Arizona Coyotes: Ugly Road Trip Knocks Wind Out Of Playoff Sails
The Arizona Coyotes entered their five game road trip with 60 points, four points out of a wild card spot. They return to Glendale with 60 points, now eight points back of the final wild card position.
The Arizona Coyotes took to the road after a 2-1-0 homestand. They scored 16 goals in those three games.
Across the five game road trip, the team managed just seven goals and went 0-5-0 to fall further in the playoff race.
The early part of the road trip was a case of “close but no cigar”. The Coyotes lost by one goal to the Capitals, Lightning, and Panthers. All three teams are playoff locks.
The final two games in Pennsylvania were ugly affairs. The Yotes looked more like the team we expected coming into the season than a team with relevant playoff hopes in February.
Now the Arizona Coyotes have moved on from Mikkel Boedker and the growing pains begin again. It would take a miracle to see a whiteout in Glendale this Spring, so the slow and steady march to the draft must begin again.
While there is some despair to dole out, it’s worth remembering that unlike last season there is plenty to remain excited about in Arizona.
Max Domi has 42 points this season and may yet eclipse the outgoing Mikkel Boedker‘s career high total of 51 points in Domi’s very first NHL season.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson has already topped his first “elite season” with an even better 2015-16. The Swede has 19 goals and will certainly crest 20 for the season. The question is can he reach 25 and take over the NHL lead in goal-scoring for defensemen?
For the ultimate bit of intrigue, there is also the return of Mike Smith and how that impacts the Arizona Coyotes’ roster moving forward. Will he resume his duties as number one goaltender and hold onto them heading into next season?
There is lots to watch and lots to see play out even if the Coyotes have no skin left in the game.
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Arizona Coyotes Talk
Scott Cullen of TSN writes that the Mikkel Boedker trade is a nice deal for Arizona. “Boedker may help Colorado, but he’s a complementary piece, who will be dependent on the players around him to drive play and Colorado has trouble with that aspect of the game already.”
As we discussed in our article yesterday, Boedker’s addition to the Avs is puzzling because his primary failing as a forward is his inability to drive possession. His inability to push the play results in him playing more defense than any team would like, and the Avs had the worst possession in the league already.
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Brendan Porter of Five For Howling analyzed the Mikkel Boedker trade. He writes that, “after all, if a guy who only cracked 50 points once in his career could get a $6 million contract before going unrestricted, then who’s to say Domi shouldn’t get $8 million? Or $9 million? And what does that do to Duclair’s contract? Or Dylan Strome’s?” That’s a very fair point. Domi may outscore Boedker’s career high of 51 points this year. His rookie year.
Today’s Slapshot’s Craig Morgan writes that the Boedker trade wasn’t just about the money. Boedker said that, “Winning is a big part of sports and it’s a big part of being an athlete. You always want to win and you want to play on a winning team and that’s something that had to do with the decision.” As many Arizona Coyotes fans pointed out afterwards, however, Boedker’s slump began while the Coyotes were in 2nd in the division and grabbing points left and right.
Sarah McLellan of AZCentral writes about Mike Smith’s rehab from the core muscle injury that has kept him out of the lineup more than two months. Smith has battled with stop-and-go progress in his recovery while hoping the Arizona Coyotes remain in the playoff hunt long enough for him to return to the lineup and pitch in.
In Case You Missed It
The Yotes were shutout 6-0 by Fleury and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Coyotes trade Boedker to the Avs for Alex Tanguay, Kyle Wood, and Conner Bleackley.
Sergei Plotnikov was acquired by the Coyotes for Matthias Plachta and a conditional seventh round draft choice.
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