Arizona Coyotes year in review

[yave1964]

PRESEASON OUTLOOK: Growing pains were expected as the team rebuilt, lots of kids mixed with a return of vets such as Vermette, Gordon and Michalek back for a second turn around the desert. Nobody expected much.

 

FINAL RECORD: 35-39-8 78 points 10th in the West

 

STRANGE STAT: Biggest home/road splits of most anyone around, kind of to be expected with a bunch of kids. OEL had 14 goals at home, only 7 on the road, Max Domi (11-22-33) nearly doubled what he did on the road, (7-12-19). Shane Doan had 20 goals at home and only 8 away. The underrated Michael Stone was a warrior at home (5-22-27) but a zero away (1-8-9). It goes on and on. Altogether the 'Yotes had 6 players with double digit goals at home and zero hit double digit on the road.

 

HIGH POINT OF THE YEAR: They battled most of the year and were a first half surprise hanging in there in spite of losing starter Mike Smith for much of the first half, in early January Louis Domingue rattled off 4 wins in a row capped with a shutout of Nashville on the 9th and then besting Edmonton on the 12th, the 'Yotes were in the thick of it with a surprising 22-16-4 record.

 

LOW POINT OF THE YEAR: From that point on the offense went South and they lost 4 in a row all at home. Overall they lost 19 of the next 25 games to cement their place as an also ran.

 

WHAT WENT RIGHT: OEL (21-24-55 with 27 PPP) was a beast. Michael Stone (6-30-36) adds lots of hits and blocks and is an underrated emerging star. Max Domi (18-34-52) emerged as more than just his fathers son. Anthony Duclair (2024-44) who came over as partial payment for Yandle was solid. Shane Doan added 28 goals which was his highest total in 8 years, Louis Domingue established himself as an NHL goalie. Mike Smith when healthy had a nice bounceback season. Marty Hanzal threw his big body around and was a beast and set a career high in points. Tobias Reider was yet another rookie forward with a scoring touch. Jordan Martinook, yet another winger showed nice promise. Connor Murphy was yet another kid on the back end who is now here to stay.

 

WHAT WENT WRONG: The vets brought in for experience were long in the tooth and collectively ineffective. Grossman and Michalek were zeroes on the back end, Steve Downie was worthless and Boyd Gordon was awful. They dug in the bottom of the barrel mid season and added Sekac and Plotnikov who were invisible. Viktor Tikhonov returned from Russia and was lost. Anders Lindback was rotten.

 

FREE AGENTS: LOTS of veterans, many will be given a copy of the home game,

Shane Doan. Will be invited back if he wants to.

Alex Tanguay. Came over as partial payment in a deal with Colorado. Likely gone.

Chipchura and Boyd Gordon if the salary fits may be invited back.

As for the rest, Grossman, Tikhonov, Downie, and Lindback, well they need to get their English to Russian dictionaries out if they wish to continue playing anywhere.

 

PROSPECTS: Lots of kids are already established but the cupboard is not bare by any means. They chose not to rush Dylan Strome instead returned him to Juniors, he is likely AHL bound next year but a hot camp may get him ticketed for the desert. Christian Dvorak is in the same situation as Strome and is a good prospect. Laurent Dauphin is a step below but still a decent forward prospect. Henrik Samuelsson is a solid forward almost certain to stick and his namesake, Phillip Samuelson will be on the blueline next year. They have done an excellent job of drafting in recent years and adding solid prospects in trades.

 

OFFSEASON QUESTION MARKS: First does Shane Doan Return? If he wants to he has a job and he had a fine year. With an overabundance of youth do they make a move for a strong vet or two or stay the course?

 

[hf101]

I think I read that Shane Doan will plan to return for another season.  I think this franchise has had a hard time acquiring top free agents due to the uncertainty surrounding the movement / nonmovement  of the Coyotes out of Arizona.  Some of that could be over now that the organization has solid ownership and a commitment to staying in the desert.  

 

I do think Arizona will continue to build from within thus limiting it's dependency on getting Free Agent left overs.  Speaking of which these Free Agents will be older than the New GM John Chayka.   -- this will be an interesting dynamic, imo.