SB Nation - Joakim Lindstrom

Coyotes owe current, former players $2-million

James Mirtle — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:00:21 -0000

We've heard a lot about many of the large creditors in the Coyotes bankruptcy of late (and we'll be hearing more from them in the future from the sounds of the latest filings), but one group that hasn't gotten much attention is a group of current and former NHLers that is owed about $2-million according to an NHLPA filing this week.

About $1.4-million of that is in buyout monies to Dave Scatchard, who appears to be retired, while others are not being paid performance bonuses or expenses since the team went into bankruptcy in May:

Mueller's holding off on getting that new sports car for now, I suppose.

Other players owed cash include Brendan Bell ($5,400 for airfare, a rental car and a per diem), Dmitri Kalinin ($13,500 for housing and moving expenses) and Joakim Lindstrom ($6,300 for housing, a per diem, hotel bill and rental car).

It's all relatively small stuff, but it's worth noting the PA has entered the fray. One wonders, too, if they'll at some point have a preference in which bidder wins given one bid involves relocation and another playing five games in Saskatchewan.

Here's what the union said in its filing:

"... it is the NHLPA's position that the CBA, as well as all the individual players' contracts that arise from and are part of the CBA, must be assumed by any party wishing to move forward with the team in the next season. As part of any assumption and assignment of the CBA and the players' contracts, certain amounts currently due and owing under the CBA and contracts will have to be paid as part of the cure ..."

2009 NHL Free Agency / Teams by Cap Space / Unsigned UFA's and RFA's

Robert L — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:19:41 -0000

This is a listing of NHL teams by order of remaining cap space as of July 4. The Islanders top the list with approximately $23M left to spend. The Sharks have just under $2M remaining. The list is helpful in determining which team are closest to filling out their 2009-10 lineup. As one can see, there is much work to be done at both ends of the spectrum. The numbers figures are based on totals given by NHL Numbers.com.

1 - New York Islanders: $23.265 (18)

UFA: Andy Hilbert C 28, Dean McAmmond C 36, Mike Sillinger C 38, Thomas Pock D 27, Yann Danis G 28, Joey MacDonald G 29.

RFA: Nate Thompson C 24, Jeremy Colliton C 24, Jamie Fraser D 23, Jack Hillen D 23.

2 - Phoenix Coyotes: $21.972 (18)

UFA: Brian McGrattan R 27, Dmitri Kalinin D 29, Ken Klee D 38.

RFA: Nigel Dawes L 24, Joakim Lindstrom C 25, Enver Lisin R 23, Scottie Upshall R 25, Daniel Winnik C 24, Keith Yandle D 22.

3 - Atlanta Thrashers: $19.599 (15)

RFA: Eric Perrin C 33.

UFA: Kari Lehtonen G 25, Colby Armstrong R 26, Jim Slater C 26, Boris Valabik D 23.

4 - Nashville Predators: $17.913 (16)

UFA: Radek Bonk C 33, Scott Nichol C 34, Greg de Vries D 36.

RFA: Ryan Jones R 25, Antti Pihlstrom L 24,.

5 - New York Rangers: $16.436 (13)

UFA: Blair Betts C 29, Mark Bell L 28, Patrick Rissmiller C 30, Paul Mara D 29, Derek Morris D 30.

RFA: Christopher Higgins R 26, Ryan Callahan R 24, Brandon Dubinsky C 23, Lauri Korpikoski L 22, Nikolai Zherdev L 24, Corey Potter D 25.

6 - Anaheim Ducks: $14.295 (17)

UFA: Rob Niedermayer F 34, Todd Marchant C 33, Francois Beauchemin D 29, Bret Hedican D 38.

RFA: James Wisniewski D 25.

7 - Tampa Bay Lightning: $14.295 (17)

UFA: Matt Pettinger L 28, Wade Brookbank L 31, Jason Ward R 30, Marek Malik D 34, Josef Melichar D 30, Cory Murphy D 31, Noah Welch D 26.

RFA: Martins Karsums R 23, Radek Smolenak L 22, Matt Lashoff D 22, Matt Smaby D 24, Mike Lundin D 24, Karri Ramo G 22, Mike McKenna G 26.

8 - Columbus Blue Jackets: $13.313 (20)

UFA: Chris Gratton C 33, Manny Malhotra C 29, Michael Peca C 35, Jason Williams C 28, Christian Backman D 29.

RFA: Jiri Novotny C 25, Marc Methot D 24, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen D 25.

9 - Dallas Stars: $13.193 (19)

UFA: Sergei Zubov D 38, Brendan Morrison C 33, Joel Lundqvist C 27, Mark Parrish R 32, Landon Wilson R 34, Tobias Stephan G 25, Darryl Sydor D 37.

RFA: Mark Fistric D 23.

10 - St. Louis Blues: $12.295 (22)

UFA: Trent Whitfield C 32, Dan Hinote R 32, Jay McKee D 31, Manny Legace G 36.

RFA: Brandon Crombeen R 23, Chris Porter C 25, Steve Regier L 24, Roman Polak D 23, Jeff Woywitka D 25, Marek Schwarz G 23.

