The Arizona Coyotes are building for the future which means it’s going to be a struggle in the here and now.
The Arizona Coyotes 2016-2017 season can be summed up in a number of ways.
Most of those ways involve some form of the word disaster.
They just aren’t very good at hockey this year.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to fans, though, as the team seems to have a new rookie in the lineup every week. They are young and expectations were high from fans and the front office alike.
Probably way too high for as many new pieces as they have added.
The Coyotes are at least two years away from actually competing. However, that doesn’t mean fans need to go on rants about the team or burn jerseys.
It just means they should be patient.
Every sports fan wants instant gratification. Its championship or bust. Very rarely today can a sports fan take the good that comes from a season.
If you attend a game, enjoy the experience and don’t rely on the outcome. In reality the season ends how it always does, glory for one, heartbreak for the other 29 teams.
Look no further than to Major League Baseball. The 2016 champions were the Chicago Cubs.
When the Cubs brought in Theo Epstein he said he had a plan but plans do take time. This is very similar to Arizona Coyotes first year GM John Chayka.
Everyone wants to judge his every move and signing.
For example, Alex Goligoski hasn’t been the player Chayka or fans expected for the money he was paid this season, but the contract is a five-year deal. Let’s give it until years two and three before we demand he be traded.
Trust the Coyotes organization who had every reason and opportunity to pack up and leave the Valley, but didn’t.
The Coyotes are close to competing. Very close, and one just has to look at the World Junior Championships this year to see that.
The final featured Dylan Strome captaining Team Canada and Clayton Keller as the leading scoring on Team USA. Two players drafted by the Arizona Coyotes. This team is building for the long term.
The Coyotes are working on sustained success but know that there will be growing pains.
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Fans can blast the team, players and coaches on social media.. After all, that is their right.
However, it is possible that in all the anger and disappointment surrounding this season that those fans have forgotten that the Coyotes have compiled some of the best prospects in the league.