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.

Canucks Going Strong

Could this be the year for the Vancouver Canucks? Much like San Jose, the Canucks are perennial under achievers in the post-season, with last year being another good example of that. In the conference Semi-Finals, the Canucks took game one of their series against eventual Stanley Cup champs Chicago by a score of five to one. After that first game you wouldn't have been alone if you had thought that Vancouver could have gone at least one stage further last year. Instead they lost the series 4-2.

So what makes me think differently this year? Well it is hard to say really because, aesthetically, not much has changed in Vancouver. The same big name players are producing great form while the rest of the team is working hard. There has not been a massive personal change like we have seen in Toronto and Calgary and they still have the same coach.

At the time of writing (19/01/11) the Vancouver Canucks sit at the top of the Western Conference and lead the League along with the Flyers. They are scoring goals at one end (ranked 3^rd in the NHL in goals for) and doing a great job of keeping them out at the other end (ranked 4^th in the NHL in goals against). The latter stat is due, in no small part, to Roberto Luongo, who is looking as solid as ever between the pipes.

But the Canucks did well in the regular season last year as well. That is true, but there is something different about Vancouver this year. Perhaps it is that they finally have someone other than the Sedin twins doing something up front. Ryan Kesler is having a fantastic season so far and has scored 25 goals, just one short of his best ever total in an NHL season.

Can Kesler keep his hot streak going?

Indeed, five of those goals have been game winners so the Canucks can thank Kesler for an extra ten points this year that puts Vancouver on 65 points instead of 55, the latter of which is only good enough for 6^th in the Western Conference. He is well on the way to a 30 or 40 goal season and is spending the more time on the ice than any other Canuck forward.

Perhaps Vancouver are mentally and physically stronger this year as well. They seem to be killing off teams when they get the lead and they are chasing down pucks hard for the full 60 minutes. I wouldn't say that last year's team was lazy by any means but the work ethic of the Canucks seems to have risen by another 20%.

Whatever the reason is, I am sensing something different about this team. I feel like they really do have it in themselves to lift the Cup. Of course, there is a fair way to go and who is to say that they will keep up their current form?

However, if they do...

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.

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. 

 

Caps snap slide against Senators.

Things were getting rather unpleasant for the all-star Washington Capitals of late. Eight straight losses for Alex Ovechkin and Co had send them plummeting down the Eastern Conference table and had allowed the Atlanta Thrashers to take the top spot in the South-East division. However, last night's 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators puts the Caps back on top even if they are only one point ahead of the Atlanta Thrashers and two points ahead of Tampa Bay, both of whom have played less games than Washington. It will come as a massive relief to both fans and players who, just like me, would never have expected such an impressive team to go on such a losing streak. This will make the battle for the South-East division title far more exciting than it has been in recent years but I still expect Washington to triumph after the 82 games. They won't succumb to another slide like that this season, a slide which could prove to have a silver lining.

Let me explain...

Last season Washington breezed to 121 points and the President's trophy. They didn't know what it was like to hit a bad patch. So, when things turned against them in the playoffs against Montreal, they couldn't react in the right way because they didn't know how to react, and were sent crashing out in the first round. However, this season they have experienced a rough patch. They tasted frustration and defeat for eight straight games. They know now that their team can be exposed, by anyone.

My theory is this...

This is a team that could arguably be more dangerous now than it was when it seemed invincible. Why? Because they are armed with a new experience. They are armed with the knowledge of how to overcome a rough patch. They know what changes they need to make to their game and they know what extra levels of effort must be reached to grind out a vital win and take momentum back. In short, they now know how to react to what happened to them last year in the play-offs and that could be very dangerous indeed. 

Can Ovechkin lead the Caps to a Stanley Cup?