Arizona Coyotes: Unheralded Jordan Martinook Having Standout Season
Jordan Martinook has quietly become one of the most reliable pieces on the Arizona Coyotes roster.
Name the five most effective forwards on the Arizona Coyotes.
Did you include Jordan Martinook in your list?
If not, you should. Dave Tippett surely does.
In Martinook’s case, the numbers more than back up the head coach’s trust.
Who drives possession the best among Coyotes forwards?
Martin Hanzal? Nope. Radim Vrbata? Wrong. Domi? Rieder? Nah.
Surprise! It’s Jordan Martinook.
Martinook is the only regular Coyotes player who is above 50% in score-adjusted Corsi For.
Martinook is currently sitting at 51.07%, which is really quite amazing when you consider how poorly this team has performed in generating it’s own shot attempts and preventing shot attempts from the opposition.
Arizona Coyotes
Simply put, when #48 is on the ice the Coyotes tend to maintain possession more often than not.
The only line combination Tipp has hit on with Martinook that did not work was when he paired the sophomore with wingers Anthony Duclair and Jamie McGinn, both of whom have struggled mightily this season. In every other combination, Martinook has helped his line push forward whether he’s been deployed on the wing or at center.
That’s not something many would have expected going into the season. His teammates wouldn’t be surprised, though.
Shane Doan is an admirer of Martinook’s work. “He creates turnovers because he’s just relentless. Guys will look up and be like ‘I can’t really get there.’ Marty’s like ‘I don’t know if I am going to get there, but I’m going to try to.’”
The 24-year-old is tenacious and he’s surprisingly skilled for a bottom six forward.
He scored 40 goals and 64 points in his final year of junior hockey, and he’s already eclipsed his rookie season in goals and will soon have a new career high in points.
That is what makes #48 so valuable to the Arizona Coyotes.
Gone are the days where fourth liners are put on the ice to simply bust up the other team and give the stars a little breather. Bottom six forwards like Martinook who can score and drive possession are important depth players for contenders as it’s often the depth that decides the outcome of pivotal playoff matchups.
Just ask Washington. They’ve seen that story play out year after year in the playoffs.
Having a fourth line that can actually play with the puck is an important part of constructing a consistent winner.
Jordan Martinook is the perfect meld of the type of possession forward Chayka craves and the gritty, do anything to win grinders that Tipp is known for.
He’s making a paltry $625,000 this season and he will be a restricted free agent at season’s end.
Needless to say, he should be seeing a bit of a pay increase from Dave Tippett and John Chayka.
Next: Did John Chayka Win The Michael Stone Trade With Calgary?
He’s on pace for a career year. He’s versatile. He contributes in most every phase of the game.
Unheralded and all too often unnoticed, Martinook has quietly been a standout player this season for the Arizona Coyotes.