NHL Playoff Match-ups.

It took all 82 games, but we finally have the 16 teams that have qualified for this season's Stanley Cup playoffs. As per usual, the first round has thrown up some juicy ties so read on, find out who plays who and then give me your opinion on who will beat who.

Eastern Conference:

Washington Capitals (1) vs (8) New York Rangers

It is hard to look beyond the Washington Capitals in this series, especially considering the quality of players they have on their roster coupled with the fact that the Rangers recently lost Ryan Callahan to injury. However, The Caps threw away a 3-0 series lead against the 8^th placed Montreal Canadiens last year proving that anything can happen.

Prediction: Caps 4 – 2 Rangers

Philadelphia Flyers (2) vs (7) Buffalo Sabres

Philly have been very strong this year and the Sabres have not. Philly are bigger and more skilled than Buffalo so I can see this being a very one-sided series. Ryan Miller is going to have to be as good as he ever has been to get the Sabres through this one.

Prediction: Flyers 4 – 0 Sabres

Boston Bruins (3) vs (6) Montreal Canadiens

One of the most heated rivalries in Hockey comes to the fore here with probably the best first round match-up. Boston will be the favourites going into this one but that rarely matters when it comes to rivalries. Both teams will be pumped up for this one and I can't wait.

Prediction: Bruins 4 – 3 Habs

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs (5) Tampa Bay Lightning

There still is no set date for Crosby's return so it looks like Pittsburgh might have to play one or two more games without their star player. However, they have been doing just fine without both Crosby and Malkin in recent weeks so they should be ok. Tampa will be looking to secure as many wins as they can before Crosby returns and, with Lecavalier, St. Louis and Stamkos in the team, there is no reason why they can't knock the Penguins out in the first round.

Prediction: Penguins 2 – 4 Bolts

Western Conference:

Vancouver Canucks (1) vs (8) Chicago Blackhawks

Vancouver have simply dominated this year, even with all the injuries to their blue-line. Led by Kesler and the Sedins, Vancouver stormed their way to the President's Trophy and look set to finally destroy their reputation as perennial under-achievers in the playoffs. Luongo looks solid in net and the Canucks have a great back-up in Cory Schneider. Despite all that, the Blackhawks are the defending Stanley Cup champs and they have dumped the Canucks out of the playoffs in the last two years so this will not be easy.

Prediction: Canucks 4 -3 Hawks

San Jose Sharks (2) vs (7) LA Kings

The San Jose Sharks will want to go one step further than they did last year and reach the Stanley Cup final. They are up against a tough first round opponent but they definitely have the edge. The Sharks' top line will be key in this series and I can't see how LA can match them offensively without Kopitar.

Prediction: Sharks 4 – 1 Kings

Detroit Red Wings (3) vs (6) Phoenix Coyotes

A rematch from last year's first round sees the Red Wings go up against the Coyotes again. Last year the series went seven games (with Detroit prevailing) and I see no reason why this year won't be the same. The Red Wings and the Coyotes shared two wins each against each other this year during the regular season and every game they play is a close one. The Coyotes will be out for revenge for sure and, as a fan, I have to believe they can do it.

Prediction: Red Wings 3 – 4 Coyotes

Anaheim Ducks (4) vs (5) Nashville Predators

The class and skill of the Ducks' top line will go up against the hard working Nashville Predators and I can't see past a series win for Anaheim. With Getzlaf, Perry and Ryan in such great form, the Ducks should progress to the second round despite the fact that Nashville took three of the four games between the two this year.

Prediction: Ducks 4 – 1 Preds

Agree?

Disagree?

Give me your opinions.

Comment below!

The Future Looks Bright for the Phoenix Coyotes

A long battle between the GWI (Gold Water Institute) and prospective Phoenix Coyotes owner Matt Hulsizer might finally be coming to an end. After several months of a stand-off between the two parties, it looks like the deal is going to move forward and Hulsizer will be able to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes and keep them in Glendale, Arizona.

