Phoenix Coyotes

Michael Stone a cornerstone

I caught a bit of the recent CHL action between the Saint John Sea Dogs vs. Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) yesterday on Shaw Cable and was pleased earlier to catch most of the one-sided victory (8-1) for the Calgary Hitmen over the Red Deer Rebels. With all of the Calgary Hitmen success ( #1 in WHL with 107 points and home ice throughout playoffs), their captain Michael Stone is of course a main reason and a catalyst for the gameplan. Calgary finished #5 in the year end CHL rankings with a 49-17-1-2 record.

That takes noting away from Brandon Kozun, who caught and surpassed Jordan Eberle in his final game with a four assist night to win the scoring championship and the spectacular netminding of Martin Jones, who ends up with the supreme goal-against in the league with a mark of 2.21.

With 65 points (21 goals) and playing a rugged and hard-nosed style, the Coyotes have another blue-chip defender in the works (David Schlemko, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Maxim Goncharov, Chris Summers). His point total allowed him to stand as the #5 ranked defenseman in the WHL for scoring and is a candidate for an All-Star selection come year end to add to his Second All-Star Team nod from last season. He knows when to lay the lumber and hammer down, collecting 91 PIM as well, but seems to never leave his team ham-strung. He continues to rise as a performer and is adding to a healthy prospect pool.

15 March 2010 / Robin Keith Thompson

Coyotes had some primetime flavour

Phoenix had one heck of a month.

Shane Doan was just named the ‘Player of the week’ by the NHL, the team is 7-3 in the last ten and are holding off the Los Angeles Kings by two points for second place in the Pacific Division/ 4th in the Conference. The Home record is particularily strong at 21-8-2. Dave Tippett should be a Jack Adams Trophy candidate and it must have felt good to beat the Stars a few games back.

Now, the Coyotes are winning a lot of one-goal games, but that is coaching and perseverance, not to mention the added veteran influences in the lockerroom. Losing Scottie Upshall recently was not a good thing - I finished a piece on my website Chiller Instinct about him and then ‘whack’ - out of the lineup the character goes. ON that note, head to Chiller Instinct anytime you’d like to read about a player about to get hurt and placed on injured reserve…

At Chiller Instinct, we like to focus in on a number of different aspects, the games played on Saturdays and Sundays and the three star nominations to be specific. For the month of January 2010, CI names goaltender Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes as the Primetime Performer of the month.

Also, the Coyotes themselves were one of the best overall teams in garnering three star awards after gameplay, picking up 39 total ‘points’ (5 pts=1st star, 3 pts=2nd star, 2 pts=3rd star). The Florida Panthers have been red-hot (not just their pin-striping) lately and had the best mark at 50 total points, which is a team record at CI. Read the entire listing here.

The propreitor of this fine site, David Johnson, was kind enough to join me yesterday in an interview concerning and highlighting the blockbuster trade on Sunday (no, not Jason Blake to Anaheim). Read the interview HERE.

Thanks Coyotes enthusiasts.

2 February 2010 / Robin Keith Thomspson

World Junior main men

With the World Junior Championships culminating in the medal matches this afternoon and evening, Coyotes fans whould have their eyes on two players gunning for gold and bronze.

Despite an early push by 17-year-old US National Development Team goaltender Jack Campbell, Phoenix prospect Mike Lee (19, St. Cloud University) has battened down the starting role and the Americans have advanced past a thrilling Swedish team to meet Canada in the gold medal game tonight.  The netminding stats are here for those interested.

Swedish defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, an incredible 18-year-old, fared well in the event last year and earned his top-ten drafting this past summer by the ‘Yotes. This time around he has been over-shadowed, as most have, by NHL defenseman Alex Pietrangelo(St. Louis) and fellow Canuck Ryan Ellis (Nashville) - as all in the tourney have.

Ekman-Larsson has been solid and in the two games I have seen Sweden play in thus far, has not made a mistake, though, perhaps his strength is in creating chances and pushing the pace of a game. He sits 6th in defenseman scoring with 5 points in his 5 contests, taken no penalties, and is a +3.  Sweden tangles with the Swiss today for bronze.  Defenseman scoring is here.

