Post by Travis (DET) on May 8, 2017 19:16:34 GMT -5
The Arizona Coyotes hold the current record for the longest playoff drought in the iNHL with 8 years. This has only fueled the rumours of relocation over the past few years and something will have to change for the organization quickly if they are to stay in the desert. Coach Tippett and General Manager Empty have received a wide range of criticism from the media over the past few years and could be on the hot seat if things don't change this year.
Keys to Success:
1. 30 Goal Scorer
The last time a player from the Coyotes franchise reached the 30 goal plateau in the regular season the team was still referred to as the Phoenix Coyotes. In the 2011/2012 season, Radim Vrbata scored a career high 35 goals as the Coyotes clinched their first and only division championship. The team has not returned to the playoffs since and no player has managed to reach the 30 goal milestone since Vrbata. Star forward Auston Matthews has come the closest to reaching this milestone in recent years, putting up 28 goals in 18/19 and 28 more last year.
2. Consistency in Goal
Malcolm Subban got off to a rough start at the beginning of the regular season last year which derailed the Coyotes playoff hopes quickly and caused a lot of frustration early in the year. Subban was able to find his game later in the season and finished with a 21-20-3 record, 2.41GAA and .922sv%, his best career season. Rookie goaltender Ryan Kubic dressed for 37 games and posted a meagre 15-20-2 record, 3.10 GAA and .899sv%, one of the worst in the league. Fans and media agree that he should spend more time in the AHL, but management seems convinced that he is ready for NHL action. If the Coyotes are to return to the playoffs they will need to find some stability in net otherwise they will likely find themselves on the golf course come mid-April.
3. Production from the Bottom 9
With the exception the teams traditional 1st line of Domi, Matthews and Puljujarvi, no forward scored more than Maxim Letunov with 29 points. Oliver Bjorkstrand who had constantly put up 40+ in past years, regressed to only 26 last year. For the Coyotes to have any hopes at reaching the playoffs players such as Oliver Bjorkstrand, Mark Scheifele and Nick Pastujov are going to have to step up and contribute more points to the scoreboard.
4. Rookie Success
Owen Tippett played in just 22 games last season before being demoted to the AHL for the remainder of the year. During his time with the Coyotes he managed only 4 points. Tippett was one of the hyped prospects coming out of junior the year before and was considered to be a possible Calder candidate. Tippett will once again be eligible for the Calder Trophy and will get another shot with the Coyotes this year. Top prospect Oliver Wahlstrom who was acquired in the Dylan Strome trade early last year will be looked at to contribute to the team this year. Wahlstrom totaled 50 points in 47 games for the Tucson Roadrunners last year. Swiss Forward Phillip Kurashev could also be a player looked at to make an impact this year. Kurashev has spent the last 4 seasons with the ZSC Lions in the Swiss League and was named league MVP last year.
5. Strong Defense
Sami Vataten's departure at the trade deadline last year left a large gap on the blueline for the Coyotes. Finnish defenseman, Joni Tuulola, was acquired from the LA Kings around the same time in an attempt to fill that gap but has been disappointing since his arrival. Oliver Ekman Larsson is still one of the leagues best defensemen and will be looked to, to provide leadership and guidance on defense. Younger players like Dante Fabbro and Mattias Samuelsson will be need to continue to improve their game and establish themselves as top 4 defensemen. The team only has 6 defenseman on their roster and may look to free agency or the trade market to try to add another.