Arizona Coyotes 2014-2015 Season Preview: The Montreal Canadiens

Desert Dogs et Les Habitants- Looking at Roster Changes

March 6, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Phoenix Coyotes right wing Radim Vrbata (17) moves the puck against Montreal Canadiens center Lars Eller (81) and left wing Rene Bourque (17) during the third period at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Howlin’ Hockey: All right- let’s get down to business and talk roster changes. How did your offense change between last season and now? Do things look better, or worse? 

Kate Cimini: This is a subject of hot debate over at A Winning Habit, I’ll have you know. Our offense has the potential to be better, as long as there are some line changes made- such as putting Galchenyuk at center, his natural position.

Last season, our point production was not as high as it could have been. While we took some steps to overhaul our defense during the summer months, we don’t seem to have done the same with our offense. Right now, I’d have to say it looks pretty much the same. I look forward to seeing what Therrien does to shake them up. 

Catherine Silverman: Well, things are sort of dangling on a cliff. We took what some consider a nosedive by letting Radim Vrbata head to Vancouver, and lost scoring power with the buyout of Mike Ribeiro. Maloney and Tippett brought in Sam Gagner, BJ Crombeen, and Joe Vitale as (kind of) solid third and fourth line players- not an even trade, but an even trade might not have been necessary. If Lauri Korpikoski can step it up, Max Domi makes his entrance in the NHL, and Boedker continues on his upward trend, the team should be just fine. I’m going to give us a tentative “things got better”, because the talent is lurking around in the current roster- the only thing the team surely lost was Ribeiro’s poor attitude. 

HH: Moving right along, let’s look at defense. How does the roster look this year on the blue line? Any changes? Are these changes good or bad? 

KC: So many changes have been made to our defense- it’s a completely new ball game. I definitely think they will be stronger on D than they were last year, since Bergevin was clearly going for a certain type of defenseman and he and Therrien clearly have a plan for how the new dynamics will play out. 

Puck Prose

CS: Hmmm… not a whole lot of changes, really. Rusty Klesla won’t be back, which we knew by the end of last season. Derek Morris is moving on out, as well- whether from age or off-ice issues, it’s slightly irrelevant. The team’s defensive roster is now looking fast, young, and dangerous- with the exclusion of Zbynek Michalek, the team’s top-four pairing defensemen will all be under thirty (barring any last-minute additions). The team should expect to see Connor Murphy or Michael Stone holding down the home ice end in a pairing with Keith Yandle, and Brandon Gormley will probaby round out the team’s top six roster players. Chris Summers could also make an appearance- I think that through stability, the team’s defense looks better than last years. Expect to see them really pose a threat in 2014-2015. 

HH: How about in net? Any changes there? 

KC: The Habs seem to be sticking with Carey Price in goal, with either Peter Budaj or Dustin Tokarski as backup. I’d be fine if we sold Budaj for a third-round pick and a carton of cigarettes, but if we lose Tokarski, I think we lose a real shot at the Cup. 

CS: Mike Smith remains, Thomas Greiss is out, and Devan Dubnyk is in. If our goaltending coach, Sean Burke, can help Dubnyk find some consistency, things will be fine. If he can’t, and if Smith either starts to fall off or gets injured, we’ll have to rely on Portland prospect Mark Visentin to step up and play his part. 

HH: Did the Arizona Coyotes have a winning record against Montreal, or did things go poorly? Do you think things will go the same way this year? Why, or why not? 

KC: Arizona lost one to Montreal and picked up one as well. The first seemed to be a mash of defensive problems, whereas the second swung the Coyotes’ way thanks to some high-powered scoring by Vrbata. Who is no longer a Coyote. Do you see where I’m going with this? 

Montreal is younger and larger this year. While that can spell disaster if your players are untested, Bergevin has retained some incredible talent in Subban, Price, Pacioretty, Galchenyuk, and Gallagher. The Coyotes made some roster moves over the summer that I agreed with- and some non-moves that had me scratching my head. I do think Montreal will walk away with the win this year from Arizona, but I’m not going to write the Coyotes off completely.

CS: Trash talk, and we aren’t even at a game yet! I see. I don’t think it’ll be an easy fight for the Coyotes, but I do think they’ll pull off at least one victory- the Desert Dogs fight their hardest in the toughest battles. If they could beat the Stanley Cup Champions last year, then the Habs should be cake. 

I kid. I do think that the season-series will end in a split again, though- while I think the Coyotes have a stronger overall defense, there’s no ignoring that imposing Canadian fellow on your blue line. What’s his name? Oh, right- PK Subban. Between him and Price, I anticipate the Coyotes won’t be able to pull off a sweep. 

Howlin’ at the Habs: Some Friendly Season-Series Banter

March 6, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Phoenix Coyotes center Kyle Chipchura (24) moves the puck against Montreal Canadiens center Tomas Plekanec (14) during the second period at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

HH: The Coyotes don’t have a whole lot that the Canadiens don’t as well- but one of those things is an established captain. Shane Doan has literally been with the team since it moved from Winnipeg- in contrast, the Habs still haven’t named anyone to step up and fill in the leadership role left behind by a departed Gionta. Do you think this could affect Montreal in a game against Arizona? 

KC: No. As evidenced by a million articles on the subject, there’s already leadership in the room for Montreal with David Desharnais, Subban, and a couple of others. Putting the official “C” on someone’s chest is great, but I don’t think Montreal actually lacks a captain- one just hasn’t been named yet. That said, the Rangers showed us just a few months ago that even teams that lose their captain in the middle of the season can make it all the way to the conference finals. The lesson to take here seems to be that a captain makes the team run more smoothly, perhaps, but unofficial leadership seems just as important as league-sanctioned leaders. 