11 - New Jersey Devils: $12.129

UFA: Brendan Shanahan L 40, Kevin Weekes G 34, Niclas Havelid D NJ.

RFA: Travis Zajac C 24.

12 - Toronto Maple Leafs: $12.022 (20)

UFA: Brad May L 37, Bates Battaglia L 33, Andre Deveaux C 25, Boyd Devereaux C 31, Jeff Hamilton C 31, Kris Newbury C 27, Ben Ondrus R 27, Jay Harrison D 26, Jamie Heward D 38, Martin Gerber G 34, Olaf Kolzig G 39, Curtis Joseph G 42.

RFA: Jeremy Williams R 25, Justin Pogge G 23, Jaime Sifers D 26, Ryan Hollweg C 26.

13 - Chicago Blackhawks: $11.797

UFA: Aaron Johnson D 26.

RFA: Cam Barker D 23, Troy Brouwer R 23, Ben Eager L 25, Colin Fraser C 24, Kris Versteeg R 23.

14 - Colorado Avalanche: $11.654 (15)

UFA: Joe Sakic F 39, Ben Guite R 30, Brian Willsie R 31, Andrew Raycroft G 29.

RFA: Kyle Cumiskey D 22, David Jones R 24, Cody McCormick C 26.

15 - Montreal Canadiens: $10.454 (16)

UFA: Alexei Kovalev F 36, Saku Koivu C 34, Alex Tanguay L 29, Robert Lang C 38, Mathieu Schneider D 40, Tom Kostopoulos R 30, Mathieu Dandenault D 33, Patrice Brisebois D 38, Francis Bouillon D 33, Marc Denis G 31.

RFA: Tomas Plekanec C 26, Matt D'Agostini R 22, Guillaume Latendresse R 22, Kyle Chipchura C 23, Gregory Stewart L 23.

16 - Los Angeles Kings: $10.285 (21)

UFA: Derek Armstrong F 36, Denis Gauthier D 32, Kyle Calder L 30.

RFA: Jack Johnson D 22, Teddy Purcell R 23.

17 - Washington Capitals: $9.720 (15)

UFA: Viktor Kozlov C 34, Alexandre Giroux C 28, Bryan Helmer D 26, Brent Johnson G 32.

RFA: Jeff Schultz D 23, Shaone Morrisonn D 26, Milan Jurcina D 26, Eric Fehr R 23, Boyd Gordon R 25.

18 - Buffalo Sabres: $8.976 (16)

UFA: Matt Ellis L 24, Dominic Moore C 28, Andrew Peters L 29, Teppo Numminen D 40, Maxim Afinogeno F 29,

RFA: Andrej Sekera D 23, Drew Stafford R 23, Clarke MacArthur L 24, Patrick Kaleta R 23.

19 - Florida Panthers: $8.405 (18)

UFA: Ville Peltonen L 36, Richard Zednik L 33, Jassen Cullimore D 36, Nick Boynton D 30.

RFA: Anthony Stewart C 24, Steve Eminger D 25, Tanner Glass L 25.

20 - Carolina Hurricanes: $8.083 (18)

UFA: Ryan Bayda L 28, Dennis Seidenberg D 27.

RFA: Tuomo Ruutu C 26, Anton Babchuk D 25.

21 - Vancouver Canucks: $7.282 (18)

UFA: Mats Sundin C 38, Jason Krog C 33, Rob Davison D 29, Ossi Vaananen D 28, Curtis Sanford G 29, Michel Ouellet R 27.

RFA: Shane O' Brien D 25. Kyle Wellwood C 26, Jannik Hansen R 23.

22 - Minnesota Wild: $6.296 (20)

UFA: Stephane Veilleux L 27, Krys Kolanos C 27, Marc-Andre Bergeron D 28, Kurtis Foster D 27, Martin Skoula D 29.

RFA: Dan Fritsche C 23, Benoit Pouliot L 22, Kyle Brodziak C 25, Josh Harding G 25.

23 - Edmonton Oilers: $6.404 (20)

UFA: Ales Kotalik R 30, Dany Sabourin G 28.

RFA: Liam Reddox L 23, Gilbert Brule C 22, Ryan Potulny C 24, Rob Schremp C 22, Denis Grebeshkov D 25, Ladislav Smid D 23.

24 - Detroit Red Wings: $5.554 (16)

UFA: Darren McCarty R 37, Aaron Downey R 34, Chris Chelios D 47.

RFA: Jiri Hudler C 25, Ville Leino L 25.

25 - Boston Bruins: $5.340 (18)

UFA: Stephane Yelle F 35, P.J. Axelsson L 34, Manny Fernandez G 34.

RFA: Phil Kessel F 21, Matt Hunwick D 24.

26 - Ottawa Senators: $4.649 (22)

UFA: Mike Comrie C 28.

RFA: Brendan Bell D 26, Brian Elliott G 24.

27 - Pittsburgh Penguins: $3.137 (19)

UFA: Mike Zigomanis C 28, James Connor L 26, Miroslav Satan L 34, Petr Sykora R 32, Janne Pesonen L 27, Philippe Boucher D 36.