Some quick facts about the deal:

• The Coyotes will cost $170 million to buy
• Hulsizer will pay $70 million
• The City of Glendale will pay Hulsizer the remaining $100 million to help him buy the team.

The problems started a few months ago when the GWI declared that the payment of $100 million from the City of Glendale to Matt Hulsizer is illegal. To generate that money the City is trying to sell municipal bonds to investors. In return for the money, the City will receive, among other things, the rights to parking revenues at Jobing.com Arena and naming rights for the parking area.

What the GWI stress, beyond the fact that paying a businessman a “gift” of $100 million is illegal, is that the parking revenues will not cover the loss of that $100 million so the deal would be a bad one for the taxpayer. The GWI were threatening to sue anyone who purchased the bonds which pretty much froze any interest in the bonds. With no investors ready to buy the bonds, the City can't pay Hulsizer the $100 million and he can  not buy the team.

However, as stated earlier, things have finally started to move forward. During the first intermission of last night's game against the Chicago Blackhawks (a hard-fought, but disappointing 2-1 loss), Matt Hulsizer declared that of the $100 million he would be payed, the City would get $25 million back straight away. He also said, in a bid to move things forward and satisfy the “gift” clause that has been so problematic, that his party would cover the other $75 million, meaning that the City's taxpayers will pay nothing towards the deal and the City itself will still receive the rights to the parking revenues. 

Hulsizer (centre) watches the Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena.

 In addition to the above, Hulsizer and his party will be paying between $5 and $10 million to the City of Glendale every year. Although there is a sense that Hulsizer has given in to some of the GWI's demands, I think everyone who wants to see the Coyotes stay in Arizona will be happy with this news.

It is about time too.

Last night also saw Senator John McCain also being interviewed, along with former Attorney General Grant Woods, both of whom stated their support for Hulsizer and the deal that keeps the Coyotes in the desert for the long term future. In fact, the Senator stated that, “ It is to the greater good of the state of Arizona that the Coyotes stay here.” Strong words.

While I have to stress that the deal is not yet done, last night's news does mean that the GWI should back down and allow the bonds to be sold which will allow the deal to be completed.

The ball is back in the court of the GWI and we should be hearing from them very soon indeed.

Watch this space...

Thursday Poll: NHL and EPL

Are Tottenham a legit challenge to the top four?

Do you want to see the Coyotes franchise relocated?

Home-Stand Success for Desert Dogs

Bryzgalov, Doan and Jovo celebrate a win

The Phoenix Coyotes' recent home stand has been a massive positive for two reasons. First of all, the Coyotes have gotten back to winning ways, playing the same gritty defensive game that served them so well last season. Secondly, they have started to make the Jobing.com Arena a hard place to go. While their home record is still not great, the last few games have started to push it in the right direction.

The Coyotes have played six of their last seven games at home and have won six in a row since receiving that 6-0 battering from Vancouver on the 2^nd of February. That game seems to have given the Coyotes a well needed kick up the backside as they have been excellent since. Phoenix have beaten the likes of the Stars (in Dallas), the Blackhawks and the Capitals during their six game streak and have looked very strong defensively in all of those games.

The home stand has not been without its problems however. It looks like veteran defenseman Ed Jovanovski is going to be out for a significant amount of time after fracturing his orbital bone in a head collision at the end of the second period against the Thrashers on Thursday night. The Phoenix blueline will miss Jovo's leadership skills and his presence on the ice for sure, however, this may be a chance for some of the younger defensemen to show what they can do as they will undoubtedly get more ice-time in the wake of the injury.

Next up for the Coyotes is a ten-day, five-game road trip that looks very, very difficult on paper. While there are plenty of games left in the season, these five games could be crucial to the Coyotes' hopes of making the playoffs. These games will also be a good test for this team, allowing the fans and players a chance to see where the Coyotes rank amongst some of the more elite teams of the NHL.

