Loading ...This will be a little different as far as Preseason reviews are concerned. I have invited several guests to voice their opinion on the state of the Coyotes for 2008. We may all have differing opinions on HOW we’re getting to the post season but we have 1 thing in common… we’re going there!TheBadOne from thefanster.com forum, OdinMercer from the soon-to-arrive ‘Howlin from the Cheap Seats’ blog on SBNation, our beloved HatTrickHound and of course me, Onyx aka Z4dfense. We’re going to cover the past, the journey, the evolution and the possible future that begins on Saturday with our first game of the 2008 season. Enjoy the ride.
TheBadOne says:
The Phoenix Coyotes are something of an enigma as far as hockey teams are considered. After moving to the desert from Winnipeg for the 1996-97 hockey season, the team managed to make the post-season only twice and went virtually ignored by the hockey community at large (save whenever someone discusses which franchises should move back to Canada or be contracted.) Yet the 2007-08 season saw a resurgence in the team and saw them take a few leapfrogs back to respectability. As the 2008-09 season rolls around, people are starting to take notice of the first relevant Coyotes team to take the ice in roughly 6 years.
So what happened? At the start of the previous season the team was composed largely of rookies, waiver-wire castoffs, and fringe players to complement their less than ample amount of proven veterans. However, an early Christmas gift in mid-November saw Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov sent to the Coyotes via the waiver wire. His early success opened the door for other talent on the team to shine through. Rookies Peter Mueller, Martin Hanzal, and Dan Carcillo were being noticed in hockey circles outside of Phoenix, while veterans Shane Doan and Ed Jovanovski were having career seasons in spite of expectations to finish in the cellar of their conference. While the team wasn’t necessarily playoff ready, they understood that for the first time in a long time, they had the tools necessary to become a competitive team in the NHL.
As we enter the new season, expectations are on the rise for the Coyotes. There are some new faces joining the team this time around, while the ones that took off don’t seem to be missed as much as they would’ve a few seasons back. Nevertheless, for this team to succeed, everyone on the squad will have to compete with relentless intensity against their well-established rivals. The rise or fall of this squad will rest of the shoulders of a few. Yet if they can work as a cohesive unit, they may surprise themselves and the league around them:
Shane Doan - The fearless captain of the squad proved that he can perform when the expectations are higher. Doan had a career season in points last year because his team demanded it from him. I expect him to once again lead by example to showing commitment to a responsible two-way game. As versatile as he is tough, I see Doan being used in all situations, albeit even strength, the power play, or the penalty kill.
Olli Jokinen – The Coyotes franchise gave up one of their most beloved players to obtain the talented, yet disgruntled, captain of the Florida Panthers. More of a goal scorer than Doan, Jokinen is the center the team needed to go against the likes of Joe Thornton, Ryan Getzlaf, or Brendan Morrow. If Jokinen wants to deserve the respect he’s commanding, he’s going to need to put up an 80-90 point effort this season. Like Doan, Jokinen will likely see himself playing everywhere Gretzky needs him to.
Ed Jovanovski - Playing in what seems to be his first full season without injury, Jovo mustered up enough offense to be 10th in points amongst defensemen. Yet a large minus rating brought about questions of whether or not Jovo was defensively responsible enough to be trusted in key situations. To have a breakthrough season, Jovo needs to maintain his point production while making a commitment to more responsible defensive play; for if Yandle is to do it, it must first start with Jovanovski. Nevertheless, I can see Jovo being a leader amongst the defense and competing hard each and every night.
Ilya Bryzgalov – Bryzgalov is the true starting goaltender that the Coyotes have needed for a while. But while he was excellent when he came to the Coyotes, he put up a record of 10-12-3 (and was pulled twice in two losing decisions assessed to Tellqvist) since signing his three-year contract extension with the team. For Bryzgalov to be the clear cut starter, he’s going to have to perform consistently every night, not make the early mental mistakes he’s becoming known for, and to work with having a backup supporting him instead of another starting goaltender. Yet if Grant Fuhr’s vision of Bryzgalov comes to fruition, he’ll be capable of throwing the team on his back and running 10 miles with them.
