GLENDALE, Az – Hard to believe (or maybe not) that general manager Don Maloney cut his GM teeth in the New York Rangers organization. Yet one look at the recently completed Stanley Cup playoffs showed that former Rangers were significantly more successful than current Rangers. And such is the case for Maloney.
Maloney was recently named as the GM of the year, the first award given in the category. A well-earned award, given how Maloney has crafted the Phoenix Coyotes from string, bubblegum and a hairpin. The organization suffers from well-publicized ownership issues that have befuddled many and mired the NHL in a court case that threatens the franchise’s future in Glendale.
The Coyotes challenged the San Jose Sharks for the top spot in the western conference and their youth and enthusiasm were hallmarks of the team.
Maloney can be seen as the architect of that effort on the ice. What happens off the ice is out of his control but he continues to build a team stamped with his personality.
The Coyotes traditionally have been weak on the forward lines and until this season their fortunes were based on the success or failure of Shane Doan. Maloney’s trade acquisitions bolstered that with Lee Stempniak and Wojtek Wolski who contributed consistently to the effort and gave Doan a break from lifting the entire team on his scoring shoulders.
Where Phoenix is deepest is on the back line where the parent club and the minor league system are loaded with defensemen. Veteran leadership is backed up with significant talent in the team’s youth. It is not inconceivable that any one of the young D-men in the system will step onto the Glendale ice this coming season and the next.
Ilya Bryzgalov remains the number one goalie in the system and should be for a few more years. His efforts this season launched him into the upper reaches of the NHL’s elite netminders.
In this year’s playoffs, the Coyotes lost out to the Detroit Red Wings and were victimized by some defensive lapses in front of Bryzgalov leading to a defeat in the seven game series.
So, regardless of Phoenix’s depth on the blue line there remains a need for better defense, a process developed through coaching and talented players. There is a chronic need for offense but that can be solved with trades and free agency, youthful scoring talent will not solve the immediate Coyotes’ requirements.
The depth on the blueline is cause for some excitement it seems. Trade bait is aplenty in the system and not all of the defensive talent can make it to the show in Arizona. Continuing to stockpile defensemen may be a reasonable means to build the entire system and build an offensive unit to support Doan.
Stempniak is an unrestricted free agent and Wolski is a restricted player this off season. Will Maloney have enough money to retain both?
Photo courtesy USAHockey
Pro Hockey News sees Phoenix and Maloney building on its strength and further improving the blueline talent in the system. One potential pick in the draft is Jarred Tinordi, son of former NHL defenseman Mark Tinordi. The younger Tinordi is 6’5” and 205 pounds at 18 years of age. He is projected to be an NHL size of 230 pounds by the time he takes the ice for an NHL team. His size would provide him with enough presence to be a solid defenseman and capable of shutting down high scoring threats from the Sharks, Canucks and other high-output clubs in the west.
For the coming hockey season, Tinordi is committed to the University of Notre Dame.
In this season’s regular season campaign, Tinordi picked up four goals and nine points and was a +14 with 68 PIMs in 26 games with the USA national team.
The acquisition of a player like Tinordi opens doors elsewhere for the Coyotes and gives GM Maloney options as the 2010-11 NHL season progresses.
“With the 13th pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Phoenix Coyotes select Jarred Tinordi, defenseman from the USA National Team.”
Contact Lou.Lafrado@prohockeynews.com
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