Arizona Coyotes: Four Positives 20 Games In
Mike Smith Has Returned To Form
Remember that massive contract Mike Smith is still under until 2019? While there is no doubt he has been inconsistent and oft-injured since he signed it, he sure is earning it right now.
Since returning from an injury that caused him to miss almost a month, Smith has been almost perfect. He has posted save percentages of .917, .956, .941, .976, and .952 in that span. That is excellent. His only slip up was against Vancouver, where he allowed four goals on 17 shots and was pulled.
To be fair, however, while some might argue he cost the team a win in that game, he single-handedly won the previous game against San Jose. Just look at this shot chart.
If you were wondering how good Mike Smith was tonight...take a look at a visual of the shot chart for the Sharks compared to the Coyotes: pic.twitter.com/R6MI4rQCJA
— Howlin' Hockey (@HowlinHockey) November 20, 2016
While the playoffs are certainly a long shot, it’s nice to see Smitty playing at such a high level.
If nothing else, it bodes well for the last two years of his contract as long as the rest of the Arizona Coyotes continue to grow and elevate their play.