Can Phoenix Continue to Grow?
Every year, one Natonal Hockey League (NHL) team seems to surprise all the fans and experts with their outstanding and unexpected play. Last year that team was the Phoenix Coyotes. A perennial bottom-feeder, the Coyotes have been as bad as their attendance over the past five seasons. Unable to get out of the bottom of the Pacific Division, let alone make the playoffs, it looked as though the team was destined to move to Winnipeg at the bottom of the table.
In 2008-09, the Coyotes decided to go with youth, and early on it looked as though it was going to payoff, the team got out to an incredible start. However, as the rest of the Western Conference ironed out their game plans, and got used to playing as a team,, the Coyotes did not. They ended the season with 36 wins and finished fourth in the Pacific division.
Last season, the Coyotes changed their whole make-up. Instead of going with youth, they brought in veterans and a new coach in Dave Tippett. Much of the Coyotes turn around can be attributed to Tippett as he took the team away from the offensive style they were playing and focused on defence. The results were immediate; the club finished with 107 points and locked down fourth in the West, while averaging the 24th lowest goals-per-game in the league.
The NHL has seen this before in the post lock-out era, perhaps most notably with the Montreal Canadiens, who won the Eastern Conference a year after finishing 10th. What is troubling for the Coyotes management is that the Canadiens sunk to eighth in the standing the following season, and were bumped from the playoffs by the Boston Bruins in four games.
Even more concerning for the Coyotes brass is the fact that they only have one player signed longer than two years, due to an ongoing ownership issue which could see the team leave Phoenix.
Unfortunately for the Coyotes, NHL life goes on, and they have to be ready for next season. General Manager Don Maloney understands this and has wasted no time this offseason filling the holes in his line-up.
Departures
The Coyotes watched their number one centre Mathew Lombardi leave the franchise in favour of the Nashville Predators, leaving a gaping hole in the top unit. Moreover, the Coyotes waved goodbye to Robert Lang, Zbynek Michalek, Lee Stempniak, and veteran Mathieu Schneider.
Arrivals
Maloney approached the free agent market carefully, knowing his team does not have a lot of money to throw around. He signed veteran Ray Whitney, and brought back Derek Morris. At last year’s trade deadline, Maloney traded Peter Mueller to the Colorado Avalanche for Wojtek Wolski.
Offence
With Tippett still at the helm, you can bet that offence will not be the team’s top priority. The fact is that the team does not have the skill upfront to compete in run-and-gun hockey with the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks of the Western Conference. Nevertheless, they still have to score goals. The goal scoring will be done by committee, much like last season, Tippett will count on guys like Radim Vrbata and Shane Doan to keep up their pace from a year ago. The Coyotes will also hope to get a full season from Scottie Upshall, who managed 32 points in 49 games.
Defence
The Coyotes were clearly the NHL’s best defensive club last season, boasting a 2.39 goals-against-average per-game to finish third in the league.
There will be a huge hole at the back end next year, as underrated defender Michalek is now with the Senators. The Coyotes and Maloney are hoping youngster Keith Yandle can step-up and become an elite defender.
However, none of this will matter if goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov does not once again have a Vezina candidate season again in 2010-11.
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