The first game is against the Nashville Predators who are very similar to the Coyotes in the way they play. I am predicting a low scoring game there. Next up will be the Flyers and then the Lightning, the two best teams of the Eastern conference. The last two games, against the Blue Jackets, and the Blackhawks respectively will be a chance for the Coyotes to take more points off their Western Conference rivals.

The keys to a successful road trip will be:

• Ilya Bryzgalov staying hot between the pipes. Bryz has been the biggest reason behind the Coyotes' recent success.
• Big defensive effort. The Coyotes have simplified their game and gone back to what makes them a successful team. By reducing the scoring chances against, they give themselves a better chance of winning.
• Jovo's replacement stepping up. With such a big player out, whoever it is that steps into his place must have an excellent five games.
• Team scoring. With no true goalscorer, the Coyotes rely on all their forwards to pitch in with goals and assists. This needs to continue.

First game of the road-trip is on Saturday. The puck drops at 8:00pm CST.

Thursday Poll: NHL and EPL

 

Who will win the Premier League?

Who will win the Pacific Division?

Pacific Division: Watch This Space...

A couple of months ago I wrote an article about the Western Conference and how close the race for the playoffs was. Today that is still the case with teams from fourth to 11^th only separated by a handful of points. Why do I mention that again? Well, it would appear the same thing is happening, on a much smaller scale, in the Pacific Division. Dallas, San Jose, Anaheim, Phoenix and LA are all separated by five points. Five points! That is insane. It is the most closely fought division in the NHL and one where the lowest ranked team (LA) has six more points than the lowest ranked team in any other division.

Just a few games ago it looked like Dallas (65pts) were well on their way to capturing the Division title but they have hit a slump of late and lost their last three. San Jose (62pts) have finally found some form and are closing in on the Stars. Anaheim (62pts) and Phoenix (61pts) continue to have inconsistent seasons but find themselves in the hunt regardless and even LA (60pts) who have looked very poor at certain stages are still in with a shout should they go on a winning streak.

I would consider all five of these teams to be buyers during this trade window so it will be interesting to see who they pick up and who they move on. A quick word regarding what each of these teams might need follows:

Dallas Stars (30-18-5): Keeping a hold of Brad Richards past the trade deadline will be a massive bonus to the Stars who will need their number one centre to continue his goal scoring form if they want playoff success.

San Jose Sharks (28-19-6): Slowly generating some momentum, the San Jose Sharks look to be finally playing the sort of hockey we expect from them. If the Sharks' roster plays like we know they can, then they are Stanley Cup favourites, despite the fact that they suffer from post-season stage fright every year.

Anaheim Ducks (29-21-4): Getting Getzlaf back at some point will feel like the Ducks just acquired a top forward, so his return will give them an offensive boost (not that they have done badly since his injury). Where the Ducks do need to strengthen is in their defence.

Phoenix Coyotes (26-19-9): The Coyotes would make the playoffs with a legit 30+ goals a year man and a quick two-way defenseman. They also need to re-sign Bryzgalov and Yandle to long-term deals.

L.A. Kings (29-22-2): Offensively, other than Anze Kopitar, the Kings are fragile. If they improve in that area, without giving up too much, then they would see their chances of reaching the playoffs increase.

The Stars, Sharks and Kings have played 53 games and the Yotes and Ducks have played 54, so there is no massive advantage to be had from games in hand. The race is so close that we could see all five of the Pacific teams in the playoffs come the end of the season, which would be remarkable. This one is going to go right down to the wire. To borrow a line from the Desert Dogs: “Don't blink or you might miss something.”

Coyotes' Roller Coaster Season

The Phoenix Coyotes are having a very up and down season. Just when things seem to be picking up, it all starts to go wrong again. This is especially the case at home where Phoenix have only managed a 10-10-5 record. With another 16 games to go at the Jobing.com Arena, the Coyotes have to turn home ice into an advantage if they want to reach the playoffs. After an awful December, Phoenix got themselves playing well again in January after finding that pack-mentality once more and picked up some much needed wins.

