Coyotes captain Shane Doan did not practice with teammates on Tuesday in Saint Paul, Minn., but Head Coach Dave Tippett said that does not mean Doan would not play vs. the Wild on Wednesday night at Xcel Energy Center.

“It’s nothing serious,” Tippett told reporters after practice. “It’s just we don’t want it to get worse.”

Doan

Doan left Monday’s game vs. Nashville in the second period after suffering a lower-body injury. He did not return.

Nashville beat Phoenix, 4-2, and Doan’s eight-game point streak ended.

On Tuesday afternoon, Doan was a guest on NHL Live.

“I’m doing better today,” Doan said after being asked how he was feeling. “Obviously, it’s one of those things that sometimes you’ve got to make sure you take some care … and make sure it doesn’t turn into something major.”

• The Coyotes placed defenseman Rostislav Klesla on waivers on Tuesday. Should he clear, he would be assigned to the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Portland, Maine.

“We’re looking to try to find ways to improve our group, and I talked to Don (Maloney) after the game last night and we talked about different scenarios,” Tippett told reporters. “One was just to see how we could change the mix a little bit, and that was the first step of it.”

Klesla

Maloney, speaking to Todd Walsh of FOX Sports Arizona, said he would reserve comment on Klesla until after he does or doesn’t clear waivers.

He did tell Walsh: “I don’t see a major crisis forming here, but we have to maybe adjust our mix a little bit, tighten up a little bit here and there and stop spotting two or three goal leads out of the gate.”



NOTE: Click here to listen to Todd Walsh's full interview with Don Maloney.

Klesla, of course, missed the first three games of the season after suffering a concussion in the preseason. In 15 games, he has notched one goal and two assists, and is minus-1.

• Tim Kennedy scored his 14th NHL goal and his first as a member of the Coyotes in Monday’s 4-2 loss at Nashville.

Tippett liked the way Kennedy fit in playing on a line with center Martin Hanzal and winger Radim Vrbata.

“He can play with pace and he can make a good play,” Tippett said. “I think you saw that last night... That’s a good sign.”

• How's this for symmetry?



The Coyotes are averaging 3.17 goals per game and allowing 3.17 goals per game. Furthermore, they're fourth from top of the NHL team rankings in goals for and fourth from the bottom in goals against.