Top Five Reasons Every Coyotes Fan Should Be Watching Training Camp
Apr 13, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Phoenix Coyotes right wing David Moss (18), center Jeff Halpern (14), Dallas Stars center Vernon Fiddler (38) and defenseman Kevin Connauton (23) fight for the puck during the first period at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Personally, I think that the Coyotes are in an awesome position this season.
They’ve got talent. They’ve got youth. They’ve got experience. They’ve got a healthy Mike Smith. They’ve got a prospect pool so full of NHL-ready guys, they can pick roster players based not on “what’s available”, but “what’s the best available”.
Most of all, though, the team is surrounded with an air of excitement. There’s a newly-renamed arena (with Tim Horton’s, so all the Canadians visiting the desert on business have a one-stop shop to feel at home), there’s a newly-renamed team with a ton of new corporate sponsors, and there’s an optimistic front office. General Manager Don Maloney put everything in perspective:
While the team is full of positivity and optimism, though, the fact remains that the team still isn’t season-opener ready. No one is certain of who’s going to get moved up to the big team on offense- and on defense, it’s hard to tell what the pairings are going to look like.
We’ve been bombarding fans with polls, opinion articles, and breaking news throughout the offseason in an attempt to inform everyone about what the team might look like come October. There’s only so much we can share with you ahead of time, though- and here are five reasons why you can get the answers you need over the next few weeks at training camp.
1. Keep an eye on Sam Gagner.
Apr 4, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; NHL linesman Matt MacPherson prepares to drop the puck for Phoenix Coyotes center Antoine Vermette (50) and Edmonton Oilers center Sam Gagner (89) during the second period at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Coyotes fans are entering into a new season less confident about shiny new acquisitions than they were last season, thanks to one-year disaster Mike Ribeiro.
Because of this, Sam Gagner has received a less than stellar reception in the desert. Some fans can’t wait to see how he produces, and it’s obvious that the team’s front office has faith in his production levels improving over those he had in Edmonton. Other fans, though, don’t want to feel hopeful for a second year in a row, only to be disappointed.
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From what I’ve seen, Gagner is optimistic about his move to Arizona. He was previously with a franchise heavier on talent than team mentality, and it showed. He had spurts of greatness, but didn’t seem to be able to click in a system that, based on their roster, should have finished off the previous season far higher than the bottom of the West.
Keep an eye on training camp, though- if Gagner is as happy about the change of scenery as he claims he is, it’ll be apparent almost immediately. It’ll also be good to see how well he works in varying scenarios- with certain players, on certain lines, and in certain positions. Gagner is a center who can play in the wings as well, so training camp will be especially important to see where he will play- and who he will play alongside.
My best guess is that he’ll be on the third line in one of two spots- the center (playing with either Samuelsson or Domi on his left, and Rob Klinkhammer on his right), or the left wing (With Tyler Gaudet or Lucas Lessio setting him up, and… well, still Klinkhammer on the right wing). A lot of this will depend on which of the “Fantastic Five” get moved up to the big team’s roster, though, which leads us to our second big thing to watch for-
2. The “Fantastic Five”
Sep 21, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks goalie Harri Sateri (35) blocks a shot by Phoenix Coyotes left wing Lucas Lessio (51) during the second period at the SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Max Domi. Henrik Samuelsson. Lucas Lessio. Tyler Gaudet. Tobias Rieder.
These five forwards have been cited by GMDM and head coach Dave Tippett as the young guys to watch out for this year, and it’s true. All five could easily make the starting roster on any NHL team, and they’re all competing for just a few spots.
I would say that I’m sure that so-and-so and so-and-so are the two with the biggest lock to make the team, but the fact of the matter is, it’s still uncertain as to whom will be the one (or ones) to move up.
Lucas Lessio will be looking for a permanent spot, and already has some experience with the team. Henrik Samuelsson, as I’ve been preaching all week, has been looking absolutely on fire.
“There’s also Tyler Gaudet, who is the ultimate underdog- and has the work ethic to prove that getting overlooked in both the OHL and NHL entry drafts (plus falling short of his dreams of playing NCAA hockey) doesn’t mean he can’t have a future with the team.”
There’s also Tyler Gaudet, who is the ultimate underdog- and has the work ethic to prove that getting overlooked in both the OHL and NHL entry drafts (plus falling short of his dreams of playing NCAA hockey) doesn’t mean he can’t have a future with the team. Gone is the player who had to drop down from the major juniors to junior A hockey in 2011-2012, and in his place is a guy who came close to scoring twice during the first pre-season rookie game against the L.A. Kings.
Then, of course, there’s Gaudet’s foil- Max Domi. The sometimes-diva and always-explosive offensive superstar was punished for his on-ice immaturity by both spending another year in the OHL and being overlooked for Team Canada last year. Where Gaudet started from the bottom, Domi has always been here- but while a roster spot is everyone else’s to win, the spot is his to lose. Selfish play, retaliatory penalties, or unnecessary theatrics will all need to be conspicuously absent from Domi’s play in order for him to make the roster.
