PHOENIX – After their first 23 games, the Arizona Coyotes find themselves at the bottom of the NHL standings with a record of 5-15-3. It took them 12 games into the season before they finally managed their first win (in overtime after giving up a two-goal lead in the last minute of regulation). It took them 21 games to win their first game in regulation and 22 games to win their first back-to-back games; and now a three-game streak with their latest win over the Toronto Maple Leafs this week
Arizona Coyotes celebrate their first win of the season against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 30, 2017.
The early ineptitude was mostly attributed to the team having trouble adjusting to new Head Coach Rick Tocchet’s system. The team was also without their #1 goalie, Antti Raanta, for 11 of those games, and have been without veteran defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson for the last 10.
Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the team’s longest-tenured player, has struggled somewhat defensively and that has set the tone for a defense that is prone to giving up lots of odd-man rushes and point-blank scoring chances.
The early-season Coyotes often looked a lot like last season’s team. They gave up too many odd-man rushes, shots, and scoring chances. They frequently gave up goals in the first or last two minutes of periods and blew late leads. They had a nasty habit of surrendering goals within two minutes of scoring. And, like Coyotes teams of the recent past, they would often dominate large stretches of play only to let up for a short stretch and allow their opponent to take command. Lastly, and perhaps most noticeably, the new Coyotes shared their predecessors’ lack of consistent or timely scoring.
Center Sean Couturier (#14) of the Philadelphia Flyers and Center Christian Dvorak (#18) of the Arizona Coyotes
The one bright spot in the first quarter of the season has been rookie Clayton Keller. Despite recording only one point in his last five games, Keller leads all rookies with 11 goals and his 18 points are second among rookies. He has been mentioned as an early favorite for the Calder Trophy (NHL Rookie of the Year). Despite his young age and even younger appearance, he has been the most consistent scoring threat on the team this season. His closest teammate is Anthony Duclair with six goals, three of which came in a hat trick in the team’s last game in Ottawa on Saturday afternoon.
But despite Keller cooling off of late, some of his teammates are heating up. Duclair’s hat trick doubled his goal total to take over 2nd place on the team goal-scoring list. The team has improved their power play over the last few games, scoring two goals in their last eight PP opportunities, with another goal scored just as a penalty expired. Their penalty killing efficiency is at 80 percent (allowing no goals in their last 10 shorthanded situations), also much improved in recent games. Also, their proclivities for giving up goals in the first and last two minutes of periods and within two minutes after scoring have improved significantly.
Even before their two-game winning streak, the Coyotes had managed to string together several games in which they put forth good efforts before falling short. They gave up leads to Carolina, St. Louis, and Washington before falling to the Capitals in overtime and in shootouts to the Hurricanes and Blues.
Right Wing Jakub Voracek (#93) of the Philadelphia Flyers. Goalie Scott Wedgewood (#40) of the Arizona Coyotes
So, despite the rough start, the Coyotes have shown steady improvement. Whether or not it’s sustainable remains to be seen, but they do seem to be heading in the right direction.
Images courtesy of Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com
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