Phoenix Coyotes

Decision Department, Room 1011

With only a handful of games to play in the preseason and the Coyotes wrapping up their schedule with a 5-2 victory against the Kings, our eyes start to gleam in the preparation of the games that count.

For the most part, the rosters are set. Kevin Porter is giving Wayne Gretzky all he can handle in the decision department. Martin Hanzal is back playing and is contributing, skating for 15+ minutes in the past game against the Kings. Hanzal registered a shot on net as well as two bodychecks.

The positives I am gleaning from information have the team’s penalty-kill cutting down opponent’s odd-man threats. The Ducks and one-time Jet Teemu Selanne were efficient marksmen in Anaheim’s 4-1 victory earlier in the week, going 2-for-8. But in three other contests lately, the Coyotes have an impressed with PP shut-outs against the Sharks (0/6) and Kings (0/3). This will need to be a constant, as Phoenix was a dreadful 24th league-wide on the ‘kill’.

I would have to deem the faceoff circle a disappoinment thus far. The figures are not encouraging and the Coyotes were a poor team on the dot last year as well. Kyle Turris has left something to be desired there so far and Olli Jokinen has hovered around 45% for the last four years according to espn.com. Also, gone are Niko Kapanen (52%), Mike Zigomanis (60%), and Mike York (51%). Steven Reinprecht is the only member of the staff who has taken a significant amount of draws and compiled a decent percentage at 51%. Joel Perrault, Daniel Winnik, Peter Mueller, and Martin Hanzal were all sub-50% last year.
Now I know that Mueller is not a true centre and that Winnik and Perrault should and will be used sparingly. My hope is that Porter, though a winger by trade, develops his faceoff mechanism and really gives the Yotes a specialist. If he added that to his repertoire, a force he would become.

So, management has decisions and though most have been made with the recent sending of goalie Al Montoya and forward Alex Bourret to San Antonio (AHL), while centre Mike Zigomanis and Ryan Lannon have been placed on waivers. The roster carries 16 forwards right now (13 is a standard, though 14 is possible) and 8 defensemen (usual is 7), and 2 goalies.
So with 26 now on the roster and the league maximum at 23, the team needs to shed at least 3 bodies. I would vote on Garth Murray, Matt Jones, and Perrault. But I do not run the team and that would leave a void at the centre position.
I am a huge fan of what defenseman Jonas Ahnelov has done, as well as my love affair with Viktor Tikhonov, Mikkel Boedker, and Porter approaching shameless.

Wipe your eyes and adjust your focus Phoenix fans, the season starts on Saturday the 11th when the Coyotes welcome Rick Nash and Pascal Leclaire and the Blue Jackets to the desert!
The bigger key may be when the ‘Yotes charge into Anaheim to contest the Ducks the very next afternoon.

11 October 2008
Robin Keith Thompson