Arizona Coyotes goalies could be in the running for the Jennings this season

The Arizona Coyotes have a stellar tandem between the pipes and they could be in the running for the Jennings trophy this season.

The William M. Jennings Trophy is awarded annually to the goaltender, or goaltending duo, that has allowed the fewest goals across a season.

The Coyotes currently sport a goaltending tandem of Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper, who have allowed a league-low 21 goals against so far this season.

This works out to be an average of just 1.91 goals against on average, far lower than the league average of 3.07, and is five goals fewer than the second-lowest team – the Colorado Avalanche.

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The Arizona Coyotes boast one of the best defensive corps in the NHL, headlined by the likes of Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jason Demers and Niklas Hjalmarsson.

This has greatly aided Raanta and Kuemper, who have faced the fourth-lowest number of shots against on average per game – with 28 shots against over the opening 11 games in the season.

Having a strong set of defencemen in front of the goalie makes life much easier for any team, in any league, but the players between the pipes are the last line of defence and must be capable of stepping up when shots find their way through.

Raanta is a known quantity, putting up strong numbers in his first season with the Arizona Coyotes, while Kuemper has certainly shown flashes across his career.

The Coyotes have a winning record (6-5-0) so far this season and are already looking like a completely different team this time around.

Years of struggles are starting to look to finally be behind the team and the strong performances they are getting from their goaltenders is certainly going a long way towards that.

The Jennings might not be the most coveted of awards, but having it on your resume certainly shows that, for at least one season, a team had exceptional defence and great performances from their goaltenders.

Raanta could be in the Vezina conversation this season and if he is able to pick up the Jennings as well, there will certainly be plenty of positives to look forward to with the future of the organisation.

What do you think Coyotes fans? Can Raanta and Kuemper win the Jennings this season? How far can this team go, based on their recent turnaround in fortunes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!