RFA: Paul Bissonnette R 24, Tim Wallace R 24, Ben Lovejoy D 25, John Curry G 25.

28 - Calgary Flames: $3.053 (19)

UFA: Todd Bertuzzi R 34, Andre Roy R 34, Rhett Warrener D 33.

RFA: Dustin Boyd C 22.

29 - Philadelphia Flyers: $2.125 (20)

UFA: Josh Gratton L 26, Boyd Kane L 31, Andrew Alberts D 28, Lasse Kukkonen D 27, Martin Biron G 31, Antero Niittymaki G 29.

RFA: Jared Ross C 26, Danny Syvret D 24.

30 - San Jose Sharks: $1.774 (16)

UFA: Claude Lemieux R 43, Jeremy Roenick C 39, Tom Cavanagh R 27, Alexei Semenov D 28, Mike Grier R 34, Marcel Goc C 25, Tomas Plihal L 26, Lukas Kaspar L 23.

RFA: Torrey Mitchell C 24, Thomas Greiss G 23, Brad Staubitz R 24.

Coyotes Extend Qualifying Offers to a Dozen Players

OdinMercer — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:07:31 -0000

More photos » by Paul Connors - AP

Phoenix Coyotes left winger Scottie Upshall, right, was given a qualifying offer on Tuesday.

Browse more photos »

The Coyotes today extended qualifying offers to twelve Restricted Free Agents ahead of the July 1st start of free agency. Details of the offer sheets have not yet been released, but here are the players we made offers to:

Scottie Upshall: Yay! No way we let him go after how he performed for us after the trade from Philly.

Keith Yandle: No question he would be staying with how weak we are on D.

Enver Lisin: Kept the speedster around. We really need to work on his defensive skill set, but the kid can flat out fly.

Daniel Winnik: Solid 3rd line center but needs to pick up his game to what it was a couple seasons back if he wants to stay in Phoenix instead of riding the bus.

Nigel Dawes: From what I heard from the team they hadn't been all that impressed with him, but maybe this is just to keep an asset rather than getting noting for him.

Dave Spina: A locally grown kid who could finally be the first native Arizonan to play in the NHL. The fans here love him and he's a solid guy.

Josh Tordjman: He can compete with Al Montoya for either the Starting spot in San Antonio or possibly the backup spot if we can't find someone to backup Bryzgalov.

Alexander Nikulin: Protecting an asset as I think we've already heard rumors of him going to the KHL.

Stefan Meyer, Shaun Hushka, Sami Lepisto: The new guys we aquired in the Reinprecht deal and trading picks at the draft.

The Coyotes did not extend qualifying offers to the following restricted free agents:

Alex Bourret, Garth Murray and Joakim Lindstrom.

Grease the Tires and Light the Fires: Getting Ready for Next Season

Gootzman — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:58:55 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

8 months ago: Phoenix Coyotes right winger Mikkel Boedker, of Denmark, celebrates his goal with teammates against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Denver on Wednesday, April 1, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Browse more photos »

With the financial situation of the Phoenix Coyotes becoming clearer in recent days, General Manager Don Maloney has been able to draw a more accurate picture of what his plan will be for the organization this summer as the franchise looks to fill holes and get ready for next season.

The year was going well for the Phoenix Coyotes. They went into the All Star Break fighting for the 5th seed in the Western Conference, a spot they had not been familiar with since the 2001-2002 season when they finished 6th in the conference, one point behind the Chicago Blackhawks who owned the fifth seed. The situation was looking strong and Don Maloney was in line of getting the team into the playoffs for the first time since that year.

However, the team began to unravel. The Coyotes could not get going again and went on a stretch where they lost 12 of their next 15 games. They were held to one goal or less in 8 of those games, including being shut out in back to back games and a scoreless drought which spanned over 180 minutes, the equivalent of three games. Inconsistent and poor play on the part of many players contributed to the rapid decline as rookies could not find a scoring touch and the veterans were snake bitten. Goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov kept the team in many games but the inability to score on the Coyotes' part led to a padding of his loss column. When he failed, the team was doomed.

The trade deadline saw a better team coming together, winning five of their last seven games, but it was not enough as the team finished 13th in the Western Conference and out of a top five draft lottery spot.

There are many problems that this team needs to address and as I have mentioned throughout the season it starts behind the bench. Head Coach Wayne Gretzky and his staff are not the coaching staff needed to run this team. If this was a team of veteran players then Gretzky's approach may work but with such a young team, the players need someone who can teach and guide the team through good times and bad. Coaching experience is an aspect of the game that often gets overlooked but it is necessary for a team to succeed, especially if the situation involves a young team. There are a couple of candidates that should be considered by Don Maloney for the coaching position:

Peter Laviolette: With a Stanley Cup on his resume', Laviolette should be a man that is considered for the job. He worked hard in bringing a team that did not have alot of big names in the Carolina Hurricanes to the top of the league. Despite the lockout year between the Stanley Cup year and when they finished 11th, Laviolette led a team that had veterans but relied on young players to succeed. Eric Staal was 21 and led the team in scoring both for the regular season and the playoffs while rookie goaltender Cam Ward took over for the veteran Martin Gerber and was phenomenal in the crease during that playoff run. His aggressive style of play would allow for the Coyotes to use their speed more effectively.

