Arizona Coyotes players buying into team mentality ahead of next season
By James Reeve
The season might be over for the Arizona Coyotes, but some of the team’s players are already looking ahead to next season.
The Arizona Coyotes narrowly missed reaching the playoffs in the 2018/19 season, giving fans hope for a strong campaign in 2019/20.
While this season is done for many teams, with a number of exit interviews and locker clearouts already taking place, some players on the Coyotes roster are already looking to get some early work in before setting off for their summer break.
Via Catherine Silverman of the Athletic, players including the likes of Clayton Keller, Vinnie Hinostroza and Josh Archibald are intending on sticking around in Arizona for a while instead of heading home immediately.
Think this speaks volumes about how much the team has bought in. Clayton Keller, Hinostroza, and Archibald are three names that plan to stick around quite a bit - and I think we’ll see that pay off next year. https://t.co/YQgxbN0086
— Catherine Silverman (@catmsilverman) April 8, 2019
In a few additional tweets, Silverman also mentioned team captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson intends on sticking around for a while longer as well as Calvin Pickard, with Nick Schmaltz sticking around to continue his rehabilitation.
While no NHL club expects players to stick around, with many playing far away from where they call home, it is a positive sign that a number of players on the Coyotes are willing to stay in order to get some extra work done ahead of the 2019/20 season.
Head coach Rick Tocchet seems to have players buying into his system and philosophy and the Coyotes’ run towards the playoffs truly showed what a strong team mentality the players have.
Scratching and clawing their way towards the playoffs renewed belief in the fanbase and now the hope is that this core of players, perhaps with a few additions over the summer, can truly compete for the playoffs next season and end a seven-year wait for the post-season.
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While it might not seem like anything truly significant, the players showing commitment to this team should be a sign of the bright future brewing in the desert.
The Arizona Coyotes also find out their position in the NHL draft after the lottery takes place tonight, with the draft being just the first step in the organisation’s preparations for next season.
Whoever the team draft, this core of players are setting a great example and will help the team’s young prospects’ work ethic and team mentality with little decisions such as this.
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What do you think Coyotes fans? Are you pleased to see players sticking around to get some extra work in before heading off on their summer break? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!