Unfortunately, towards end of the month, the roller coaster ride took another dip as Phoenix lost four games in a row at home, although they did end the month with a 5-2 win over the Avalanche before the All-Star Game. The weekend break gave the Coyotes a much needed five day rest after a gruelling schedule. However, if the Yotes fans thought that might help their team, they were wrong. Since their return from the break Phoenix have gone 0-2-0 with losses to San Jose and Vancouver. Both defeats were bitter pills to swallow as Phoenix blew a 3-0 lead against the Sharks to lose 5-3 and were shut-out against Vancouver, at home, as the Canucks stormed to a 6-0 victory.

Dave Tippett is of the belief that the Coyotes are just not skating hard enough.

"...We’ve got some things to sort out. You have to realize how hard it is to win; we don't have enough players playing hard enough to win."

Defensively the team looks very weak. Other than Keith Yandle, no defenseman can claim to have had a great year so far, which is not a good thing as the team enters the business end of the season. There is enough quality in the team and the coaching staff for the Coyotes to turn this slump around but they also need new faces in the franchise.

The Coyotes' next 2 games are at home and the first is against the Minnesota Wild, who are riding a wave of momentum at the moment. They then play the Colorado Avalanche before heading to Dallas for an important Pacific Division clash. Phoenix need to turn the Jobing.com Arena into a fortress and they need to do it in the next game against a team who have enjoyed scoring against the Coyotes this year. The Wild have won two of the three meetings against Phoenix this season so the Coyotes will be looking to even things up in their final game against each other. Puck drops at 6:00pm Saturday February 5^th.

The race for the playoffs in the Western Conference is still agonisingly tight so the Coyotes need to start putting some daylight between themselves and the chasing pack.

Shuffling the Pack

The trade deadline is fast approaching and we are bound to see some big names moving around and switching franchises. The way things have panned out so far this season, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a mass exodus of players from New Jersey all looking for new homes.

The Devils have been utterly terrible this season and have zero cap space left after acquiring Ilya Kovalchuk for stupid money last year in a deal that really has not worked out. Kovalchuk is a skilled player who puts up points but I sometimes wonder about his work ethic and his ability to be a team player.

After a fantastic season last year, the Phoenix Coyotes are finding things a little more difficult this year. They are struggling for consistency and are crying out for someone to take the initiative up front and start putting up some serious points. Shane Doan has had a decent month and a half and even Lee Stempniak has started scoring again, but, while there are several Coyotes who have reached the 10 goal mark, none of them have managed to get to 15. They are a team in the truest essence of the word but that hard work and pack mentality alone is not going to win them a Stanley Cup.

What can the Coyotes do during this window of opportunity to keep the team in the playoff hunt?

Well first of all, it should be pointed out that since Hulsizer took over as owner of the franchise, GM Don Maloney will have much more of a say, money-wise, during this trade window than the Coyotes had last year. Phoenix will not be struggling for cap space, that much is certain.

Maloney is going to want to look at his current players very carefully. Several of them are in the final year of their contracts and it will be up to Maloney to decide whether or not they are worth keeping around.

Players such as Ed Jovanovski and Adrian Aucoin (not in his final year), who have been great servants of the franchise but are coming rapidly towards the end of their careers could be moved to struggling teams for picks or young prospects. Petr Prucha and Andrew Ebbet will probably also leave. Bryzgalov is also in his final year but he is one Coyote that should certainly be resigned. Great goaltending is the first step towards a great team and, with Bryzgalov between the pipes, Phoenix undoubtedly have great goaltending. Fiddler should also be resigned as players such as he, who bring 100% every game, are invaluable.

The Coyotes have already picked up Michal Rozsival from the Rangers in exchange for struggling forward, Wojtek Wolski, who has not been the player Maloney hoped he would have been when he signed for Phoenix in the latter half of last season from the Colorado Avalanche. Rozsival is a solid, if unspectacular, acquisition who will be a good addition to the Phoenix blueline.

