GDT: Game 62: Islanders @ Coyotes - FSAZ - 2PM

[TheLegend]

I’m noting that third in the Pacific was only 93 points last season. With the top three playing much better that year.

 

[rt]

Point Pace THIS season
Pac
1. EDM: 97
2. VAN: 96
3. VGK: 94
—
WC
1. NSH: 92
2. CGY: 91
—
Out
ARI: 90

 

[rt]

So it’s conceivable it could take less.

No. Not really. Unless you want to go back and re-seed by P% on 2-17-19. Which shouldn’t be too tough. Give it a shot.

 

[TheLegend]

No. Not really. Unless you want to go back and re-seed by P% on 2-17-19. Which shouldn’t be too tough. Give it a shot.

Why should I do that when this is more fun??

BTW.... we have 3 left against VAN and two against VGK. So those percentages can be altered somewhat. Stick that into your calculator.

 

[cobra427]

Why should I do that when this is more fun??

BTW.... we have 3 left against VAN and two against VGK. So those percentages can be altered somewhat. Stick that into your calculator.

Those head to heads could make or break us. Anything can happen, no shoe ins in the Pacific, any team could miss, its pretty close. Oilers and Canucks have enough flaws, either team could easily have problems.

 

[GiveAFlyingPuck]

Those head to heads could make or break us. Anything can happen, no shoe ins in the Pacific, any team could miss, its pretty close. Oilers and Canucks have enough flaws, either team could easily have problems.

A couple of injuries could break a team's season, as we we'll know.

 

[TheLegend]

Those head to heads could make or break us. Anything can happen, no shoe ins in the Pacific, any team could miss, its pretty close. Oilers and Canucks have enough flaws, either team could easily have problems.

One of the reasons why I'm not willing to buy into the percentages angle. Last year the top two in the Pacific were set by this time. This year it's anyone's ballgame.

 

[Jakey53]

As much as NHL.com and our lazy, worthless local journalists don’t want to admit it, games in hand actually matter. We are NOT in a playoff spot today.

Only if you win them. If any of those teams with games in hand take a dive like the Yotes did, we can get into the playoffs.

 

[cobra427]

One of the reasons why I'm not willing to buy into the percentages angle. Last year the top two in the Pacific were set by this time. This year it's anyone's ballgame.

If Raanta continues to play well, we get Kuemper back, our team D can play like last 2 games we are ok. I think teams get momentum and lose momentum for different reasons. I don't think we are as bad as our record the last 15-20 games, we can turn it around. other teams might not be as good as their record Vancouver/Edmonton lately. Plus we have plenty of head to heads. I think its a 50/50 shot any team is in, including us, other than Colorado/Dallas/St Louis.

 

[Jakey53]

Those head to heads could make or break us. Anything can happen, no shoe ins in the Pacific, any team could miss, its pretty close. Oilers and Canucks have enough flaws, either team could easily have problems.

And the Yotes don't have any flaws?

 

[Jakey53]

If Raanta continues to play well, we get Kuemper back, our team D can play like last 2 games we are ok. I think teams get momentum and lose momentum for different reasons. I don't think we are as bad as our record the last 15-20 games, we can turn it around. other teams might not be as good as their record Vancouver/Edmonton lately. Plus we have plenty of head to heads. I think its a 50/50 shot any team is in, including us, other than Colorado/Dallas/St Louis.

The last two games are exactly the way the team won early in the year. Forwards skating hard, getting timely goals, D playing good, and getting out of this world goal tending. The only problem, I don't think this type of game is sustainable, as we have shown in the past. I agree, it will come down to the head to head games we play with teams in our division, with the first one starting Wednesday. The Stars destroyed us with their physicality last game, let's see if we have the balls to push back.

 

[Name Nameless]

As much as NHL.com and our lazy, worthless local journalists don’t want to admit it, games in hand actually matter. We are NOT in a playoff spot today.

55.2% probability according to the site just linked to here.

And as others has said: just win the important games, and it's ok.

That's what you want to do anyways.

 

[TheLegend]

And the Yotes don't have any flaws?

He’s not saying that. We are both saying anything can happen.

 

[AZviaNJ]

Vegas still has a 5 game (WPG, CGY, EDM, MIN, COL) and a 4 game (WPG, EDM, CGY, VAN) road trip on the schedule.

