Sep 22, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) and Arizona Coyotes right wing Steve Downie (17) battle for the puck in the first period at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Game One: Arizona Coyotes at Los Angeles Kings October 9, 2015
The Kings beat the Coyotes twice in the pre-season, but this time it counts. Will both teams be pumped? You bet. Do both teams not particularly like each other? That’s an understatement, just ask any player on each team. The fact that the Kings eliminated the Arizona (then Phoenix) Coyotes in their Western Conference run in 2011-12 still must be stored in their memory banks.
The L.A. Kings got bigger with Milan Lucic, and they’ve had the whole summer off to rest and get focused. They’ve had lots of controversy with players getting in trouble with the law, and that could affect their play a bit. But, this is a team who has gone the distance and brought home the hardware to prove it. They will be a tough opponent.
The Arizona Coyotes are just looking to gel with some new faces themselves. Max Domi and Anthony Duclair give them some added offense, and if the defense starts to play better, they have a chance to win this game. They’ve gotten tougher too with the addition of Middle Linebacker… (oh sorry) LW John Scott. You can bet he was picked up mostly to play against the bigger, badder teams like the Kings.
The Arizona Coyotes also added Steve Downie, who is no stranger to the penalty box. In fact, he camped out in there last season to the tune of 238 minutes, the high in the entire NHL. In other words, with Scott, Downie, and Chipchura the Coyotes should not be intimidated by the size and nastiness of the Kings.
Prediction: L.A. Kings 4, Coyotes 1
Next: Game Two: Pittsburgh Penguins
Mar 28, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Arizona Coyotes goalie Mike Smith (41) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Pens won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Game Two: Pittsburgh Penguins at Arizona Coyotes October 10, 2015
These two teams had a couple close games last season, with the Penguins coming out on top 3-2, and 3-1. If the Arizona Coyotes can stay that close to them with last year’s roster, they have a good chance to beat them in this home opener. The Penguins got better, when they acquired Phil Kessel from Toronto. That will give them added firepower to go along with Crosby, and Malkin. Even with those offensive assets they were eliminated in four games last season in the Eastern Conference playoffs by the New York Rangers.
This will be the home opener for the Arizona Coyotes, who don’t want to have it spoiled for them as it was last season, when the Winnipeg Jets came in and spanked the Yotes 6-2. That was not a good start to a very long and frustrating season.
Head Coach Dave Tippett and GM Don Maloney feel this team can compete much better, and they should. The final roster cuts have been made; and the Arizona Coyotes fans who failed to see newcomers Max Domi, Anthony Duclair, Nicklas Grossmann, Stefan Elliott, John Scott, Steve Downie, and Anders Lindback will have the opportunity to get used to their numbers and faces at this initial home game. The team also has back some familiar faces in Antione Vermette, Zbynek Michalek, and Boyd Gordon, all former Coyote players rejoining them again.
Apr 11, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; A fan of the Anaheim Ducks looks on during the game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Game Three: Arizona Coyotes at Anaheim Ducks October 14, 2015
The arch rival Ducks did some significant changes as well to try to propel them past the Western Conference Finals, and to the road to the Cup. They more than likely won’t have to contend with the Blackhawks this season to get to that point, since they gutted their team due to inefficient salary cap planning.
The Ducks brought in: G Anton Khudobin, LW Carl Hagelin, D Kevin Bieksa, C Shawn Horcoff, RW Chris Stewart, and RW Mike Santorelli.
They lost: RW Kyle Palmieri, D Francois Beauchemin, LW Matt Beleskey, and G Jason LaBarbera.
Live Feed class=inline-text id=inline-text-5Looking back at the Blackhawks' trades involving Andrew Ladd /
That’s a better team than they had, and it will be a chore beating them in this third game on the road at the Duck Pond. One factor which will be intriguing to see how it factors into the game results, is the BIG John Scott factor. He was brought in to protect the smaller, younger players, and I’m sure he will see action in this game as well as the first game in L.A.
Both SoCal teams love to use their brute force and size to intimidate opponents. Not this year, BIG BAD John will take matters into his huge hands. He certainly wasn’t brought in for his offense.
The Ducks did lose a good forward in Beleskey, who was overpaid by Boston. They may feel a bit of a sting losing Beauchemin, but got Bieksa to patch that hole.
The Arizona Coyotes need to strike first, and strike fast. The Ducks have a such a great group of forwards in Getzlaf, and Perry that their firepower will definitely be difficult to stop. This will be a good test for the new Arizona Coyotes defensive units of OEL/Stone, Michalek/Dahlback, Murphy/Grossman, with Elliott used as a fill-in when needed.
Prediction: Anaheim Ducks 5, Arizona Coyotes 2
Next: Game Four: Minnesota Wild
Jan 17, 2015; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise (11) is checked by Arizona Coyotes defenseman Connor Murphy (5) during the third period at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports. The Wild win 3-1 over the Coyotes.
Game Four: Minnesota Wild at Arizona Coyotes October 15, 2015
This may be a game that we see Anders Lindback make his Arizona Coyotes debut, since it is a back to back game. Then again, Mike Smith will get the bulk of the workload this season, as always.
The most intriguing aspect of this game is the Coyotes facing their former backup goalie, turned to rock star Devan Dubnyk in the Wild net. The Arizona Coyotes would like nothing better than to make him feel right at home by scoring on him whenever feasible.
The Coyotes only managed a single point in three contests against the Wild last season, and will be looking at how to improve upon that total. The Wild have not made hardly any changes, so they must feel pretty confident that they have a good team. They do, but may ride Dubnyk’s back too much. Their defense is young and so is ours, so it may be an offensive affair.
The Coyotes should know Dubnyk’s weaknesses, since they practiced against him, and have played against him last season. This game should be a good offensive game for the Coyotes. The line combinations should be pretty well set, but with Head Coach Dave Tippett, that’s never the case.
The Wild did knock out the Blues in the playoffs last season, and were 4th in defense in the NHL. Scoring will be tough, so this could be a defensive battle. Whoever has the best defense, including goaltending will win this affair.
Dec 6, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Boston Bruins right wing Reilly Smith (18) is taken down to the ice by Arizona Coyotes center Martin Hanzal (11) in the third period at Gila River Arena. The Bruins defeated the Coyotes 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Game Five: Boston Bruins at Arizona Coyotes October 17, 2015
The Bruins have a completely different look, as they lost D-man Dougie Hamilton to the Flames in free agency, and traded away big forward Milan Lucic to the Kings. At the NHL Entry Draft they actually had three consecutive first round picks after all the wheeling and dealing. Then they lost Carl Soderberg (see a trend here?), and brought in Matt Beleskey.
The Bruins also cleaned house in the front office. Their new GM Don Sweeney wasn’t messing around. He went in like a rough and tough cowboy in a poker game, and came out of it with a weaker team. Losing Lucic was substantial, but losing Hamilton too? You’ve got to think he has something else in mind, but not sure what it is.
The Arizona Coyotes lost both games last season to the Beantown boys, but things could be different this season. Don’t forget though, the Bruins still have one of the best goalies in the NHL in Tuukka Rask. He can dominant games, and make shooters look silly.
Prediction: Arizona Coyotes 3, Boston Bruins 1
One thing for certain, the Arizona Coyotes will have five very difficult games to start the new 2015-16 season. If they can win three of them, they will sit pretty. New young prospects will be getting their first taste of competing against some pretty talented teams, and players. From Lucic to Crosby, to Getlaf/Perry, to Dubnyk and finally Rask, they will know first-hand they are really in the NHL.
