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Arizona Coyotes 2014-15 Versus 2015-16 Seasons

By William Grigsby

Nov 28, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes left wing Mikkel Boedker (not pictured) scores on Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson (41) as defenseman Marc Methot (3) and center Max Domi (16) look on during the first period at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes left wing Mikkel Boedker (not pictured) scores on Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson (41) as defenseman Marc Methot (3) and center Max Domi (16) look on during the first period at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Arizona Coyotes from last season compared to this season shows a vast improvement.

When you go back and look at when the 2014-15 version of the Arizona Coyotes, and compare it to the current season version there are some startling differences.

First of all — their record. Last season after 37 games they were 14-16-4 for 32 points. This season they are 18-16-3 for 39 points. Seven points doesn’t sound like a radical difference, but the team went into meltdown on February 10, 2015 until March 24, 2015 and only gained five points in 20 games.

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If the current season team can avoid that kind of poor performance, they stand a much better opportunity to be playing in the post-season this year. It was over this span of time last year, that the management of the Arizona Coyotes threw in the towel, and started a rebuild, or as GM Don Maloney liked to call it a “re-tool”. Call it what you like, the team was pretty much blown up, and they made it clear they were going in another direction.

That direction was to emphasize speed and youth. Therefore, Keith Yandle was gone. Zbynek Michalek, and Antione Vermette were also gone. Then, as things progressed Michalek and Vermette were both re-signed as free agents.

One of the biggest differences from the team of last season and this season is the offense which has been generated this season. Last year the Arizona Coyotes only managed 165 goals all season. Whereas this season they have already scored 104 goals in 37 games through December 31, 2015.

Much of that success can be attributed to the addition of Max Domi, promoted from the OHL London Knights, where he was quite a sensational scorer. Then, add in Anthony Duclair who was acquired in the Yandle trade, and you can see why the offense has been much more prolific this season. The problem still exists that the defense is not much better than last season. The 2014-15 team gave up 3.26 goals a game, and the 2015-16 team is not much better at 3.19. The reason they don’t have a much worse record is the offense’s contribution to their success so far this season.

The special teams comparisons finds the 2014-15 team much better on the power play with a 20 percent success ratio, compared to this season’s dismal 17.14 percent. The penalty kill last year was 76.7 percent, and this season it has improved to 79.10 percent.

The goaltending has been a touchy topic after last season’s record poor performance by starter Mike Smith. His stats were an indication that the entire team did not perform anywhere near expectations. His 14-42-5 record, with a .904 save percentage, and a 3.16 goals against average says a lot that the goaltending was sub-par.

This season with Mike Smith’s record improving with a 10-9-1 record, a .901 save percentage, and a 3.06 goals against average there were hopes that he would start to earn his outrageous $5.67 a year contract. Then, Smith got injured. I mean out for eight to 10 weeks, with a core muscle injury in his abdomen.

Enter Anders Lindback, who was thrust into the starter’s role. He has been erratic, to say the least. With a 5-5-1 record, and a poor .893 save percentage, and a 3.11 goals against average, he has not been what the team needs with their starter Smith on the mend.

So, the team then went to Louis Domingue, who had some success in a limited basis last season. Domingue has played better than Lindback, and Head Coach Dave Tippett has instilled a “you win, you’re in” attitude for his two young goaltenders. Domingue has been “in” more of late due to his 3-2-1 record, with a .922 save percentage, and a 2.53 goals against average.

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So, Arizona Coyotes fans can be much more encouraged this season, with the team’s performance thus far. They’d sooner forget about the horror and disappointment of last season.

And with the young prospects like Domi, Duclair, Dahlbeck, Martinook, Domingue to name just some, the fortunes of this franchise has been elevated. Just picture next season, with the above players and add in such talented players as Christian Dvorak, Dylan Strome, and Brendan Perlini, who have a good chance to be skating with the Coyotes next season — and you have a fairly solid team… a strong playoff team for sure.

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