We’ve already done a post on why the Arizona Coyotes WILL make the playoffs, and now we will take the opposing view on why they won’t make the playoffs. So far, this season has been up and down, with the team currently fighting for a playoff spot just one point behind the Colorado Avalanche. The Coyotes have two games in hand on the Av’s, which makes the race for the final wild card spot more competitive.
If the team doesn’t address some of their issues there will be NO WHITEOUT this season to enjoy. And, that would be very disappointing since they haven’t been to the post-season since the successful 2011-12 season when they went all the way to the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Kings.
Do they have a chance? Sure, but not if they continue to play the type of hockey which they have displayed at times this season.
So let’s get into the reasons why the Arizona Coyotes may fail to make the post-season.
Next: #1
Dec 4, 2015; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres left wing Johan Larsson (22) skates in on a breakaway against Arizona Coyotes goalie Mike Smith (41) during the second period at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
1. Mike Smith’s absence
Even with the critics of Mike Smith’s play last season, he was the startinggoalie, and will be missed while injured. So far, it looks like Louis Domingue may take the spotlight away from Anders Lindback with his recent excellent play. Shutting out the Islanders is no small feat, and he then followed that up with another win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have been playing much better of late.
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Without the experienced Mike Smith, the Arizona Coyotes depth at goaltender is thin, at best. If he gets back in March sometime, the season will be pretty much over, and he will still need to rehab and get back into shape to play competitively. So, if the Coyotes don’t qualify for the post-season, most will remember that Smith was out, and blame their failure on that.
In reality, it seems the team plays better in front of Smith’s backup (whomever it may be) than they do when he is between the pipes. It seems like his decline in play this season could have been similar to Martin Hanzal’s nagging back injury. Smith may have started trying to play through the injury, instead of getting it looked into by the medical staff for evaluation.
We’ve been told by GM Don Maloney that he will everything possible to find a replacement for Smith, but he is not about to go after a “rental” goalie. If Domingue continues his torrid play, he may not have to worry about it.
Next: #2
Dec 19, 2015; Buffalo, NY, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) makes a pad save on a shot by Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel (15) during the third period at First Niagara Center. Blackhawks beat the Sabres 3-2 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
#2 Not being able to draft Jack Eichel
When the Arizona Coyotes failed to win the luck of the lottery ball, and the chance at drafting at least Jack Eichel… it seemed to be a letdown. Granted they did get to draft a talented center by the name of Dylan Strome, but Strome didn’t make the cut to qualify for the Arizona Coyotes final roster at the start of the 2015-16 season.
Conversely, Eichel did make the cut on the Buffalo Sabres roster, and has nine goals, and seven assists to his credit, playing in 34 games this season. He will score more NHL goals than Strome this season because Strome is still playing in the Ontario Hockey League, and NOT in the NHL.
Of course, you can’t blame the Arizona Coyotes for the fate of the draft lottery ball, but it just seems like the kind of luck they have experienced as a franchise. The odds were in their favor to be able to pick before the Edmonton Oilers, and yet they fell short.
Trying to envision Eichel in the Arizona Coyotes lineup this season, as well as seasons to come was just a pipe dream.
Dylan Strome will more than likely be in the Desert Dogs lineup next season, as he is tearing up the OHL with 16 goals, 37 assists in just 25 games. According to Coyotes management and coaches he needs to build up his body to NHL standards to be able to take the abuse and physical sustenance it requires to be a NHL player.
Still, Jack Eichel would have looked good in the Sedona Red, but as fate would have it… it wasn’t what happened. Let’s just hope that Strome will be ready next season to tear up the NHL. Then, Eichel will be a lost memory.
Next: #3
#3 Turnovers
Granted, Captain Shane Doan was not a happy camper after allowing himself to be stripped of puck resulting in a turnover — and a goal by the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets. But, it’s not JUST him turning over the puck to the opposing team. Oliver Ekman-Larsson has done it, and the list goes on. OEL is second on the team in giveaways with 18, but superstar rookie Max Domi leads the team with 19. Now that may well be attributed to the fact that he is rookie in the league, but it also could be because he handles the puck quite a bit. I mean when you have a forward as talented as Domi on the ice, you have got to get him the puck.
The team as a whole has 177 giveaways in 33 games, or 5.36 a game. Their Corsi for percent at even strength shows that 18 out of the 25 players who have played this season, are below the 50% mark. Their poor puck possession was never more evident as in their pathetic loss to Columbus recently. Head Coach Dave Tippett ripped into his team afterwards, with these not too kinds words from a post by Mike Halford of NBSSPORTS.com:
“We’re a poor, poor team with the puck, we don’t defend very well and we got poor goaltending,”Tippett said, per Arizona Sports. “That leads to five, six, seven goals a night against. You’re never going to win in this league playing like that. “Their goaltender was struggling just as much as ours. It’s just disgusting.”
There’s no doubt that Tippett’s tirade did not get ignored, as the Arizona Coyotes went out and beat a pretty good team in the New York Islanders, and then also defeated the improving Toronto Maple Leafs. Nothing like a chewing out by the boss to get the team’s attention.
Next: #4
Dec 22, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes goalie Louis Domingue (35) makes a save on Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Joffrey Lupul (19) as defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (23) defends during the second period at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
#4 Poor Defense
As of this writing, the Arizona Coyotes rank 25th in the NHL in goals against, with 104 goals allowed, or 3.15 per game. That is not a statistic which will get any team into the post season. Last season the worst playoff team as far as goals against was the New York Islanders, who gave up 2.73 goals a game. The Coyotes have a ways to go on defense, and their defense is still very young.
The defense is a combined plus/minus -13 this season, which is an improvement over last season. Still, in order to qualify for the playoffs, the defense needs to stop allowing 2 on 0 breaks against their goalies, and leaving him out to dry. Poor defense is a product of poor puck control and puck possession (see #3). You’ve got to be able to move the puck out of your own zone in order to attack the offensive zone, and the Arizona Coyotes… for whatever reason are not very skilled at doing that.
Even with the added offensive capabilities of Max Domi, and Anthony Duclair, along with Martin Hanzal’s contributions, the defense must prevent scoring chances of their opponents. A perfect example of that was the recent Columbus game where the Coyotes managed to score five goals for the first time this season, only to give up seven goals, and get defeated by an inferior team.
Perhaps, when GM Don Maloney is out Christmas shopping for another goalie to replace Smith, he can see if there are any blue-light specials on defensemen… you know the kind who can actually shut down the opposing team.
