After locking down superstar defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson for eight more years, and keeping the rest of their top six defensemen from last season, the Arizona Coyotes are feeling confident in their defense heading into the 2018-19 regular season.
The popular saying among the world of sports is that defense wins championships, and it looks as if Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka is sticking to that saying by staying the course with their top six defensemen on the roster as the Coyotes look to make a significant jump in the upcoming season.
The first step was to sign the teams top two defensemen, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Niklas Hjalmarsson, to lengthy contracts. Ekman-Larsson signed to an eight-year contract, while Hjalmarsson signed to a two-year contract for the Coyotes.
According to an article on the Arizona Coyotes website that was written by Dave Vest, Ekman Larson said “I’m very happy. I love living in Arizona and playing for the Coyotes so it was a no-brainer for me. I didn’t really think about leaving or going anywhere else. I’ve been focused on staying in Arizona. That’s where I want to play. I think we have something good coming.”
Ekman Larson currently ranks second in the Coyotes franchise for goals scored by a defenseman (102). With the length of his contract, it is clear that the Coyotes have plenty of faith in him as a leader for the team, and fully expect him to break future records.
Being forced to play only 48 games with the Coyotes last season due to an injury, Hjalmarsson will be looking to make a large impact for the team if he is able to stay healthy during the duration of the season.
Having won three Stanley Cups, Hjalmarsson will be playing a large part if the Coyotes are looking to improve on their previous season for the upcoming 2018-19 season, with the ultimate goal of returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With Ekman Larson and Hjalmarsson signed to their new contracts, the Coyotes continue the trend of having experienced defensemen with Jason Demers and Alex Goligoski filling up the rest of the top two pairings on the blue line.
Previously slated to play on the top pairing with Ekman-Larsson, Hjalmarsson will more than likely be placed on the second defensive pairing with Goligoski, with Demers filling the top pairing with Ekman-Larsson.
Last but certainly not least, the bottom pairing looks like it will be Jacob Chychrun and Kevin Connauton. During the regular season, this bottom pairing may shift from time to time with newly acquired defenseman Jordan Oesterle filling into the roster during the season.
Coupled with a revamped offense, the Coyotes will be looking to continue to utilize a fast-paced system that is spread throughout the entire Coyotes lineup. If one thing is certain, be prepared to see plenty of quick breakout plays, and smooth transitions up the ice that will all start with the Coyotes defense.