He may be an obvious candidate but at this point anyone would be better than Wayne Gretzky and his staff behind the bench.

On the ice the Coyotes have some work to do in re-signing players this offseason, especially young ones. Steven Reinprecht has already been shipped out and signed by the Florida Panthers with the Coyotes receiving AHL player Stefan Meyer.

Two other names that are in the unrestricted pool for the Coyotes are two defenseman. Dmitri Kalinin was acquired at the deadline from the New York Rangers in the Derek Morris trade. He had four points for the Coyotes in his 15 games with the team and was solid on the back end as well. Depending on his price, Kalinin would provide depth to the blue line and some offensive abilities that may have been missing on the back end.

Ken Klee is the other defenseman. He was picked up off waiver during the season from the Anaheim Ducks. He may not be known for scoring points anymore, finishing with 11 points in 68 games but his work with young defenseman Keith Yandle helped his development tremendously on both sides of the puck. Klee may be getting up there in years but another year in the NHL to lead and teach a young blue line will provide a significant benefit to the growth of the young players on the blue line like Yandle and Zbynek Michalek.

It is on the restricted free agent front that the Coyotes management will be looking to spend the money they have in bringing back young players:

Scottie Upshall: Acquired from Philadelphia for Daniel Carcillo, Upshall provided a spark to the anemic offense of the Coyotes. In 19 games with Phoenix, he had 13 points, 8 goals and 5 assists. His speed was refreshing to watch as he drove to the net and his offensive abilities began to blossom. Phoenix did not have alot of fire power on the wings this season but Upshall will be looked at to make up for it next season. Don Maloney must sign Upshall.

Petr Prucha: The young sparkplug came over from the New York Rangers in the Derek Morris trade and he had an immediate impact on the team. His hardworking style of play got him 10 points, 2 goals and 8 assists, in 19 games with the Coyotes as he got time on the top line and on the power play. He has guts and a great work ethic, using it to score thirty goals in his rookie year with the Rangers. Many have questioned whether he could do it again. He has the offensive skills to do so but he needs the opportunity. In Phoenix he will get that opportunity and the Coyotes are hoping that it will pay off. Prucha provides more speed down the wing and needs to be re-signed. Resigned...2 year deal

Matthew Lombardi: A center acquired in the Olli Jokinen trade with Calgary, Lombardi was inserted into the top center spot on the team and had success finishing with 16 points, 5 goals and 11 assists, in 19 games with the Coyotes. Being stuck on lower lines in Calgary he was finally able to show his offensive abilities as he meshed well with Prucha and Upshall, forming a quick and skilled top line. Don Maloney was looking for established young players at the deadline and Lombardi is on the cusp of establishing himself as a skilled center in the NHL. He is another player who needs to be re-signed.

Enver Lisin: A Russian prospect who did not look to have a future in the NHL because of his lack of defensive play was developed by San Antonio Rampage Head Coach Greg Ireland, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Coyotes. Lisin was brought up and his offensive impact was felt as he finished with 21 points, 13 goals and 8 assists, in 48 games. His incredible speed down the wing helped him create offense and at times, he took over the play on the ice. His defensive play fell off towards the end of the season but a full year in the NHL will help him develop that and he can become an effective NHL scorer. In terms of skill his ceiling is very high and it needs to be developed. Bringing him back will add a whole new meaning of speed to the offensive attack of Phoenix. However, Maloney will have to compete with a recent KHL contract offered to the young Russian winger.

Joakim Lindstrom: Acquired from the Anaheim Ducks that sent defensive prospect Logan Stephenson the other way, Lindstrom was having trouble finding his place in the NHL, bouncing from the Columbus Blue Jackets, to the Ducks and finally Phoenix in a short amount of time. However in Phoenix Lindstrom did find his place as his offense finally began to arrive. Finishing with 20 points, 9 goals and 11 assists, in 44 games Lindstrom was a main source of offense towards the end of the season. His prowess in the shootout helped the Coyotes earn a few more victories but his step on the ice has gone a long way in finding his place in the NHL as he certainly has earned another chance to show off what he is capable of.

Daniel Winnik: One interesting case is that of Daniel Winnik. After a great rookie year that saw him score score 11 goals and 15 assists in 79 games, his offensive production fell to just seven points, 3 goals and 4 assists, in 49 games. He is known as a checking forward who can play both sides of the puck but Phoenix was hoping for a better offensive output. His work ethic is near the top of the team and, being a 9th round pick in the NHL Draft, the fact he has made any impact in the NHL is a small miracle. Going from the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) to the NHL in a short span of time has shown his ability to improve, earning him another shot at impressing the Coyotes.

Nigel Dawes: The young winger came over from the Rangers in the Derek Morris trade and is known for his offense primarily. However he had trouble scoring with the Coyotes as he had just two points in twelve games for Phoenix, both of those being assists. The Rangers believed that he could become a solid goal scorer in the NHL but problems with consistency have made it hard for Dawes to accomplish this feat. He could be used as trade bait at the draft this season but with the lack of options at wing for the Coyotes and the uncertain financial situation, the Coyotes will look to bring him back.