“Putting the official “C” on someone’s chest is great, but I don’t think Montreal actually lacks a captain- one just hasn’t been named yet.”

CS: I think that’s a really eloquent way of putting it, and I feel inclined to agree with the majority of what you said. One thing that I think Doan brings to the team as an advantage, though, is his sense of not just leadership- but veteran leadership. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Antoine Vermette, and Keith Yandle all bring a lot to the locker room- not to mention Mike Smith, Martin Hanzal, Mikkel Boedker… but Shane Doan provides this unwavering loyalty to the team’s coaches, front office, and franchise community that I think brings the team together in a way that a lot of teams are missing. The Coyotes could very easily be another rendition of the Carolina Hurricanes or the Nashville Predators, but they perform better than other teams with similar caliber rosters because of this extra element. I think that Montreal has a lot of history, but not having that loyalty leading the team could hurt them. 

HH: Gotta say- love Carey Price. Kind of love Mike Smith though, too. Between the two goalies, who do you think is more of a universal fan favorite? 

KC: Well, this is tough. Everyone’s heard of Carey Price, due to his Olympic Medal and that nasty skates-first incident during the playoffs. He’s quick to save a puck, terse as all get-out, and wears cowboy hats for fun. The guy is one of the very few First Nations players in the NHL, and he just started working with the Breakfast Club of Canada, which will help feed children all across Canada, including First Nations children. He’s also come a long way in a little over five years, making him one of the top goaltenders in the NHL. 

On the other hand…

Overall, I think in order to be a “fan favorite” more people do have to know your name than not. In this case, Price takes the cake. 

CS: Excuse me, I just got distracted by that goal. I literally never get tired of watching that. Back to the question, though- while I agree that Carey Price is easily more well-known around the league, I think that a “fan favorite” requires more of a cult following. Price is a stand-up guy… but Mike Smith is like Ilya Bryzgalov. He has a real goal and a butt goal and a godawful mullet and now a tragic mohawk-esque creation and he’s strange as sin, but fans can’t get enough of him. Everyone knows Carey Price, but he’s not everyone’s favorite. Not everyone knows Mike Smith, but those who do have a soft spot in their hearts for him in some way or another- so I’m going to have to go with him, instead. 

Stanley Cup Final…. Words

March 6, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Phoenix Coyotes right wing Radim Vrbata (17) scores a goal against Montreal Canadiens goalie Peter Budaj (30) during the third period at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

HH: Montreal and Arizona are in drastically different conferences. Do you think that one is more difficult to succeed in than the other? How about divisions? 

KC: Okay, this is definitely hitting below the belt. Yes, I do believe the Western Conference is more difficult to get a foothold in than the Eastern. WC teams are larger, they certainly tend to spend more cash, and have absolutely dominated the Cup Finals for the last decade or so. (Though with Detroit in our conference those days may end soon). 

The difference between the Coyotes and the Canadiens in this case is that the Canadiens have figured out how to be successful in their conference without overspending, whereas Arizona is still working that out. Division-wise, I think the same applies.

“The Coyotes still have plenty of room to sign another player or two- smart, since the team’s blue line is young, and salaries will be blooming in coming years. Keeping things on the low end of the spectrum until these players demand raises will prevent them from becoming another incarnation of the Chicago Blackhawks or the Boston Bruins, but without a Cup.”

CS: I have to disagree here- not on the Conference differences, but on how the teams have handled it. The Coyotes have made it to the Conference Finals in the past few years, and have met with relative success throughout their tenure in Arizona. Might I remind you that the Canadiens haven’t won a Stanley Cup- or even a Conference Championship- since before I could really talk. I know that dates me a bit, but it shows that both teams have had trouble getting their footing in the current conference- and division- alignments. One thing I do have to give props to both teams for, though, is keeping a check on their salary cap space. The Coyotes still have plenty of room to sign another player or two- smart, since the team’s blue line is young, and salaries will be blooming in coming years. Keeping things on the low end of the spectrum until these players demand raises will prevent them from becoming another incarnation of the Chicago Blackhawks or the Boston Bruins, but without a Cup. 

HH: Which player do you think is most crucial to ensure a win in this season series? In other words, who would it hurt most to have scratched during one of the series matchups? 

KC: Before Tokarski proved his mettle during the series against the Rangers, I might have said Price, to be honest. Since Arizona lost Vrbata- and consequently, his goals- though, I’d have to go with Alex Galchenyuk. AGally has consistently scored against the Coyotes, putting up two goals in their last game against each other. He seems to be able to find holes in Smith’s stance. 

As you know, even if the Habs’ defense is terrible that night (which it will not be, I want to stress), as long as they score up a storm, they’ll be fine. Some might look to Max Pacioretty and I won’t fault them, but I think this year is Galchenyuk’s to shine. 

CS: I’d look to one of the Gally pals as well- which, by the way, Brendan Gallagher and Galchenyuk have matching Twitter handles, did you know that? Anyways, good call. I don’t like old caterpillar eyebrows much anyways. 

Puck Prose

On a more serious note, though, I think it’s tough to look at the Coyotes and pick just one player who would make or break that game. I’d have to go with Keith Yandle, though- and before you laugh at me, let me tell you why. He’s got this crazy offensive drive on him that I think proves more invaluable to our offense than most realize- he finished off the last season with eight goals, but his forty-five assists were what really helped the team out. Between his on-ice leadership and his ability to provide offense on a defense-strong team, I think it would hurt Arizona to have him miss out on those particular games. 

As always, we hope you enjoyed what you read- be sure to tune in for the two team’s season series matchups this year, which you can keep track of on the team’s official season schedule. Tune in next time for more great glimpses at the upcoming season!