Vancouver still has an eastern Canada run left (MTL, TOR, OTT) + CBJ. And of 3 left with the Coyotes, 2 on the road

Calgary starts with Boston at home, then 5 game roadie (DET, BOS, NSH, TB, FLA)

Edmonton has a B2B roadie in Philly/Washington, but seems to have the easiest schedule of the 4 AZ Pacific competitors. They're surviving OK without McD thus far...can it continue?

Arizona finishes their brutal 8 game stretch this week in Dallas, in STL and home vs Tampa. After that, they have 17 games left, 10 at home only 8 of the 17 are against current playoff teams. Other teams have games in hand, but AZ appears to have the easiest final 17-20 game stretch.

As others have said, need to win.

 

[SniperHF]

55.2% probability according to the site just linked to here.

I mean it's usually SO much worse then that, like closer to 0, so I'll take it I suppose.

But man we could have really closed up a division spot if we didn't blow chunks in December before Vancouver took off. It would have made the trailers really tough to catch us even if we were just okay as opposed to outright bad.

 

[Heldig]

It is a very tight race with several teams on the bubble.

TSN reporting the Coyotes are keeping Hall and hope to sign him in the summer. So does that make them buyers at the deadline? Chayka likes to wheel and deal. I could see it.

Is Demers status known? If he is not returning soon maybe a deal to get help at RHD? There are a few rumoured guys available - DeMelo in Ott, someone in Buffalo, a rhd on the Rangers (DeAngelo?). Maybe an upgrade on Oesterle on the third pairing?

If - somehow - the offense first guys like Keller, Kessel and Schmaltz can start scoring then the team might be ok. It would be nice to add some more grit but who goes the other way? Coyotes don't have a lot to trade.

Hall - Dvorak - Garland
Keller - Hayton - Schmaltz
Crouse - Stepan - Kessel
Soderberg - Richardson - Fischer
Hinostroza

OEL - Demers
Chychrun - Goligoski
Oesterle - Lybushkin

 

[SniperHF]

Keller - Hayton - Schmaltz

I get this idea on paper (not the first time it has been proposed )
But I really don't like making Hayton have to babysit those two chuckleheads.
Keller used to play with Stepan all the time, just flip flop those two. Not that baby sitting Kessel is all that much better either but at least it's only one linemate and not two.

Of course Schmaltz when going right doesn't need babysitting by he hasn't been going right since early November really.

 

[MIGs Dog]

So does that make them buyers at the deadline?

Athletic article today talking about GMJC's TDL approach. He said he doesn't like to trade at the deadline, but if there is value to add he'll consider it. He also does not think the cap is an issue as there is always some way to make the numbers work.

Coyotes' most coveted pieces may be hard to find at trade...

 

[rt]

I expect us to mostly sit on our hands. Could see something minor like Grabner for Pysyk or something like that.

 

[XX]

Certainly seems like Grabner did something to fall out of favor. Vinny has taken his spot on the PK. Now the 5th best PK in the league after they went back to being aggressive instead of passive.

 

[Grimes]

I expect us to mostly sit on our hands. Could see something minor like Grabner for Pysyk or something like that.

Yeah adding Hayton and moving Grabner for more defensive depth would be two solid additions. With Hayton back with the team we are already sitting two forwards a night so we have some depth in case of injury even with moving Grabner. I'd love to move out Grabner's salary too for a potential Hall re-signing. Can we just get this deal done now so we can send Ness back down before the roadtrip?

 

[Name Nameless]

Athletic article today talking about GMJC's TDL approach. He said he doesn't like to trade at the deadline, but if there is value to add he'll consider it. He also does not think the cap is an issue as there is always some way to make the numbers work.

Coyotes' most coveted pieces may be hard to find at trade...

No player in the league have a higher remaining cap-hit than the Coyotes deadline cap-space.

 

[justin323032]

Do you guys honestly believe Hayton is cracking the lineup? They might as well send him back to AZ. Back-to-back wins with solid effort - no way they are messing with that.

 

[Murf]

This year it's anyone's ballgame.

View media item 7261

 

[Bonsai Tree]

Been gone awhile w new fiance and so forth, but I did get to see the tape last night. Raanta. Strange dude. I met him in Edmonton and he looks like a toothpick in civvies. I see him on the ice in this game and he looks like a grizzly bear. Great game for him. I'm happy for him because before I left town he was playing just meh. If Keller finds his mojo this could be real interesting.