Keith Yandle: The young defenseman made great strides this season as his defensive play greatly improved with the guidance of veteran Ken Klee. His strong point of igniting an offense was made known has he had thirty points, 4 goals and 26 assists, in 69 games. The Phoenix blue line has been considered a weakness of the team in the future but Yandle is part of the strength of the future. The team will be looking for him to take an even larger role in providing offense from the back end and will be key for them going forward. Maloney needs to re-sign Yandle.

Josh Tordjman: Playing in San Antonio for most of the season, Tordjman got a cup of coffee in the NHL towards the end of the season playing two games with Phoenix. He lost both games giving up a total of eight goals. With Bryzgalov having the top spot for the foreseeable future and the success that Al Montoya had in his NHL debut, it looks as if Tordjman will be spending another season in the AHL as the top goalie there. However his skills as a goaltender are still high and he is young with plenty of time to learn. With very little goaltending depth in the organization, Tordjman will be re-signed.

The unfortunate piece to the restricted free agent front is that other teams can put in offer sheets and send the Coyotes if they can not match the offer. However the organization and the fans are looking to get out of the rebuilding stage and into being a competitor. With very little to work with, Maloney will need to work fast to get these young players signed before July 1st when other teams can put up offer sheets and possibly outbid the Coyotes for some of this young talent.

While Phoenix will probably not be big players in the unrestricted free agent market, chances at improving the team are always available at any price. Management will have to be stingy about who they target in this market but there are gems at low prices, as Phoenix found out when they signed Kurt Sauer last summer, a stellar defensive defenseman signed at a low price. However, here are a couple of possibilities for the Coyotes:

The Sedins: I am sure that after mentioning that the Coyotes have very little money to work with, you are surprised to see the Sedin twins on this list. However, in the event that the Coyotes do get a viable owner who has money to spend, Don Maloney should go all ahead full for the Sedins. It is not assured that Daniel and Henrik will stay in Vancouver after this season. They want to stay together and a young team like Phoenix may be their chance to truly break out in the NHL. Henrik had 22 goals and 60 assists this season for 82 points in 82 games. His playmaking abilities have developed and he has become one of the elite playmakers in the Western Conference. Daniel was also a point per game player as he finished with 31 goals and 51 assists and as been known more for his scoring. If Don Maloney could get his hands on the money to sign both of these players, who want to stay together, it would go a long way in establishing a firm foundation from which Phoenix could move forward from.

Blair Betts: Regardless of what happens with the Coyotes financially, they need to look to improve their special teams. While the center position is not a weakness for the Coyotes, the penalty kill is and if they want to improve it, they should be looking at one of the best penalty killers in the league in Betts. Phoenix finished 28th in the league in penalty kill and it led to their demise down the stretch. Betts would bring a veteran presence to a young penalty killing unit and would be an option in helping a young player like Martin Hanzal who is slowly becoming a good shut down forward for the Coyotes. Betts would not be overly expensive and would provide benefits both on and off the ice for the Coyotes. Betts finished with 6 goals and 4 assists in 81 games this season, tallying a goal and 3 assists shorthanded. The New York Rangers finished first in the league on the penalty kill.

Stephane Veilleux: A left winger who has played for the Minnesota Wild his entire career, Veilleux has played for a team that has had trouble scoring because of their system. This past season he had 13 goals and 10 assists in 81 games for the Wild. He has played on one of the top penalty kills the past few years as Minnesota finished this season second on the penalty kill in the NHL. Other teams will be after his services this summer but he may fly under the radar and if he does Phoenix should be right there to get him.

As I mentioned before, the Sedins are a long shot and should only be pursued if the right financial situation is in place but other than players like Betts and Veilleux, the Coyotes should not be looking to do too much in the unrestricted market.

Phoenix will most likely not be fielding a Stanley Cup contender the next few years so draft picks are essential to the future of the team. Restricted free agents will be very hard to go after considering all the restricted players that need to be signed for the Coyotes and the little amount of money that could easily be matched or outbid. Giving up draft picks that could result in high draft positions is too risky for a team that is relying on young players and their development for success.

What the Coyotes who do not need to be signed need to do is improve, greatly. Captain Shane Doan had a career season and continues to improve on a mediocre team as he scored 31 goals and 42 assists for 73 points in 82 games. He has committed himself to this franchise when he could have gone elsewhere for more money and glory. His leadership has provided an intangible benefit to the team that many people overlook. However, he will need to continue to be a leader both on and off the ice as he is the focal point of the offense right now.

Young players were going to be the core of the team this season and, unfortunately, things did not pan out as Don Maloney and management would have liked them to. Peter Mueller had a good rookie season where he scored 54 points, including 22 goals. However he was troubled with inconsistency and injuries this season and was only able to tally 13 goals and 23 assists in 72 games. He was being counted on to improve his play and numbers but it did not happen for the young winger. This offseason he will be working hard to get back into optimum game shape after suffering a concussion late in the season. The expectations of the team and of himself will drive him to make him do much better next season

Martin Hanzal, another sophomore for Phoenix, was a bright spot for the team. He may not have improved on his rookie total scoring 11 goals and 20 assists this season but his defensive play was stellar as he was put up against some of the big centers in the Western Conference like Ryan Getzlaf, Joe Thornton, and Anze Kopitar. He matured as a two way forward which benefitted the Coyotes and was on their penalty kill. However, he needs to use his large frame more and improve on his offensive totals.

