be Trevor Murphy, who impressed with the Coyotes at the end of last season, as well as Capobianco and Dakota Mermis.

Training camp roster

Forwards: Josh Archibald, Michael Bunting, Brayden Burke, Trevor Cheek, Nick Cousins, Lawson Crouse, Laurent Dauphin, Christian Dvorak, Hudson Fasching, Christian Fischer, Alex Galchenyuk, Conor Garland, Mattero Gennaro, Michael Grabner, Barrett Hayton, Adam Helewka, Vinnie Hinostroza, Jan Jenik, Clayton Keller, Mario Kempe, Liam Kirk, Kelly Klima, Kevin Klima, Jens Looke, Nick Merkley, Richard Panik, Lane Pederson, Brendan Perlini, Brad Richardson, Nate Schnarr, Derek Stepan, Tyler Steenbergen, Dylan Strome, David Ullstrom.

Defensemen: Kevin Bahl, Dennis Busby, Kyle Capobianco, Jakob Chychrun, Kevin Connauton, Jason Demers, Cam Dineen, Kevin Ekman-Larsson, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Alex Goligoski, Jacob Graves, Jordan Gross, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Noel Hoefenmayer, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Ilya Lyubushkin, Dysin Mayo, Dakota Mermis, Jordan Oesterle, Robbie Russo, Jalen Smereck.

Goaltenders: Adin Hill, Darcy Kuemper, Merrick Madsen, Hunter Miska, Ivan Prosvetov, Antti Raanta, David Tendeck.

Training camp/preseason schedule

Friday, Sept. 14

Practice at Gila River Arena — 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 15

Practice at Gila River Arena — 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 16

Practice at Gila River Arena — 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m.

Scrimmage at Gila River Arena — 10:15 a.m.

Game at Vegas Golden Knights — 5 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 17

Practice at Gila River Arena — 9 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 1:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 18

Practice at Gila River Arena — 12 p.m.

Game vs. Los Angeles Kings — 7 p.m.

Game at Los Angeles Kings — 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 19

Practice at Gila River Arena — 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 21

Practice at Gila River Arena — 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 22

Practice at Gila River Arena — 11:30 a.m.

Game vs. Anaheim Ducks — 6 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 23

Practice at Gila River Arena — 12 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 24

Practice at Gila River Arena — 12 p.m.

Game at Anaheim Ducks — 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 25

Practice at Gila River Arena — 12 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 26

Practice at Gila River Arena — 11 a.m.

Thursday, Sept. 27

Game at Edmonton Oilers — 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 29

Game at Vancouver Canucks — 7 p.m.

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Richard Morin covers the Coyotes and Diamondbacks for azcentral sports. He can be reached at richard.morin@arizonarepublic.com and by phone at 480-316-2493. Follow him on Twitter @ramorin_azc.