Another younger defenseman for Phoenix in the mould of Zbynek Michalek (who the franchise let go last year for nothing) would be a great pick-up for this team. As mentioned in a previous article, I think Carolina's Joni Pitkanen would be the best bet. Kevin Bieksa will no doubt be resigned in Vancouver but he too would be a great choice. There are several more options available but what is definitely the case is that Phoenix need strengthening at the back.

91 Turris: one for the future.

A top centre should also be high on Maloney's list. Let's look at who Phoenix already have in that position. With Turris and Hanzal, there is potential for the future. Turris, with his stick skills, speed and shot could become a great second or third line centre, whereas Hanzal's size and strength on the puck make him a great candidate for the fourth line centre. Fiddler brings a hard working and physical side of play to his game and could easily be shifted out to the wing on the fourth line. Belanger, who has a great technical game, could also be moved out to the wing on the potential Turris line which would free up two spots to fill with players who have the ability to hit over 60 points a season.

Available to fill those slots are Tomas Fleischmann and Brad Richards, who are both coming to the end of their contracts. Richards is having another great season for Dallas and Fleischmann, since his move from the Capitals to the Avalanche has been putting up major points. David Backes should also be on the radar.

Hard work ahead for Maloney

Maloney is going to have to work hard to acquire even one of those players mentioned, but things are looking far more positive down in Arizona than they have in recent years. The team is on the up and, with a new owner in place, the money issues are gone. The desert doesn't seem like such a bad place to go anymore.

If Phoenix manage to get their targets, assuming Maloney's targets are the same as the ones outlined here, then the desert dogs might find getting to the playoffs (and maybe past the first round) a little easier.

'Yotes trade Wolski for Rozsival

On Tuesday night the Phoenix Coyotes traded forward Wojtek Wolski for New York Rangers' defenseman, Michal Rozsival in a move that should benefit both teams. The Coyotes are so much better offensively, and worse defensively, this year than they were last year and the misfiring Wolski was finding it hard to get more ice time. The Rangers have just lost Frolov for the rest of the season and need some offensive talent for back up.

Wojtek Wolski

Wolski is young and has undoubted talent. What he managed in the latter half of last season for the Coyotes was remarkable. He was scoring at a rate of a point per game and continued his good form into the playoffs. However, this year, he has struggled to find any sort of consistency and sits towards the bottom of the Coyotes pack with only six goals and 10 assists in 36 games. He was a player in need of a big game or a move and due to a lack of ice time, he got the latter. 

Michal Rozsival

Rozsival is a veteran defenseman and brings more experience to the Phoenix blue-line He will be a great mentor for the younger guys such as Ekman-Larsson, Yandle and Schlemko, although Yandle is having the best season of all the Coyotes' defensemen so far and looks to have matured a lot since last season. Rozsival also has the ability to put up points and score goals as well, something so crucial to the Phoenix organisation, who play defensively and look to their blue-line to contribute along with the forwards.

Rozsival also brings depth to the Coyotes defence that has, at times, looked a little prone to making mistakes. This is especially the case for the younger defensemen. Of course, making mistakes is all part of the learning process, but Phoenix did need another experienced defenseman who, by and large, knows his trade inside out and will not make as many errors.

Phoenix could do with another player built in the Rozsival mould, who is perhaps a little younger and speedier on the ice. I like the look of Joni Pitkanen to fill that role. Whether the franchise can acquire such a player is another matter, but the Yotes should have plenty of cap space if they do go for a big signing.

The 'Yotes also still need a sniper as Stempniak, despite scoring in the last game, has not been putting up the points and goals he should. Doan, Korpikoski and Upshall are all around the 10 goals mark so it's not like players aren't contributing, the 'Yotes just need someone to come in and light the lamp for 82+ games. 

