Finding the experience in the Arizona Coyotes locker room

GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 14: Arizona Coyotes defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson (4) controls the puck during the NHL hockey game between the St. Louis Blues and the Arizona Coyotes on February 14, 2019 at Gila River Arena in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 14: Arizona Coyotes defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson (4) controls the puck during the NHL hockey game between the St. Louis Blues and the Arizona Coyotes on February 14, 2019 at Gila River Arena in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Derek Stepan (97 NHL playoff games)

Arizona Coyotes
GLENDALE, AZ – APRIL 07: Derek Stepan #21 of the Arizona Coyotes advances the puck up ice ahead of Andy Welinski #73 of the Anaheim Ducks during the third period at Gila River Arena on April 7, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images)

Derek Stepan has never won a Stanley Cup in the NHL, however he has played in 97 playoff games.

NHL Playoffs career statistics
Scoring Goals Shots Ice Time
Season Age Tm Lg GP G A PTS +/- PIM EV PP SH GW S S% TSA TOI ATOI FOW FOL FO% BLK HIT TK GV
2010-11 20 NYR NHL 5 0 0 0 -5 2 0 0 0 0 4 0.0 11 102 20:30 12 18 40.0 3 3 4 2
2011-12 21 NYR NHL 20 1 8 9 -2 4 0 1 0 0 38 2.6 69 382 19:07 103 131 44.0 11 40 7 5
2012-13 22 NYR NHL 12 4 1 5 4 2 4 0 0 2 32 12.5 66 270 22:30 118 127 48.2 8 12 10 5
2013-14 23 NYR NHL 24 5 10 15 -1 2 3 2 0 0 50 10.0 103 475 19:47 215 295 42.2 18 20 14 14
2014-15 24 NYR NHL 19 5 7 12 -1 10 3 2 0 1 48 10.4 80 371 19:31 130 184 41.4 11 8 11 18
2015-16 25 NYR NHL 5 2 0 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 20 10.0 25 86 17:11 43 44 49.4 8 4 4 2
2016-17 26 NYR NHL 12 2 4 6 -3 4 1 0 1 0 33 6.1 55 252 20:59 91 126 41.9 10 14 9 15
Career 7 yrs NHL 97 19 30 49 -8 24 12 6 1 3 225 8.4 409 1938 19:59 712 925 43.5 69 101 59 61

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/2/2019.

Stepan is an example to the young Coyotes team that sometimes you can work as hard as you possibly can and still miss out on “Lord Stanley”. Stepan averaged 19:59 minutes of ice time per game over the course of his 7 years in the playoffs.

More from Howlin' Hockey

If there is one thing that Stepan can help give to the Coyotes it would be hunger. Hunger in fear of missing out on a championship, and hope that the Arizona Coyotes can provide it for him.

It is a long season in the NHL. The NHL season is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. and leaders like Derek Stepan, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Phil Kessel, Alex Goligoski, and Brad Richarson are going to be called on a lot within the locker room.