More thought on him will follow tomorrow when I interview Elite Prospects http://www.eliteprospects.com/ webmaster and Swede, Johan Nilsson on my website:

www.chillerinstinct.com

(Our pre-tourney interview is here)

5 January 2010 / Robin Keith Thompson

Coyotes at 2010 World Junior Championships

Hi all the hockey enthusiasts out there, happy holiday season to you and yours.

The World Junior Hockey Championships are one of my favourite times of year. The Phoenix Coyotes have a number of talented indivicuals in the tournament, including Oliver Ekman-Larsson, a defenseman taken #6 overall in the past 2009 draft. I caught up with Johan Nilsson of Elite Prospects and we chatted about Team Sweden in particluar coming into the 2010 WJC.

Read the entire interview HERE at Chiller Instinct.

Also, I personally think that netminder Mike Lee of Team USA has a real shot at standing out in this tournament and giving the Coyotes’ brass something to think about in the future.  USA is good team, but not a lock for  a medal, so strong goaltending will be a key.

24 December 2009 / Robin Keith Thompson

‘Yotes ink Michael Stone

Quick note:

The Phoenix Coyotes have signed Michael Stone(3rd round, 69th overall in 2008) to an entry-level deal.  The 6′3, 205 lb. defenseman has been lighting up the Western Hockey League, scoring 28 points (13 goals) and 46 PIM in 29 games thus far. 

His team, the Calgary Hitmen (4th ranked team overall in CHL), stand first in the Eastern Conference and are also the top-ranked team in the WHL at this point-though the Saskatoon Blades are but one point shy.  Stone is a big, big part of the blueline and was a WHL 2nd Team All-Star last season as well.

9 December 2009 / Robin Keith Thompson

The official NHL/Coyotes press release is here.

Primetime Performers and an assessment

With a sparkling month of November, the Phoenix Coyotes sit with a 15-11-1 mark and a 68 GF/65 GA ratio.  The fact of the matter is that with some burgeoning youth, a solid netminder, and a dedicated group that is under fire from this current coaching staff-the Coyotes have a playoff chance.  The team can certainly be noted for strangling its opposition this season-giving up just 27 shots per game (3rd best) and winning games that have been locked down will get those comments.  But at this point, the Yotes will take the results. 

I applaude the fact that the staff realized that the youth movement in effect at that point ws not making the team better and sent the lot down to earn individual playing time in Phoenix while letting veterans run the show.  I am game for the kids-if any of you read my work at Chiller Instinct you know- but the team was suffering and the point can be made that the careers of kid such as Kyle Turris and others will benefit in the long run.

What is the most telling, I believe, is the 10th place (51.5%) faceoff percentage; it is such an indicator.

Key faceoff men:

Matt Lombardi 116/105 = 52.5%

Vern Fiddler 199/161 = 55.3%

Martin Hanzal 163/148 = 52.4%

Robert Lang 187/171 = 52.2%

Sami Lepisto even has one win to 0 losses = 100%  The key here is that vets have come and brought stability and the young centremen in Hanzal and Lombardi have really contributed well at the dot.  Big time improvement from last season’s worst NHL club mark.

While they have played much more competitivley than most would have expected this far into the season, they still stand in a 4-way tie for 6th spot in the severe Western Conference.  The powerplay has improved quite well and sits at 20%, while their 81.9% penalty-killing is good for a tie at 10th best as well.  This is a much more sound group that is all pulling in the same direction than previous editions.  Dave Tippett has come in and really made a difference.

Ilya Bryzgalov has been extraordinary at times and is in the running for an All-Star appearance.  Injuries have been limited and the re-vamping of the defense is looking like a solid move.  Not over-extending the youth is a big key and bodes well for the future.  Shane Doan leads this team on the scoresheet as well as the locker room, but he certainly has help this season.  I think that Mikkel Boedker and some of the other kids will have their hands dirty by the end of the seaosn and if things remain static, this team will turn on the red light more often.

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Chiller Instinct has named San Jose netminder Evgeni Nabokov the Primetime Performer for the month of Novmeber 2009.  None of the Oilers’ moustaches tallied any votes.  Read the entire write-up HERE.

