Arizona Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet deserves Jack Adams consideration
By James Reeve
The Arizona Coyotes are on a five-game winning streak and are making a serious push for the playoffs, thanks to head coach Rick Tocchet.
Rick Tocchet has had mixed results since rejoining the Arizona Coyotes as head coach, but this season he should be a legitimate contender for the Jack Adams.
The Jack Adams Award is given to the head coach in the NHL that is adjudged to have had the largest impact on their team’s success.
When looking at the Arizona Coyotes, there is no doubt that Tocchet deserves to be considered for this esteemed honour – if the team makes the playoffs.
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The Coyotes have suffered through a slew of injuries that have had fans genuinely wondering if there has been some form of divine intervention with how unlucky the team has been.
At the time of writing, the team’s injury list includes Jason Demers, Michael Grabner, Antti Raanta, Nick Schmaltz, Derek Stepan and Kyle Capobianco.
That list includes the team’s starting goaltender, their second-best defenceman, two of their best centres and one of the team’s best defensive forwards.
Throughout this season, the Coyotes have also seen the likes of Alex Galchenyuk, Christian Dvorak, Brad Richardson, Jakob Chychrun and even captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson all sidelined with various injuries – some being for huge chunks of the season.
As a result, Tocchet has had to rely on the likes of Conor Garland, Vinnie Hinostroza and Mario Kempe to play regularly in some of the injured players’ steads.
Despite this huge adversity, the Arizona Coyotes currently sport a 31-28-5 record, good for 67 points – seeing them sit just one point outside of the final wildcard spot.
Two points also separate the Coyotes from the first wildcard place, meaning that the team is a legitimate contender to make the playoffs if they are able to continue this impressive showing.
Tocchet deserves full credit for getting this group of players all pulling in the same direction, facing adversity and taking the league head on – with very little to lose.
Last season the Coyotes finished dead-last in the Western Conference with 70 points – with just two more victories this season seeing the team overtake that total.
The Coyotes have already registered two more victories than last season, with currently seven fewer OT/SO losses.
Tocchet’s coaching of the team has certainly split fans’ opinions since he took over last season, but this season he has truly done wonders when everyone expected the team to crumble under the pressure and be happy potentially obtaining a lottery pick.
Having so many players sidelined with injuries and yet still finding themselves in the playoff picture should be enough to see Tocchet receive consideration for the Jack Adams.
Making the playoffs, however, should outright give the award to him – with no other team this season having overcome as many difficulties as the Arizona Coyotes.
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What do you think Coyotes fans? If the team makes the playoffs, does Tocchet deserve to be in the Jack Adams conversation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!