Arizona Coyotes All-Star Break Grades – Alex Goligoski

Alex Goligoski really had to step up this season for the Arizona Coyotes. Next up on our all-star break grades is our very own 34-year-old defenseman!

No one wanted to see Niklas Hjalmarsson get injured this season, but when he did so many different players stepped up to the plate, one such player was Alex Goligoski. Goligoski took on a top-four role, and even managed to play in both situations as an offensive threat for the team, and play that shutdown role.

Goligoski has honestly been playing really well on the power play, I know strange? He currently has 2 goals and 7 assists on the power play and that is not bad from a defenseman.

Because of not having his fellow blueliner Niklas Hjalmarsson for much of the season Goligoski has had to step up. So far this season his ice time is up an average of almost 3 minutes a game, and he is only about 50 blocked shots away from setting a new career-high. Goligoski has been very reliable. If the team is to continue to succeed moving forward they are going to need him at his best.

Just because of the fact that the team has struggled as of late, and that they are struggling to shut down opposing teams, I am going to have to give Goligoski an all-star break grade of a B.

I still believe there is a lot of hockey to be played this season for Goligoski, and he has it in him to help lead this team to victory from the blue line. They are going to continue to need his calming presence on the blue line if the Coyotes are to hold onto leads or keep a game tied late in the third period.

Arizona already lost a few games this season because of their failure to hold onto a lead late, now we find ourselves down in the standings barely in a wildcard spot. This league involves capitalizing on every opportunity you get, which is why this team needs Goligoski and the defense to help keep them in games late.