The Coyotes…Surprised?
After half of the season the Phoenix Coyotes are not in the place almost everyone predicted…the bottom.
Since November 23rd, The Phoenix Coyotes have been red hot. This was the day Don Maloney picked Ilya Bryzgalov off waivers. Bryzgalov has been outstanding and has been getting great backup tending from Telly (although not many appearances). This gives the Coyotes something they have been missing for years, since Sean Burke. Confidence!! Playing in front of Bryz has given the Coyotes the condidence that if they make a mistake, they will usually be bailed out. In the month of December the coyotes allowed the fewest goals against in the NHL, as opposed to the month of November where they were 29th! This is quite a jump. The Coyotes have on of the best road records in the NHL, and are slowly improving what started as a horrific home record.
Now after half the season, The coyotes are 3 games avove .500, and are pushing for that playoff birth. At the start of the season, everyone, including professional sports analysts, predicted the Coyotes last, due to the fact that they were going with youth this year. They most definatley are being the Youngest teams in the NHL with players like Daniel Winnik, Dan Carcillo, Craig Weller, Matt Jones, Keith Yandle, but most notably, Peter Mueller and Martin Hanzal have been outstanding. Mueller logs over 20:00 minutes a night playing on the top line, and is a 19 year old with the confidence to play the point on the powerplay! Martin Hanzal, although not many goals, has been Radim Vrbatas set up man. I could also state what an underrated steal that has been (vrbata for Adams prior to the season), But Martin Hanzal is second in rookie scoring currently with 4 goals, and 18 assists.
If the Coyotes can continue this red hot play they have had through December and the undefeated start to the new year, they will turn alot of heads, and surprise alot of teams. I am by no means saying Cup winners, or confrence winners, but a birth in the playoffs would be quite an accomplishment for this young team, and as a coyotes fan for the past ten years, it would be a year to remember for me.
One final thought, If the coyotes do manage to make the playoffs…you have to think Wayne Gretzky for Jack Adams? Comments?