Thank you for reading. Why not subscribe to my blog? The link is under my picture on the right. 

NHL Predictions:

As we have reached the halfway point in the NHL season (or thereabouts) I thought it might be time for some early predictions. Who is going to make it to the Stanley Cup playoffs?

Eastern Conference:

1. Washington Capitals – After bouncing back from their awful slump, I can see this team going from strength to strength and forcing their way back to the top of the Eastern pack. Possible favourites for the Stanley Cup? I think so.

2. Pittsburgh Penguins – I think Crosby and the Penguins will have their work cut out for them fending off the Flyers, but they might just be able to do it and hang on to the top spot in the Atlantic Division.

3. Boston Bruins – It`s a straight race between Boston and Montreal for top spot in the North East Division and I reckon it will be Boston who grab it. Tim Thomas is having a great season for them in net and they are proving to be consistent all over the ice.

4. Philadelphia Flyers – The Flyers are continuing on from where they left off last season and look like they should make the playoffs with ease this year. I'm not sure they will go as far as they did last year however.

5. Tampa Bay Lightning – Stamkos and St. Louis are leading the charge for the Bolts and will see their team into the playoffs without too much of a problem. If Stamkos can keep scoring at the rate he is, Tampa could be the surprise package of the East.

6. Atlanta Thrashers – The Thrashers are looking like a solid team this year. Both Dustin Byfuglien and Tobias Enstrom are playing very well for Atlanta and should help keep the team on course for a playoff appearance.

7. New York Rangers – The Rangers will be desperate to get into the playoffs this year after missing out so narrowly last season. With Lundqvist in net they look like they should have enough to get there too

8. Montreal Canadiens – The Canadiens are going to find it tough to hold on to that last playoff spot but I think they will manage it. They have cooled down recently but still look better than most of the teams below them. I can't see them going too far in the playoffs though.

Well its plainly obvious that I think the eight teams that are in the playoff spots now will still be there at the end of the season. Carolina could break in if they find some consistency but I'm fairly confident in my choices.

Western Conference:

1. Detroit Red Wings – The Red Wings are back to their best this season and are looking very strong indeed. I'm not sure any more has to be said about them.

2. Vancouver Canucks – The Canucks are looking very dangerous this year. They are scoring freely and have the best defence (statistically) in the Western Conference. With Luongo in net as well, this could be Vancouver's year.

3. San Jose Sharks – The Sharks have been going about their business quite quietly after a rather poor start. They are marching up the table and racking up wins in a confident and professional manner. I think they will take back the top spot in the Pacific Division, but whether or not they can win the Cup is another thing.

4. St. Louis Blues – Another team that have been going about their business quietly are St Louis. They are proving to be very hard to beat this year without scoring a ton of goals. Currently on a five game winning streak, I think they will finish very strongly in the second half of the season.

5. Dallas Stars – If the Dallas top line keeps playing as well as it has so far, they could prove to be the most dangerous opponent to face in the first round of the playoffs. Cup contenders? They could be a great outside bet.

6. Los Angeles Kings – The Kings have cooled down a little since their fantastic start to the season but they still look dangerous and have more than enough quality to secure themselves a playoff berth.

7. Chicago Blackhawks – While they don`t look as good as they did last year, the Blackhawks are still far too good to miss out on the playoffs and they should find some form soon enough. If anything is going to keep them out of the playoffs, it will be their injury troubles.

8. Colorado Avalanche – The acquisition of Fleischmann from the Washington Capitals has proved to be a great deal for the Avalanche so far. He bagged himself a hat-trick not too long ago and has been putting up points solidly since his arrival. Anderson is playing well between the pipes too. For those reasons, they may have just that little bit more than their rivals to sneak into the last playoff spot.

So there we have it, my predictions are done. I really wanted to put the Coyotes in that last playoff spot but they have just been making far too many mistakes. Perhaps they will sort themselves out and mount a serious challenge but I just can't see how they are going to do it with the squad they have. I hope they prove me wrong.