Rookies made their debuts for the Coyotes and they were being thrown right into the fire as they were immediately relied upon for offense. Kyle Turris was the big name for first year players. The team had high hopes that he would have a great rookie year on the score sheet. Unfortunately Turris had trouble with his small frame in producing as much as the Coyotes would have liked him to as he had 8 goals and 12 assists for 20 points in 63 games. However with a year now under his belt Turris can prepare this offseason both physically and mentally for the rigors of the NHL season. His second season will be important to his development as a young player.

Danish forward Mikkel Boedker jumped right from the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League to the Phoenix Coyotes as the 8th overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. This season he scored 11 goals and 17 assists for 28 points in 78 games. Boedker's chemistry with former Phoenix Coyote Olli Jokinen was stellar in helping him put points on the board while his speed helped him put space between himself and some of the bigger defenders in the Western Conference. Like Turris, Boedker's big issue is in size. Bulking up while keeping his speed and hands will be key to Boedker's success in his second season where Phoenix will be looking for more of an offensive output.

A wild card to make the team, Russian forward Viktor Tikhonov was noted more for his grandfather's reputation than for his play on the ice. However Tikhonov showed why so many teams were after the young forward at the draft last year as he tallied 8 goals and 8 assists for 16 points in 61 games. He needs to learn bulk up his frame a bit but there is no doubt the kid has potential to be a good player in the league and for the Phoenix Coyotes in the future.

Every rookie will need to improve their play if the team wants to be successful now and in the future which means putting in the summer work and coming back to training camp ready to go. Conditioning has been a problem with this team and has led to its downfalls late in seasons. It must be improved if the Coyotes want to take the next step forward. They showed that they have the skill to compete in the Western Conference but they need the physical endurance to stay at that high level for an extended period of time.

What actually happens this offseason with the Coyotes is a great mystery to everyone following the NHL. The battle between Jim Balsillie and the NHL will be branding the headlines for the foreseeable future as a fight for the franchise will continue. Coyotes fans are hoping that there will be a hockey team at Jobing.com Arena this October and for many years to come while critics of Gary Bettman and his initiative to bring hockey to untraditional hockey markets are hoping there will be an empty arena. However what ever the outcome of the financial battle, general manager Don Maloney will need to have a course of action that will field a competitive hockey team no matter where it will be playing.

Count me as a hopeful it is in Phoenix.

Coyotes @ Avalanche Preview: Tank Battle!

OdinMercer — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:57:43 -0000

Coyotes red tank goes on the offensive while the Avs tank... Well it's just sitting there. 14th v. 15th should be a barn burner. How is Vs. not televising this?

This is not going to be a pretty game. The Avs who have been having some serious issues as of late against our guys in red that, while they've been winning some games of late, aren't likely to get out of the basement of the Western Conference any further than they are now. That doesn't mean I won't be watching, because I will, i'm just not expecting it to be pretty. Probably something like the Dallas game that was high scoring and lacking in defense.

Five for Winning

You Killed My Father! Prepare to Die!: Al Montoya will get his first NHL start tonight. He'll be the first Cuban-American to play in the NHL. That's cool. There are a ton (tonne for our Canadian readers) of stories about this around the interwebz. I'm more excited that I fiannly get to start breaking out Princess Bride quotes now. Which of the Colorado players is Count Rugen? If he smacks someone with his stick that'll be even better! Sweeet!

Def... something. I forget the rest.: Apperently the team didn't know what that word was last game either. Some played better than others, but the defense as a whole was not very good against Dallas. Sure the Avs aren't very good this year either, but still, get it together guys!

Someone Wants a Contract: I said it last game and Enver Lisin and Joakim Lindstrom showed up to play. Enver got 2 goals and an assist and Lindstrom played a good game even though he wasn't on the score sheet. He was being a pest to the opposition and controlled the puck well. I'd expect Enver to stay in tonight, but no word on what the lines will look like as of yet.

Avs Want the Tank: Or at least thier fans do. They probably won't catch the Isles for the #1 spot in the tank standings, but they're a solid 2 if they lose tonight. If they pick up points they'll move back up into 3rd. It's been a bad year in Denver with injuries and not having a goalie to save many games for them. Tavares or Hedman would certainly help next year.

Doan is On Fire!: 10 points in his last 7 games. He's had a great year even if the Coyotes as a team haven't. No one can put anything on his shoulders for the team not being where we hoped as he leads the team in Goals, Assists and (obviously) Points with 29-38-67. Capatian Coyote is the man and should increase his stats against the struggling Avs.

Note: The game is not on local TV tonight. YOu might be able to get it via Yahoo, but local IPs will likely be blacked out. SOme of us might be stuck with the XTRA910 radio feed.

GO YOTES!

