Can The Arizona Coyotes Make The Playoffs In 2018?

[AZCoyote89]

What do the Arizona Coyotes need to do to make the playoffs in 2018?

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[RABBIT]

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[rt]

What needs to happen? So, so much. I'd give it a 5% chance and all of the following need to occur:

1. Hjalmarsson is the perfect fit for OEL who is able to score 20g again
2. Raanta proves he's legit
3. Chychrun comes back quick and gets back to 100% early
4. Goligoski returns to form
5. Stepan's production doesn't fall off on his new team
6. Domi shows no sign of rust
7. Duclair proves that year two was the fluke and year one
8. Dvorak and Perlini experience no similar year two blues
9. Chayka proves he's right about Clendening
10. Schenn proves that last year was the norm and not exception
11. Strome and Keller are both among the front runners for the Calder all season long

 

[AZCoyote89]

add poll!

It's up & and posted.

 

[Ebb]

I doubt we're in the playoff picture unless some teams really take a turn for the worse. In order to make the playoffs in 2018, I'm guessing we'd need:

1. #1 LW
2. #1 C
3. #1 RW
4. #2 RW
5. #2 RD
6. Easy adjustment to new coach/system
7. Lots and lots of luck

Note, we may not need all of the #1 forwards, but I'd definitely say 2 of the 3 would be preferred

 

[_Del_]

Not bloody likely. But are we poised to see actual internal growth? I think so. Won't show up on in the standings this year, but it sounds like the emphasis is on communication and growth finally, so I'm excited.

 

[doaner]

I'm an optimist for this season. I feel Keller, strome, raanta, Stepan and hammer will move the team forward.

I'm probably wrong, but I have high hopes for them this year.

 

[Painful Quandary]

It's possible; the Pacific is weak and the Coyotes added some good pieces.

 

[0point1]

Seems impossible with all the holes and missing pieces.

 

[Matias Maccete]

Can yes, but it's not very likely. We'd need Stepan and Dvorak to play like high end 2Cs, Raanta to have a great year, OEL to round back into Norris contender form, hammer to immediately be a huge upgrade, goose to bounce back, Chychrun to return fairly early and not miss a beat, Domi to play like a 1st line winger, Duke to return to 20 or close to 20 goal form, Richardson to come back healthy, very good seasons from Perlini, Strome, and Keller, maybe Fischer too, and Clandening or Schenn will need to be a passable 2nd pairing dman. Sooooooooo can we, yes. But it would take basically everything going perfectly for us.

 

[Tom Polakis]

What needs to happen? So, so much. I'd give it a 5% chance and all of the following need to occur:

1. Hjalmarsson is the perfect fit for OEL who is able to score 20g again
2. Raanta proves he's legit
3. Chychrun comes back quick and gets back to 100% early
4. Goligoski returns to form
5. Stepan's production doesn't fall off on his new team
6. Domi shows no sign of rust
7. Duclair proves that year two was the fluke and year one
8. Dvorak and Perlini experience no similar year two blues
9. Chayka proves he's right about Clendening
10. Schenn proves that last year was the norm and not exception
11. Strome and Keller are both among the front runners for the Calder all season long

I'll buy into almost all of that (including the 5% chance) except #11. I don't think Strome and Keller have to be that good. They do have to be above-average rookies. Strome showed no sign of that last season, and I'd be really surprised if Keller is in the upper half of the rookie pool (provided he even makes the team).

 

[LuckyNumber11]

Can is a much different question than will

 

[PerpetualTankYear]

I wouldn't bet on it, but I wouldn't be surprised if they made it. 75/25 no.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

Since the question was "Can they" vs. "will they" the answer must be "Yes".

Raanta gets hot, younglings surprise, OEL/Hammer are dominant.

Domi advances, Duclair rebounds

Yep, they can make it.

 

[Spirit of Lindgren]

I sure hope they can..
It sure would be more fun in that arena if they would do just that one little thing.

 

[RemoAZ]

I voted yes mostly because:

1. He Who Must Not Be Named is gone.
2. It's the first time we've had a legit top pairing on D in forever.
3. It's the first time we've had at least a legit #2 center playing #1 in forever.
4. It's the first time we've had an offensive minded "real" coach in forever.
5. We have more actual talent on the roster top to bottom than...ever?
6. There's no one on the roster that looks like a poor attitude/personality.
7. He Who Must Not Be Named is gone.

Sure it's a long shot and there are plenty of question marks. There's plenty of positives too. Either way, I'm counting on a fun team to watch. Playoffs would just be a bonus.

 

[Summer Rose]

I voted yes even though I think it's unlikely. There are basically only three teams I'd write off as having a trainwreck of a roster that you can write off as not making the playoffs before the season even starts: Buffalo, Colorado, and Vegas.

 

[Heldig]

They can but it is unlikely. LOTS has to go right for it to happen.

Domi leads the way with 70 points.

6 others with 40+ points

Raanta with top 15 goalie numbers

GF top 15
GA top 15

 

[Guest]

Count me in the "can, but likely will not" camp. Everything has to go right, and frankly it would be a flash in the pan if they did make it this year because we would likely see a regression the next year. I would rather they build up and hold momentum than have a wild ride just this year and then come crashing back down to earth next year.

 

[GiveAFlyingPuck]

Nope. Erasing the -63 goal differential is asking a bit much. Not happening this season. We'll be lucky to have a -20 goal differential this season.

 

[starman]

It's a long shot, but they have a better chance of making the playoffs than any year since 2012

 

[MIGs Dog]

Nope. Erasing the -63 goal differential is asking a bit much. Not happening this season. We'll be lucky to have a -20 goal differential this season.

You are correct, our goal differential sucked. Only one team made the playoffs with a negative goal differential.

But lets look at the glass half full analysis.

The Yotes missed the playoffs by 24 pts...yikes! However, 25 of their losses were by one goal (this includes OT losses). Turn half of those into wins and we might challenge for a playoff spot.

 

[Toadie]

The Yotes missed the playoffs by 24 pts...yikes! However, 25 of their losses were by one goal (this includes OT losses). Turn half of those into wins and we might challenge for a playoff spot.

And so many of those 25 1 goals games they were so predictable as they went into that stupid dump the puck in and kinda chase after it and ohh make sure you are out shot at least by 15. A new system hopefully can win us 10 to 15 of those games. 20 to 30 additional points

 

[Mosby]

I think we are underselling Keller a bit. I'd say the majority of other fanbases and different media outlets have him as the Calder favorite.

 

[GiveAFlyingPuck]

You are correct, our goal differential sucked. Only one team made the playoffs with a negative goal differential.

But lets look at the glass half full analysis.

The Yotes missed the playoffs by 24 pts...yikes! However, 25 of their losses were by one goal (this includes OT losses). Turn half of those into wins and we might challenge for a playoff spot.

The problem with that is the games we won were generally by one goal. Those could have easily been lost. Would love to see a winning team again.