Wayne Gretzky – The puck ultimately stops here. While no one will question The Great One’s ability to play the game, his coaching ability has come under scrutiny since he became a bench boss. If Wayne coaches the way he played the game, then he’ll see where the team needs to head. A playoff appearance will extinguish some of the critics while going deep into the playoffs will further cement Gretzky’s legitimacy as a coach. I expect that Wayne will do everything in his power to extract 110% from his players.
With the new look of the Coyotes containing Jokinen, Kyle Turris, Viktor Tikhonov, Mikkael Boedker, and Kurt Sauer, many people are starting to make noise that this could be a playoff team. The key to the Coyotes’ going deep into the playoffs is for them to focus on two words: Just win.
The season is a long one and anything can happen. The Coyotes can’t be concerned about if they’re playing against the Los Angeles Kings or the Detroit Red Wings. They simply need to find ways to win the game ahead of them and literally take it a game at a time.
With a lot more NHL ready depth than other teams in their division, one key injury to an opponent could open up the door the Coyotes to succeed. If the Coyotes can “just win” this season, then I can see them landing themselves in a playoff spot. How far they go depends on how much gas is left in the tank. Win or lose, if the Coyotes to find themselves in the post-season this season, then it’ll set the tone for a bright future in the valley for years to come.
~Mike~ aka TheBadOne
OdinMercer Says:
5 Coyotes/Things to watch – Season Preview
My 5 in no particular order…
The rookies/sophomores – This team has young talent coming out it’s ears… Boedker, Tikhonov, Turris, Mueller, Hanzal, Winnik, Carcillo, Porter, Lisin, Ahnelov and Yandle. If these guys can keep from getting hurt this is a packed team for years to come with the level of skill they possess and being around some great veterans they should go far. Turris is a possible Calder trophy candidate and should get a lot of attention, but the two I’ll be watching are Ahnelov and Tikhonov. Tiki has some wild skills and can definitely put the puck where mama hides the cookies… Ahnelov was awesome in the preseason, he’s a big kid who was able to impose himself wherever he wanted to.
Olli Jokinen – The change of scenery should hopefully do him some good after being stuck in Florida where he had problems with management and the skate incident. It has to be good to get away from something like that. Put that with the fact that he’ll be lined up Mikkel Boedker and Peter Mueller, that should be a very dangerous combination, where he can both score and distribute the puck.
Shane Doan and Daniel Carcillo – While a lot has been made of acquiring enforcers for this team over the off season, Doan and Carcillo are the real catalysts of the team. When something on the ice isn’t right or the team needs a boost of emotion, Danny and Le Capitan are always the first to bring it with a big hit, a clutch goal or whatever is necessary. Shane wears the C because of it, and while Danny may never wear a letter, thanks to his relationship with the officials, there’s no doubt his emotion and spirit will be necessary for this team to make it to the post season.
The Checking Line – Pierre, Rene and the little green dude bring something unexpected to the ice every night. They exemplify what being a Coyote is all about, heart…
But seriously, the Coyotes marketing team has come up with a great way to draw in people with their Pierre 08 presidential campaign. While many think it’s silly, It does get people excited about going to the game, or being a part of something goofy and fun. And really that’s what all of us hockey fans are, crazy.
The Enforcers – Fedoruk and McGratton need to show during the season, why they were brought to Phoenix. While I realize the preseason doesn’t count, they should be the policemen out there for our team. If they are able to effectively do their jobs, the youngins’ will be more free to open up their game and put the puck in the net without worrying about another goon coming and taking them out of the play. It’ll also free up Carcillo to do what he needs to, which is score goals like he did at the end of last season., He’s got a sweet shot and if he can stay on the ice, more goals for us.
~Travis~ aka OdinMercer
October 10th, 2008 at 8:56 am
I was on Yahoo and found your blog. Read a few of your other posts. Good work. I am looking forward to reading more from you in the future.
Tom Stanley
October 10th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Welcome to the Den Tom. Glad you stopped by and look forward to hearing from you anytime!