2 December 2009 / Robin Keith Thompson

www.chillerinstinct.com

www.eliteprospects.com

www.bluelinetalkradio.com

Tough man contest and Sherry Ross, opposites perhaps

Hello all hockey enthusiasts.

This week I have posted a contest on Chiller Instinct about a poll I would like to conduct on who the fans, yes you, believe are the toughest players in the world of hockey.  Now Yote Paul Bissonette may garner some attention, but as you will see from my audio and the write-up involved, there may be so much else to consider as well. 

Sure the tussles are nice, but how does longevity and endurance factor in?  Does Shane Doan, Jarome Iginla, or Mike Komisarek grab you…?  We want the fans opinion.  Heck, Hayley Wickenheiser might just get a vote or two after last week, but I digress.  See the link here.  There will be a prize package announced tomorrow.

In moving on, Sherry Ross of the New Jersey Devils’ broadcast team became the first ever woman to announce play-by-play of a game in English last night.  I took the time to research her previous activity and have a unique look that other articles are glossing over about it.  This is a fairly big deal and is nice to see finally crest over.  Read my post on Sherry Ross’ Devilish Breakout.

Up next Coyotes’ fans….a nice in depth look at the fantastic start by Phoenix.  Stay tuned.

26 Novmeber 2009 / Robin Keith Thompson

Gabriel Landeskog - interview with Elite Prospects

Hi there hockey enthusiasts.

I have just completed an interview with Johan Nilsson of Elite Prospects about Swedish prospect Gabriel Landeskog of the Kitchener Rangers (OHL).  

Feel free to read the interview here.  The Coyotes could use a player like Landeskog down the line… everyone could.

As we drive into the 1/4 pole of the season with pretty positive results, I will throw a progress report of the Phoenix team at you shortly.

18 November 2009 / Robin Keith Thompson

Blueline Talk Radio - guest hosting and Sami Lepisto

Hi all.

I just finished guest hosting for Millain Quinteros on the Blueline Talk Radio show.  Check it out at:

www.bluelinetalkradio.com

It is the most recent show.  In it I discuss the Olympics very quickly, highlight team prospects the league round- including Coyotes’ defenseman Sami Lepisto, Theo Fleury’s book “Playing with Fire”, and more.

Cheers, Robin Keith Thompson / 5 November 2009

hard to take your word Mr. Daly

I am sure that it is not just myself, but anyone else feel the tablecloth shift a little when you hear, “We do not intend to comment publicly on that process.” - in regards to the sale of the Coyotes becoming a foregone conclusion now that Judge Redfield T. Baum has approved the sale, and that they are committed to finding ownership to keep the club long-term in Phoenix, yet they do not wish to comment on it publicly.  I find that insulting.  No- wait, it is just that they haven’t actually made any headway into doing that except for preparing void comments such as that as lip service.  More insults as far as I am concerned.  It just goes to show that the NHL does not respect their fans as thinking public, just cheering ATMs.

Read the NHL’s press release HERE if you wish, not much to it, surprise.  But we’ve been keeping up with this and it will be interesting to see who takes over and how long the ‘Yotes stay in the Arizona desert. 

I just find it hard to believe that the NHL (who keep in mind have two of the largest claims as creditors in the bankruptcy case-if you can believe that because I still cannot get over that alarming fact) will not retrieve their losses and stick others holding a less-than-desirable bag.

 LISTEN to my rant entitled ‘Bettman’s Denouement’ from about two months ago.  You can find more audio at Blueline Talk Radio. 

READ the scathing and well-researched piece I wrote after examining all the bankruptcy documents myself.  This is also a bit dated, but the information is still pertinent, entitled “Deposition of a Fan-an independant look at the Coyotes’ court proceedings”.

Sadly, this is after a fantastic start to the season for a team that everyone had pegged for doormats.  Even with a loss to the Kings last night in come-from-behind fashion, Phoenix stands instrong with a 9-5-0 mark and 7-3 in the past ten. 

Captain Shane Doan is also on the cover of ‘The Hockey News’ with the moniker ‘Captain Fantastic’ emblazoning the front.

3 November 2009 / Robin Keith Thompson