The Arizona Coyotes have dropped three straight one goal games and four games in a row heading into the trade deadline. It’s selling time in the desert.
The Arizona Coyotes are struggling down the stretch leading into the trade deadline.
This week has proven what a good portion of fans have feared through February; there will be no white-out in Glendale this spring.
With the Yotes now eight points back of the final Western Conference wild card spot and 10 points back of 3rd place in the Pacific Division, the message has become increasingly clear for general manager Don Maloney.
Sell.
Mikkel Boedker’s untenable situation with the team needs to be ended as soon as possible. Thanks to the Chicago Blackhawks deal for Andrew Ladd, Maloney may just get what he’s fishing for in a trade for the 26 year old forward.
Will there be any other Arizona Coyotes swapping teams at the deadline in 2015-16? Bill Bernardi suggested that Martin Hanzal and Nicklas Grossmann could be on their way out of the desert, but it seems unlikely that the Coyotes would deal Hanzal.
He’d likely snag a very respectable return since there is one year left on his current deal, however the team has little to no viable offensive depth behind Hanzal at center. It also should not be forgotten that having Hanzal around next season for the impending arrival of Dylan Strome will not be a bad thing.
If they Arizona Coyotes had iced more than one offensively viable center in 2015-16 they might still be in the playoff race now. Why trade Hanzal when they could realistically see that dream begin to take shape next season?
Now for today’s links:
Coyotes Talk
How Valuable Is Tobias Rieder?
According to Craig Morgan, Rieder may be the Arizona Coyotes’ most underrated player. It seems like Dave Tippett agrees. “Whether it’s the [penalty kill] or all-out work ethic or how strong he is on pucks on the wall — little things like that make a coach feel comfortable with a player,” Tippett said.
It’s hard to knock Tobias Rieder‘s tenacity and his all-too-important speed. Combined they’ve helped him tally 13 more points than last season in 11 fewer games. It’s conceivable he’ll reach the 40-point plateau as well. He’s also one of the Yotes’ few skaters who tends to be a positive in Corsi For on a regular basis – a number which will need to swell in the coming years to win consistently.
Boeds On The Move?
James Mirtle at the Globe and Mail writes that the Coyotes will receive a nice asset in return for Boedker at the trade deadline. This is due in no small part to the fact that Boeds is “on the verge of becoming a rare 26-year-old unrestricted free agent”. While other rental options are a tad older, it’s conceivable that Boedker could be picked up by someone wanting to keep him around.
He is more likely to be a pure rental, but despite his faults speed and a little bit of scoring touch has always been highly coveted. Let’s hope Mirtle is right.
More Than One Lou In The Desert
SI.com’s Alex Prewitt writes about local sports fixture Lou Monaco, his life, and his impact on sports here in the desert. Lou is such a longstanding part of the sports scene that “before Glendale Arena officially opened, the construction crew asked Sweet Lou to autograph the last beam they put into place.”
Pretty great story about the team and a person who has been around it and watched it grow.
More from Coyotes News
- How the Arizona Coyotes could line-up with Logan Cooley signed
- Report: Logan Cooley could be closer to signing Arizona Coyotes ELC
- Arizona Coyotes sign Matias Maccelli to three-year deal
- Ivan Prosvetov signs one-year deal with Arizona Coyotes
- Arizona Coyotes cut Galchenyuk after reported police incident
Arizona Coyotes In The World Cup Of Hockey
Craig Morgan writes that a few Coyotes could be in the mix for World Cup roster spots. Rieder, Martin Hanzal, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Max Domi are some of the names you’d expect to see in contention for a spot on the eight World Cup teams. Dave Tippett is also the head coach of team North America (players 23 years old or younger on October 1st, 2016), or more precisely the “young guns” as they’ve been nicknamed.
There was a list floating around of Sweden’s immense depth at defender on Twitter. It’ll be very interesting to see how the rosters shake out and which teams we’ll be supporting when Team USA and Team North America aren’t on the ice.
Around The NHL
Ladd Deal Likely Ups Ante For Staal, Boedker
Allan Muir writes that Chicago’s all-in trade for Andrew Ladd will likely up the ante for the top forwards left on the market such as Eric Staal and the Arizona Coyotes’ own Mikkel Boedker. With Boeds situation in Arizona looking like it’s coming to a head, Stan Bowman’s offer for Ladd surely got a smile out of Don Maloney last night.
Will The Blues Be Aggressive At Trade Deadline?
Ryan Lambert writes about the Blues’ potentially being aggressive at the trade deadline. There’s some interesting stuff in the piece, including Elliotte Friedman’s casual mention of Nazem Kadri being on the wish list of St. Louis.
Trade Deadline Fallout On A Personal Level
Alex Prewitt explores the mindset and repercussions of players traded on deadline day. “They hear rumors and make plans, but nothing prepares them for the actual thing—families they have to suddenly leave, bags to pack, houses to sell, lives to uproot.”
It’s not an easy thing to uproot your family when you work your regular 9-5 job and have to relocate. I can’t imagine having to do it with no notice, or worse yet leave your family behind while you head into a new situation. Part of the business, indeed.
Next: Coyotes' Statistical Snapshot And Analysis Through 60 Games
In Case You Missed It
Take a look at the Arizona Coyotes statistical snapshot through the first 60 games.
The Arizona Coyotes have reportedly pulled Mikkel Boedker’s contract offer.
Arizona Coyotes’ player grades for last week’s 2-1-0 effort.