Head coach Andre Tourigny said Friday that Bjugstad (upper body) has resumed contact drills and is 7-10 days away from returning, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports.

Bjugstad began the 2024-25 season on injured reserve and was initially expected to be sidelined until the end of November, but it appears as though he'll be in the mix to return to action in late October. While the 32-year-old will still miss a few more games, it's encouraging that he's progressing in his recovery and has developed a return timetable. Over 76 appearances for the Coyotes last year, Bjugstad tallied 22 goals and 45 points while averaging 17:27 of ice time.