Phoenix Coyotes @ NY Islanders Preview (Make your own caption)

OdinMercer — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 18:30:57 -0000

Good doggie.

Hey, I'm awake. Just in time for our next to last place team in the West to take on the leaders in the Tank for Tavares division, the New York Islanders. Normally i'd say this would be a boring game, but the Isles just beat the Devils 7-2 yesterday and a couple days ago we put down the Bruins, so it could be a good game if those same teams show up.

Five for Winning

Special Teams: I don't know how much worse our special teams could be. We managed to convert on a total of one of our six opportunities on the PP, but the PK was awful. The Sabres scored three times on six chances. THis has been the achilles heel for our team all year.

Tordjman? TORDJMAN?!: Josh Tordjman got called up after the Tellqvist trade from San Antonio. He's been playing well down there and I suppose if you're getting your first NHL start it may as well be against the Isles. Better play well in front boys.

Keep the lines even if they didn't win: After any loss Gretz likes to mix the lines up. Hopefully he doesn't and gives them some time. He won't, but it'd be nice. There are reports that Lisin, Winnik and Fedoruk in with Hanzal(!?), Mueller and Lindstrom out? I don't get it...

Learn from Lombardi: He knows how to win a friggin faceoff! We haven't been too good at that this year, but in Buffalo he went 20 of 28 for 71%! Wow. He's leading faceoff drills in practice from now on.

Start shooting again: We've been pretty slow coming out of the gate the last couple games. In Boston everyone was new so I could understand, but to take half a period to start shooting will get you behind quickly.

That's all. See you in the gamethread GO YOTES!

B's Game Notes: Coyotes 2 Bruins 1

Stanley Cup of Chowder — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:49:27 -0000

The new look Phoenix Coyotes came to Boston and spoiled the Bruin debuts of Mark Recchi and Steve Montador as the Bruins fell 2-1. Chuck Kobasew got the Bruins out to a 1-0 lead 7:09 into the game when his wrister beat Ilyla Bryzgalov, who was screened by P.J. Axelsson. With Zdeno Chara in the box for interference, Joakim Lindstrom stripped the puck from Dennis Wideman and slide a pass to newly-acquired winger Scottie Upshall, whose backhander found the back of the net for the equalizer at 12:01 of the first period. The Coyotes went up 2-1 with 12:08 left in the second period when new 'Yote Nigel Dawes' centering pass connected with Steven Reinprecht, who fired a one-timer passed Tim Thomas. The Bruins came out with a lot of energy in the third period and controlled play throughout the final stanza, but it proved to be too little, too late. Coyotes goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov turned aside 25 shots to secure the win for Phoenix.

Final - 3.5.2009	1	2	3	Total
Phoenix Coyotes	1	1	0	2
Boston Bruins	1	0	0	1

Complete Coverage >

Notes:

- I loved the intensity in the thrid period. The Bruins really controlled the play in the third, as most of the action was in the Phoenix end of the rink. The B's outshot the Coyotes 11-4 in the third, but they could not seem to crack Bryzgalov.

- Milan Lucic was all over the place making plays in the third period. He was credited with 6 hits on the night.

- I thought that both of the new guys played fairly well tonight. Mark Recchi had a few big hits and seemed to be getting to the right places on the ice. It looked like he had a good scoring chance in the first period, but passed up the shot. Steve Montador looked pretty sharp on the blue line and looks to be a guy that can make that first pass on the breakout.

Mark Recchi: 16:54 TOI, 1 shot, 1 blocked shot, 3 hits, Even

Steve Montador: 14:26 TOI, 2 shots, 1 blocked shot, 1 hit, Even

- I thought Dennis Wideman had an off night tonight. Wideman took 8 shots tonight; 2 were on goal, 4 missed the net, and 2 were blocked. He turned the puck over several times and got caught out of position a couple times. He has the habit of sometimes getting caught too deep in the offensive zone. There are very few occasions when I want to see Dennis Wideman with the puck below the goal line in the offensive zone.

- The Bruins out-hit the Coyotes 31-10

- Somehow Bryzgalov wasn't named one of the 3 stars tonight (1st: Upshall, 2nd: Reinprecht, 3rd: Kobasew)

- It is frustrating that the Bruins had almost killed off the penalty to Chara when Phoenix converted on the power play (one second remaining on interference minor).

Sabres down Coyotes 2-0 - Dogs forget that they have to play 3 periods...

OdinMercer — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 05:54:40 -0000

Well good to see that we can play 1 solid period of hockey, but by this point of the year we sould remember that we're supposed to play 3. Or at least 2 and a half. To the Recap!

Power Play: Plently of chances, lots of them wasted. Well, I suppose all of them were wasted, but some of them more than others. And it wasn't like we would go long stretches of bad power play, one would be good, the next bad, then it would look good again, etc. We just couldn't make anything happen. 0 for 7 though... that's just terrible.

Keep up the pressure: The 1st period was amazing in terms of the hitting, and the all out scrappyness of the team. They apperently took a nap after intermission though because they didn't look anything like the same team after that.

