HisIceness
This is Hurricanes Hockey
I'm rooting for them, I'd like to see them gain some consistent success and believe that would help the franchise gain more of a foothold in that market.
How good are the Arizona Coyotes?
- Thread starter MichaelFarrell
- Start date
OregonCanuck
Registered User
I think the NYR are much weaker at center and yes Hayton will contend for a spot as soon as this year perhaps, facilitating a move to the wing for Schmaltz perhaps.
The Yotes have a solid workman type of team that could make the playoffs but are really lacking in game breakers and star power.
DrJustice
Registered User
I feel like they have the pieces to make the playoffs but how are they going to put it together?
The D-Core seems pretty easy to put together but it'll be interesting to see how the forward lines play out.
Don't know much about the coaching or system either.
The D-Core seems pretty easy to put together but it'll be interesting to see how the forward lines play out.
Don't know much about the coaching or system either.
Skinnyjimmy08
WorldTraveler
- Mar 30, 2012
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Very average id say. I really dislike their center situation
Would LOVE to see them turn a corner next season but unfortunately i think they will be a lower end team again
Would LOVE to see them turn a corner next season but unfortunately i think they will be a lower end team again
Just Linda
Registered User
- Feb 24, 2018
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I would disagree. Zbad is a bad first line centre. Yotes don't have a first line centre, just second like centres
No offense but to me the Arizona coyotes will always just be the Arizona coyotes unless a superstar goes there.
Kessel is the biggest thing I can think of and I get OEL but other then the 2012 year and those guys they just lack that guy that you think can take them anywhere meaningful.
You could say that about the sabres too if
You want I don’t care, I Wouldn’t agree but I don’t mind that’s not what this is about, just saying this before the inevitable
“That’s what buffalo is man!!” Posts)
Every summer people go look out for Arizona as a sleeper, and they’re a sleeper alright ...
Just Linda
Registered User
- Feb 24, 2018
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I would disagree with Buffalo. They have Eichel and Dahlin, they had RoR too. Of they'd have build around RoR, Dahlin, and Eichel, it would have been fantastic. Just an inability to build around those guys
Volica
Papa Shango
- May 15, 2012
- 21,436
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Came in to say this.
Probably between the 15th and 20th best team in the league how it's sitting right now.
John Eichel da GOAT
Registered User
- Oct 7, 2008
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Bubble team is my guess. They will benefit from a weak division though so could sneak in the 3 spot there.
Uncle Scrooge
Hockey Bettor
Well, they are a very interesting team for sure.
Since figuring out their identity and confidence under Tocchet, which i would say was January of 17-18, they've accumulated 133 points in 123 games. That's 54% points pct. which in a 82 game season would put them at 88-89 points. I think this is a fair sample size and telling of what the team has become up to this point.
In other words we know they're competitive, and they've have found their own thing as a good skating 4-line team with a good back-end.
Obviously to make the playoffs they have to take another step forward. And that's a question we don't really know the answer to yet. One "positive" is that they've had a lot of injuries, and the team they're icing for next year (hopefully healthy, knock on wood) is a better team than what they've iced at any point of the last 1 1/2 seasons. So there's obviously room for improvement just by staying healthy (+ the new additions Kessel, Soderberg and basically you could count healthy Dvorak/Schmaltz in there as well), particularly up front. Their best possible roster right now does have more offensive talent overall compared to the average roster they iced previously, which can help them score more goals across the board.
That being said, the Coyotes have systematically had frustrating starts to the season and they can't afford to have the same thing happen again. Sometimes strong patterns like that can be tough to break, so we'll see how that goes.
Also, they have had good goaltending overall over this sample size. Raanta was one of the better goalies in the 2nd half of 17-18, Kuemper got hot last season. It's never guaranteed and while the team does work hard and check, making the goalies job a little bit more comfortable, neither Raanta or Kuemper are exactly superstars.
So you put all these things together and classifying them as a wild card contender makes the most sense. With a great season, they're in. But a decent season probably isn't quite enough.
Definitely not an easy team to play against anymore though, which is key. I swear B2B on the road in Arizona was difficult for any team last year, they can really get the jump on you. In 2 games against Tampa and SJ they outscored them 13-4 just to give an example. Can't not be ready to go against this team.
Since figuring out their identity and confidence under Tocchet, which i would say was January of 17-18, they've accumulated 133 points in 123 games. That's 54% points pct. which in a 82 game season would put them at 88-89 points. I think this is a fair sample size and telling of what the team has become up to this point.
