Arizona Coyotes Journey to the desert: Nick Schmaltz
By Jim Lynch
Nick Schmaltz has made a big impact on the Arizona Coyotes in just a little bit of time. Schmaltz has only played in Arizona for about a year, and yet he is already an integral part of the team core. He is the player next up in our journey to the desert!
Schmaltz has been having a career year. He currently leads the team with 15 points, with 4 goals and 11 assists as of yesterday. Schmaltz has been an integral part of a Coyotes team ready to take the next step. He is a member of the Coyotes core, and he will be here for a long time with his contract.
Nick Schmaltz was not always a member of the Coyotes. Originally he was a Chicago Blackhawk. Schmaltz was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2014 with the 20th pick in the NHL draft. The former North Dakota center quickly made Chicago home, and when he was given the opportunity he took it.
Schmaltz did not break into the NHL until the 2015-16 season, the season after Chicago’s last Stanley Cup in 2015. Schmaltz played in 61 games during his first season, and over time his play has increased to where it is now.
| Scoring | Goals | Assists | Shots | Ice Time | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Tm | Lg | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | EV | PP | SH | GW | EV | PP | SH | S | S% | TSA | TOI | ATOI | FOW | FOL | FO% | BLK | HIT | TK | GV | Awards |
| 2016-17 | 20 | CHI | NHL | 61 | 6 | 22 | 28 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 66 | 9.1 | 127 | 809 | 13:16 | 84 | 188 | 30.9 | 27 | 20 | 46 | 22 | Byng-45 |
| 2017-18 | 21 | CHI | NHL | 78 | 21 | 31 | 52 | 1 | 18 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 9 | 2 | 118 | 17.8 | 218 | 1422 | 18:14 | 321 | 480 | 40.1 | 39 | 13 | 86 | 31 | |
| 2018-19 | 22 | TOT | NHL | 40 | 7 | 18 | 25 | -12 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 62 | 11.3 | 122 | 713 | 17:50 | 104 | 177 | 37.0 | 12 | 5 | 35 | 25 | |
| 2018-19 | 22 | CHI | NHL | 23 | 2 | 9 | 11 | -4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 6.1 | 61 | 407 | 17:41 | 52 | 68 | 43.3 | 7 | 5 | 23 | 15 | |
| 2018-19 | 22 | ARI | NHL | 17 | 5 | 9 | 14 | -8 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 17.2 | 61 | 306 | 18:01 | 52 | 109 | 32.3 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 10 | |
| 2019-20 | 23 | ARI | NHL | 19 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 14.3 | 48 | 299 | 15:44 | 41 | 70 | 36.9 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 9 | |
| 3 yrs | CHI | NHL | 162 | 29 | 62 | 91 | 7 | 30 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 49 | 11 | 2 | 217 | 13.4 | 406 | 2638 | 16:17 | 457 | 736 | 38.3 | 73 | 38 | 155 | 68 | ||
| 2 yrs | ARI | NHL | 36 | 9 | 20 | 29 | -1 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 57 | 15.8 | 109 | 605 | 16:49 | 93 | 179 | 34.2 | 12 | 4 | 26 | 19 | ||
| Career | 4 yrs | NHL | 198 | 38 | 82 | 120 | 6 | 36 | 28 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 64 | 16 | 2 | 274 | 13.9 | 515 | 3243 | 16:23 | 550 | 915 | 37.5 | 85 | 42 | 181 | 87 |
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/14/2019.
Throughout his entire career, Schmaltz has always been asked to do more. That is still the case in Arizona. He is slowly becoming one of the best playmakers on the team, but he still needs to do more.
Nick Schmaltz’s kryptonite appears to be the face-off dot, for someone who plays center that is not very good. Schmaltz has a face-off percentage of 36.9% so far this year. Maybe Schmaltz can succeed only on the wing, but I hope Schmaltz is practicing on his face-offs during practice. I know he would be great in that role.
The trade that brought Schmaltz to Arizona did not always make sense. Schmaltz was a pass-first type of player who had very little faith in his shot, but why wouldn’t you pass to Patrick Kane every opportunity you get? Schmaltz has really stepped into his own during the first full season in Arizona. John Chayka looks like a genius for bringing Nick Schmaltz to Arizona.
Next. Arizona Coyotes Journey to the desert : Rick Tocchet. dark