My New Year Wishlist...

As we have reached the halfway point for the Premiership, League One and NHL seasons, I thought I would post up where I think the teams I support need to strengthen.

Southampton: Centre Back, Left Back, Right Back

While they have a great squad that looks impressive going forward and some quality young players, Southampton have been prone to defensive inconsistency this season. Jose Fonte has been a brilliant signing and has looked solid at centre back all year but has yet to strike up a great partnership with anyone else and while Rahdi Jaidi has a tonne of experience, he is starting to show his age.

Daniel Seabourne has been less than assured, as have Dan Harding and Ryan Dickson. Frazer Richardson has been ok when called upon but I can't say that any of these defenders (other than Fonte) could cut it up in the Championship. A couple of big signings for Saints at the back would do wonders for their promotion push.

Newcastle United: Centre Back, Attacking Central Midfielder, Winger, Striker

Newcastle have barely made any changes to the squad that won them the Championship title last season. They have two quality goalkeepers in Tim Krul and Steve Harper and a quality striker in Andy Carroll. While some of the players are coping in the Premiership, such as Carroll and Jose Enrique, many are not, such as James Perch, Wayne Routledge, Danny Guthrie and Danny Simpson.

Newcastle need strengthening down the spine of their team. A quality centre back, with Premiership experience, to play alongside Williamson or Coloccini would be beneficial as Sol Campbell looks too slow these days and Steven Taylor is still largely unproven.

While Joey Barton, Kevin Nolan and Cheik Tiote are playing well for Newcastle in the centre of midfield, they are all devoid of creativity and flair. I guess Hatem Ben Arfa could fill the position of attacking midfielder when he returns from injury, but Newcastle will need to dip into the transfer market for a winger as Routledge looks lost in the Premiership and Gutierrez, while full of effort and running, doesn't seem to know what he wants to do when he gets the ball.

Another striker would also be a great buy for the Mags. Andy Carroll has been playing very well for Newcastle this season and certainly looks like he could be a great player in the future. However, you do worry for the Toon should he get injured at any point this season. There is no-one else even remotely good enough to play in Carroll's position up top so the need for another goal-scorer is paramount in the transfer window.

Phoenix Coyotes: Defenseman, Sniper

The Coyotes have been massively inconsistent this season and have been very frustrating to watch at times too. While they have improved on their offensive game since last season, they seem to have taken a couple of steps back defensively. They have been allowing far too many shots on Bryzgalov and do not seem to be skating with the same effort that served them so well last season.

What they need is an injection of pace in their defense and someone to score 30+ goals a season up the other end of the ice. First of all though, they need to re-sign Bryzgalov and Yandle to lengthy deals, as those two have been the standout players of the season for the 'Yotes and both need to stay in Arizona for the franchise to get better.

With a new owner in place and a secured financial future, the building blocks are in place for the Coyotes to push forward. I am certainly looking forward to this year's trade deadline.

How to shoot yourself in the foot: The Phoenix Coyotes.

• Too many penalties
• Lack of speed
• Lack of effort
• No finisher

Those are just four of the issues that plagued the Coyotes during their four game road trip of the Atlantic division. The New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins were the desert dog's opponents and in each game the Coyotes found ways to, as Dave Tippet says, “shoot themselves in the foot.”

They simply failed to turn up against the Devils and ended up getting shut out. Against the Rangers they were two goals up in the first period before they started to take penalty after penalty, thereby letting the Rangers back into the game. Against the League's worst team in the Islanders, the Coyotes did manage a win, their only win of the road trip, but made very, very hard work of it. Last night's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, however, was the worst of all. After failing to convert a number of chances in the first period, the Coyotes' gave up three power-play goals on their way to a 6-1 defeat.