In other words we know they're competitive, and they've have found their own thing as a good skating 4-line team with a good back-end.
Obviously to make the playoffs they have to take another step forward. And that's a question we don't really know the answer to yet. One "positive" is that they've had a lot of injuries, and the team they're icing for next year (hopefully healthy, knock on wood) is a better team than what they've iced at any point of the last 1 1/2 seasons. So there's obviously room for improvement just by staying healthy (+ the new additions Kessel, Soderberg and basically you could count healthy Dvorak/Schmaltz in there as well), particularly up front. Their best possible roster right now does have more offensive talent overall compared to the average roster they iced previously, which can help them score more goals across the board.
That being said, the Coyotes have systematically had frustrating starts to the season and they can't afford to have the same thing happen again. Sometimes strong patterns like that can be tough to break, so we'll see how that goes.
Also, they have had good goaltending overall over this sample size. Raanta was one of the better goalies in the 2nd half of 17-18, Kuemper got hot last season. It's never guaranteed and while the team does work hard and check, making the goalies job a little bit more comfortable, neither Raanta or Kuemper are exactly superstars.
So you put all these things together and classifying them as a wild card contender makes the most sense. With a great season, they're in. But a decent season probably isn't quite enough.
Definitely not an easy team to play against anymore though, which is key. I swear B2B on the road in Arizona was difficult for any team last year, they can really get the jump on you. In 2 games against Tampa and SJ they outscored them 13-4 just to give an example. Can't not be ready to go against this team.
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They are getting overrated based on the strong ending to last season.
I like the way they play, fast and tenacious, and they are hard to play against but I don't see them being a wild card contender.
The top 3 in the Pacific seems like a foregone conclusion and the worst team in the Central is probably better than the 4th best team in the Pacific. I think Vancouver and possibly Anaheim (who I expect a bounce back from) are better than them as well.
I like the way they play, fast and tenacious, and they are hard to play against but I don't see them being a wild card contender.
The top 3 in the Pacific seems like a foregone conclusion and the worst team in the Central is probably better than the 4th best team in the Pacific. I think Vancouver and possibly Anaheim (who I expect a bounce back from) are better than them as well.
SlapshotTheMovie
Registered User
- Jan 18, 2013
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Rangers made it to the Stanley Cup Finals and won a Presidents Trophy with the same type of centers. One of which is now on AZ.
Uncle Scrooge
Hockey Bettor
I think not seeing them as a wild card contender is selling them short. They missed the playoffs by 4 points, granted in a weak year, but in the same breath you can't ignore their absurd amount of man games lost to important players. It's definitely not a stretch to say they make it with Schmaltz/Dvorak/Grabner staying healthy for the full year. Those guys most likely score enough to get them a few more wins.
And now they added Kessel as well.
I agree with you in a sense that going in with big expectations probably isn't smart, but this roster is like 4.5M under the cap without any really terrible contracts (Hossa on LTIR). They have a pretty good team with a lot of good elements.
I think the expectation has to be wild card contender. You don't spend that much not to expect to compete for a playoff spot, unless you have bad contracts like the Red Wings.
Bottom line is, it wasn't just one strong finish. 54% pts pct over 1 1/2 seasons is not bad. That's knocking on the WC door. And they did it with a roster much weaker than (at least) a relatively healthy (hopefully) 19-20 team.
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FlameChampion
Registered User
- Jul 13, 2011
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Bubble team I think. Chance to make the playoffs, I personally dont think they will though. I dont see them as a top 3 team in the pacific and I think both wildcards will go to the Central.
Not too impressed with the roster or the GM. I think Tocchet is the right guy for the job though, and if the Coyotes make the playoffs it will be because of their coach. Even in the pathetic Pacific they're unlikely a playoff team because the Central will again take 5 seeds of the 8 and the Knights, Flames & Sharks are all clearly better than Arizona. Chayka seems in beyond his depth aside from trades involving draft picks (the picks themselves are another matter), and his roster just seems to lacks any character or identity. That franchise just seems stuck in the mud with little direction.
Burke the Legend
Registered User
- Feb 22, 2012
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Very good chance to make playoffs. They should have been last year but could not recover from mid season stretch where they had one of worst IR situations in league. As long as they can build on that and stay a bit healthier they should be in the mix.