Give Bryz some help: Not really. Bryz played well, 2 goals That really weren't his fault, though he didn't get across fast enough for the 2nd. The first was loose in front and looked like he had it, but there was never a whistle and Buffalo forced it in. 2nd was a good pass across the goal that he just couldn't get there for and wasn't covered by anyone on D.

Weather the injuries: The fill-ins and the young guys played pretty well Goertzen had a good scrap, Perrault played well and Lindstrom and Lisin are looking goo out there still.

Find the net: Two straight shutouts... 142 minutes and 36 seconds without a goal. This is exactly the kind of streak we can't afford right now. Part of the problem tonight was that after the first everyone was trying these crap touch passes that weren't getting to their intended destination. I'd rather a hard pass that goes down the ice instead of a feathery little thing that just gets turned over right outside the zone. Picking up the passing should be #1. The chances will come if you can connect.

We don't play again until Tuesday, then we have Nashville and turn right around on Wednesday against Detroit. We need to get these two games. These losses have started us slipping back in the standings and we can't afford that right now.

Coyotes 4 - Canucks 1: Whales not so killer...

OdinMercer — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:53:18 -0000

Our boys came into Vancouver BC tonight and thoroughly cleaned the ice with the Canucks tonight. I'm not going to lie, I was worried. Luongo was coming back tonight, we're terrible on the road this season, or PP has been god awful. But the guys showed up tonight and took it too them. As a matter of fact they must have read my blog just before the game because they about did everything I asked of them. They did well enough that the Vancouver faithful were booing their team tonight. I'll take it. One other thing. Mats Sundin is going to want to stay out of the box. It seems like everytime he's in, the opposition PP goes nuts. 2 for 3 on the PP? Sweet.

Go 5-Hole: First shot of the game Joakim Lindstrom went 5-hole and scored it. Luongo may be back, but either the groin or his head aren't totally right yet because he looked weak there all night. I couldn't tell on the replay, but it looked like Lindstrom's 2nd may have gone between the legs too. And then the Mueller goal went that way as well. He just couldn't close up quite fast enough.

Shoooooot!: I hate when the crowd starts yelling it, but they were at least puting chances on net tonight. Coyotes went 11-11-10 for 32 total shots. Not a bad night.

Defense needs to pick it up: Yandle and Hale actually looked okay out there tonight. Hale wasn't anything outstanding, but didn't make silly mistakes either. Yandle finally got a goal from the point. His shots have been getting through all season, but he hasn't found the back of the net in a while. Did tonight though. Good job.

No softies: Luongo wasn't himself, but Bryzgalov was. Bryzie made some quality saves and made sure that the Canucks didn't have a chance to come back.

Kyle Turris: Got an assist. Hey, it's not much, but it counts. I can deal with him not lighting it up tonight since the team did everything else I told them to.

Poll

How many wins will the Coyotes end up with on this roadtrip?

3

3 votes

2

3 votes

1

1 votes

7 votes | Poll has closed

Dogs Eat Fish Sticks - Win 5-4

OdinMercer — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:30:06 -0000

1st Period:

Started the game off really well, playing physical and trying to set the tone for the game. Viktor Tikhonov gets the first goal of the game after the Isles D tries to clear. Tiki makes some sweet moves back and forth goes backhand five-hole and in. I don't know if DiPietro is really 100% yet he should have been able to close up on that one. Sean Bergenheim netted the first Islanders goal on a good pass from Richard Park and with some screen help by the Coyotes D. Zbynek Michalek closed out the first with his 3rd of the season. Enver Lisin drew a tripping penalty and with the extra man due to the delay Michalek basted it from the blue line and in. Also, Tim Jackman tried checking one of the Coyotes players near the goal and ended up whacking Goalie Mikael Tellqvist right in the face. Jackman didn't get a penalty, but after Telly had to get his mask repaired and the reply guy showed it about a dozen times, he was getting booed the rest of the night. Don't know if it effected hm, but it seemed like every time after that when he was on the ice, Coyotes would net one. Stats back that up as he finished a -3 on the night.

2nd Period:

Shane Doan got the only goal of the period after getting it almost on the end line squeezed it in. I couldn't tell either in the person or from the highlights how that went in, but it looked like it went right under DiPietro again.

3rd Period:

Coyotes started the period up 3-1, Olli Jokinen made it 4-1 early in the third after he lifted the rebound from a Michalek slapshot over a sprawling DiPietro. Josh Bailey Got that back 30 seconds later off a good centering pass from behind the net by Bill Guerin, Telly couldn't get back into position quite fast enough good goal by the Isles. Joakim Lindstrom got a pretty one when the Isles D could control the puck to start it back. Lindstrom stripped it away at the blue line and made it look easy with a good move on DiPietro. Phoenix Started to let the Isles back into the game though as Richard Park put a nice wrister over the glove of Tellqvist with 3:06 to go in the 3rd. Doug Weight assisted on the goal, earning his 1000th career point. The crowd at Jobing.com arena gave him a standing ovation. Really nice to see them giving the away team player some props. With 28 seconds left, and the goalie pulled, Park got another goal to make it 5-4. New York tried to put some pressure on to get the tying goal, but couldn't make it happen. Yotes come away with 2 more important points.