What seems to be a massive problem for the Coyotes is the lack of a sniper, a 30+ goals a season man. The Coyotes' top goal scorer this season is Martin Hanzal and he only has nine goals. Nine? I know the Coyotes are a team that all pitch in, but really, after 32 games it's not good at all. The 'Yotes cannot rely on Wolski or Stempniak to get them a ton of goals or Doan, who has been fantastically reliable and consistent over the years but hardly prolific.

Morris and Aucoin: Are they too slow?

Another problem is the defense. They are either too slow or too inexperienced. Aucoin, Morris and Jovanovski are good players but they get left behind every time a speedy skater hits the ice and are making mistakes because of it. The younger defensemen such as Ekman-Larsson, who looks like a great prospect, and Schlemko, who is getting better, are also prone to making silly mistakes that are costing the team right now. Even Yandle, who has been so solid this year, and leads the team in points and time-on-ice, had an iffy road trip. 

What this team really needs is some fresh blood. They need a new forward or two who can put up at least 30 goals a season and a couple of experienced, quick and reliable defensemen who can replace Jovanovski and Aucoin as they come to the end of their careers and be role models for the younger prospects. Also, while the Coyotes do have Bissonnette to stand up for the less physical players, they only have Bissonnette, and he isn't a great player. A couple of better players who can go toe-to-toe with the League's other enforcers would be great to protect the likes of Turris as they develop. For example Pittsburgh have players such as Engelland (who battered Pyatt last night), Asham and Cooke to protect their star forwards.

The Coyotes have a great coach, a great captain and goaltender (who they desperately need to re-sign) and a great GM. Now with a new owner and a secure future, this is a positive time for the franchise itself. However, they do need to improve drastically on the ice to reach the play-offs this season.

As a fan of the 'Yotes, I'd love for this road trip to serve as a massive wake up call that brings back the Coyotes of last season, but I might be dreaming about that. I guess I will have to see how they react in a very tough game against San Jose on Thursday. 

 

'Yotes lose it in a Shootout

12 - Paul Bissonnette

Too many penalties are killing the Coyotes right now. Just when momentum seems to be swinging their way, they slash, hook and throw it over the glass, handing it back to the other team. They stormed into an early lead last night in New York with a PPG from Taylor Pyatt and goal from Adrian Aucoin. I was actually hoping the latter goal would be given to Paul Bissonnette, the Coyotes enforcer who seemed to re-direct the puck. Bissonnette has built up quite a fan-following in the desert and around the hockey community and his funny tweets are well worth checking out.

However, three consecutive penalties in a row destroyed any rhythm the Coyotes had and let New York back in the game with a PPG of their own before the end of the first period. The Coyotes had gone from dominant to desperate in less than ten minutes. They aren't showing any of that killer instinct that served them so well last season. They would often win games by just a single goal because they were so strong mentally and defensively. The second period started off very well, just like the first, with Martin Hanzal taking a fantastic pass from Shane Doan in front of the net and putting the 'Yotes ahead by two again.

However, with six seconds remaining in the period, a mistake by LaBarbera let in Brandon Prust to score a short handed goal and swing the momentum back in the favour of the Rangers. As Dave Tippet put it, the Coyotes are simply shooting themselves in the foot. They are playing well enough to beat teams, but then throwing the game away with poor decisions and costly mistakes.

The Coyotes still had a one goal advantage going into the third period but gave that up around the 14 minute mark. After a goalless overtime, the game went to a shootout. Last season, the 'Yotes were so strong in the shootout but have been far from impressive this season. Only one goal was needed to decide the outcome and it was Erik Christensen who managed to score it, meaning the Coyotes left Madison Square Garden with only one point when they really should have had two.

Last night in New York was a microcosm of the 'Yotes' season so far. They have simply been inconsistent. They need to find that rhythm that served them so well last season and they need to learn not to throw it away when they have it. The Western Conference is so close this year that these odd points here and there that the 'Yotes are dropping could prove costly. Of course, there is a long way to go, but I'd love to see those mistakes rectified sooner rather than later.