Arizona Coyotes: Looking Forward To Opening Day Lineups

What This Arizona Coyotes Team May Look Like In October

OK, the draft is over, and the Arizona Coyotes added another excellent young prospect to their already deadly arsenal of young guns. Dylan Strome was out there, and even with all the enticing offers which GM Don Maloney claims he received, he stuck to his guns with the third overall pick.

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Strome brings another dimension to the team with his size (6′ 3″, 185), and scoring ability. Does the team need additional scoring next season to succeed? Do your plants need water during this scorching heat wave we are receiving in Arizona recently? YES, to both questions.

So, let’s go through some line combinations (I love doing this, it’s the coach in me I guess) to see who Head Coach Dave Tippett will be able to put out on the ice come October when the season begins… (is it only July? UGH…)

Forwards:

Antione Vermette – C / Mikkel Boedker – LW/ Shane Doan – RW
Martin Hanzal – C / Max Domi – LW / Anthony Duclair – RW
Boyd Gordon – C / Brad Richardson – LW / Tobias Rieder – RW
Kyle Chipchura – C Brandan Perlini LW / Steve Downie – RW

Extra skaters: Joe Vitale C, Henrik Samuelsson RW

Defense:

Oliver Ekman-Larsson – LD / Michael Stone – RD
Nicklas Grossmann – LD / Zbynek Michalek – RD
Klas Dahlbeck – LD / Connor Murphy – RD

Extra defenseman: Brandon Gormley

Goalies:

Mike Smith will again be the starter, and will have something to prove this season. His performance in the IIHF was the Mike Smith we all want to see, and he has dedicated himself to a better performance this go around.

As Smith’s backup, the Arizona Coyotes signed Anders Lindback. I would have taken Thomas Greiss back, but we will see what Lindback is all about. With Louie Domingue in the AHL, we may see more of him as well.

Now, things can and probably will change. GM Don Maloney has mentioned he is still looking at other options available as far as trades, free agents go. As it stands now, there is a good mixture of offensive threats, and defensive stoppers in the above lineup. Head Coach Dave Tippett doesn’t stick to one lineup very long if it’s not working, but the mixture of young prospects and veterans will make for a good blend.

Line 1 has the veterans with the much needed speed in Boedker (and scoring ability). Vermette can also score, and was the team’s leading scorer before being shipped off to Chicago where he won his first Stanley Cup. His face-off numbers are exceptional also. Doan adds grit/experience, and scoring punch to this line, and it should be a reliable line to keep the Arizona Coyotes competitive.

Line 2 has youth, size, speed, and experience going for it. Everyone will be looking for Martin Hanzal to come off his back surgery, and prove to all the critics (myself included) that he can actually play most of the season without a debilitating injury keeping him on the sidelines. Max Domi will be making his NHL debut (in regular season games) and the anticipation is mounting. This young stud of a player has everyone chomping at the bit wondering just how good he is, or can be in the big leagues. His speed and agility matched with Hanzal’s size and experience will definitely be worth the price of a ticket.

Don’t forget another young player by the name of Anthony “Tony D” Duclair who’s chemistry with Domi will be something to witness as well. These two were magical together in the U.S. World Juniors Championships. This line will be awesome, and you can even throw in Samuelsson, who blends well with Hanzal and Domi as evidenced by their pre-season performance last year where that line accumulated nine points in a pre-season tilt versus the L.A. Kings.

Line 3 would be your puck possession/fore-checking line which also possesses the speed of Rieder, the grit and face-off ability of Gordon, and the new addition of Richardson (signed as a free agent). This line can also score, with Rieder being able to break free, and perhaps with Gordon to add some short-handed goals, as well. Any of these three forwards would be excellent penalty killers additionally.

Line 4 would be the checking line, with two pretty tough guys to face in the corners. I don’t know about you, but with Chipchura and Downie fighting for loose pucks along the wall, opponents had better be aware of their surroundings before proceeding in that area of the rink. Chipchura really stepped up his game last season, and was even promoted to assistant captain. I see Vermette reclaiming the ‘A’ from Chipchura, but he displayed his leadership ability for sure.

Then throw in another tough guy like Downie, who can put points on the board besides standing up for his team-mates, and this line has the workmanship needed to play “Pack Mentality Hockey.” I added Perlini because I feel this young man will be on the roster. If not him, then Christian Dvorak will be there. You can’t lose with either guy, they both have potential oozing out of them, and the team needs to bottle that, and use it for their success.

Defense Line 1 will be formidable with the All-Star OEL teaming up with Stone. These two were teamed up last season, and it seemed to work out well. Stone learned plenty from OEL, and he compliments OEL’s offensive abilities by being the stay-at-home D-man on the line. Look for this tandem to do well together next season.

Defense Line 2 welcomes back a solid blue-liner in Michalek. He brings his shot blocking specialty to a team who needs to improve it’s defensive lapses drastically, if it wants to advance to the playoffs. Excellent addition, and welcome back Z-man. I teamed newcomer Nicklas Grossmann with him, because this will be our stop the opponents offense duo. I doubt that too many forwards will want their bodies crushed into the boards by the formidable, monstrous Grossmann who stands 6′ 4″, and a heavyweight at 233. I like this combo, we’ll see if Coach Tipppett agrees.

Defense Line 3 will feature two of the up and coming young D-men. Dahlbeck will be teamed up with Murphy, and it’s the perfect blend of a finesse D-man in Dahlbeck paired with a physical D-man in Murphy. We may see Grossmann take Dahlbeck under his wing and try to advance Dahlbeck’s skills. Between OEL, Dahlbeck, Grossmann, and backup goalie Lindback, the “Swedish Connectiton” will be evident in the lineup.

All in all this team has some real potential, and a goal to make the playoffs this upcoming season. With some better goaltending fortified by an improved defense, and an exciting offense supplemented by young guns, the Arizona Coyotes may surprise some people this season. I hope I’m one of them, how about you?

Next: Arizona Coyotes: Seven Players Get Offers-Nine Others Don't

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