Finally, we come to another Oiler ready to carry Arizona to the playoffs- Tobias Rieder. If this former fourth-round pick can find a way to show he’s developed adequately, he could haunt Edmonton’s dreams all season.
3. Mike Smith. Just… Mike Smith.
Mar 24, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal (18) and Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Zbynek Michalek (4) watch a loose puck in front of Phoenix Coyotes goalie Mike Smith (41) during the second period of a game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Last season saw Mike Smith (yes, I’m seeing how many times I can type out Mike Smith before you all start throwing popcorn at me) with a lower body injury and less-consistent play than he’d had back in 2011-2012.
This season sees news reports of a healthy Mike Smith and a new Mike Smith backup. Thomas Greiss has taken off, and Devan Dubnyk is here hoping that goalie coach (and prospect parent) Sean Burke can shape up his horrendously inconsistent game.
We need Mike Smith to remain healthy. We need Mike Smith to remain consistent. We need Mike Smith’s backup (and, if the occasion arises, Portland’s Mark Visentin) to step it up for the handful of games they play. We need to watch in training camp and see how things are looking.
Unless you’re the Chicago Blackhawks, you can’t win games- or championships- without a very, very good goalie. At times, that’s what Mike Smith has been… it’s time to watch and see if he can become that once again.
4. Keith Yandle (and whoever he’s paired with)
Mar 25, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Keith Yandle (middle) carries the puck as Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta (left) and center Brian Gibbons (49) defend during the third period against at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Phoenix Coyotes won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
It wouldn’t be an article about the Arizona Coyotes if I didn’t bring up Keith Yandle, now would it?
In all seriousness, though, Yandle is entering the season without his final top-four pairing. Derek Morris is no longer a desert dog… and it’s time to see who will take his place next to the ever-controversial alternate captain.
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I, personally, am the biggest advocate for a Yandle-Connor Murphy pairing. I’d love to see the 21-year-old continue to improve his game alongside one of the most offensive players on the team (no, but really- Yandle finished the season first in points. Overall. Just let that sink in). Murphy was originally drafted based on scouting reports that he was a solid, smart, offensive-minded defenseman, much like Yandle and superstar Oliver Ekman-Larsson. When put alongside Yandle, though, he was able to quickly adapt a more stay-at-home style of play, which is something that not many players- at the NHL level or not- are able to necessarily do. I think the two have a natural on-ice chemistry, and that’s what matters.
If that doesn’t pan out, though, the team has no shortage of up-and-coming blue liners. Michael Stone could very easily slot in next to Yandle- and while I don’t see it being the case, there’s always Brandon Gormley.
As a final resort, of course, there are a handful of teams over the salary cap (one of which has two RFA’s sadly sitting in the bleachers without contracts as training camp gets underway), and Yandle could always find his new linemate coming from another team entirely. Could all depend on how things look at training camp.
5. Stepping it up on offense
Mar 25, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Phoenix Coyotes left wing Mikkel Boedker (89) chases the puck as Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi (right) defends during the first period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Coyotes won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
There may be a couple of up-and-comers floating around the Coyotes’ offensive system this season, but the team will need to see improvement from already existing players in order to see postseason play. There are a couple of players that fans should keep an eye on in training camp, because they’ll be the ones making or breaking this season.
First, the team has seen Mikkel Boedker improving steadily over the past few seasons, but he’ll need to get just thismuch better from last year in order to really make up the team’s top-six forwards. He failed to break the 20-goal mark last season, and as the team’s first-line left wing, I’d like to see that change. 25-36-61 is what I’d like to see out of him this winter; he’s only 24, so it’s a possibility.
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Also looking at the left wing- which I can only assume Maloney and Tippett left so weak due to the inevitability of someone moving up- there’s Lauri Korpikoski, who will have to act as a top-six winger if he expects to keep his spot on the team. If Gagner plays the way he should, or even if Samuelsson or Domi show some consistency early on, Korpikoski could see himself relegated back to the third line- but if these best-case scenarios don’t pan out and Korpikoski continues to be a mediocre bottom-six player, the team will be in trouble.
Last season also saw an offense short on team mentality and work ethic. I know, Shane Doan was out with Rocky Mountain Fever, Ribeiro had a lot to do with it, yeah, yeah, yeah… the excuses are endless. It’s no secret that the Arizona Coyotes place a higher emphasis on a solid defense than they do a fired-up offense. Unless you have a twenty-something Martin Brodeur in your net, though, you can’t win a cup with all defense and no offense- and the team will need to see more scoring power, more top-six cohesion, and more consistency up front if they want to win games.
We’ll be overviewing training camp for fans here at HH- but if you want to see it for yourself, training camp is free! The schedule has been posted on the team’s official site– hope to see you there!