In analysis of the goaltending situation for our desert dogs, things look positive.  Ilya Bryzgalov has brought legitimacy and Mikael Tellqvist is a decent stop-gap.  The depth has some promise from there.

Josh Tjordman turns 24 on January 11th and is enjoying the lion’s share of playing time in San Antonio (AHL).  I use the term ‘enjoy’ loosely, as the Rampage would be considered the worst team in the league, if it were not for the Rochester Americans (Florida’s farm team).  Tjordman has a respectable 2.70 goals-against and .903 save percentage in 24 games while posting 3 shutouts in that span.  That competitive nature and solid progression would be rewarded.

Rampage team-mate Al Montoya was once thought to be a stud goaltending prospect in the Ranger’s organization and is not benefiting from the platoon role at the AHL level. At 23, Montoya must show progress and a desire to battle if he is to win favour.

Joel Gistedt is a 21 year-old from the Frolunda Hockey Club, brought over this year to compete and provide pressure.  In his one appearance in the AHL for the Rampage, Joel was basically a ’shooter tutor’, stopping 7 shots in the 13 fired his way in one period before ‘finding pine’.  Assigned to the Arizona Sundogs (CHL) where Gretzky and company can keep an eye on him, Gistedt has struggled.  Compiling a 4-8-0 record with a 4.52 and .851 save%, the young Swedish netminder has succumbed to 31 year-old Marco Emond’s Player of the Month numbers and has lost the starter’s job.  Youth and solid numbers in Sweden should provide solace and optimism.  He has 2 assists in 13 games as well.  His high draft status has the Coyotes nervous to be sure (2nd round, 36th overall in 2007).

Highlighting Scott Darling at the University of Maine to open the article, one must not forget the other Coyotes’ goaltending prospect, Brett Bennett.  Once the US National Development Program’s prized netminder with the Under-17 and Under-18 teams, Bennett led the Americans to a U-18 World Junior Gold Medal with his play in 2005-06 and translated that into the back-up job at Boston University.  His re-emergance this year in the USHL will place extreme pressure on those above him on the depth charts (for the time being).  Bennett has posted incredible numbers for the Indiana Ice (15-5-1, 2.36, .921, 24 games) while the Ice sit comfortably in first overall.

31 December 2008 / Robin Keith Thompson

Maxim Goncharov (CSKA-Russia) scored a goal in the Russian 4-1 victory against Latvia on ‘Boxing Day’ 26 December 2008.  Goncharov, a defenseman, scored the marker on the powerplay and was +1 in the game.

Vladimir Ruzicka, a forward for the Czech Republic, was overmatched but a bright spot for his team with his swift skating and puck movement. Now for the bad news.  The young Czech was -3, though he did muster 3 shots.  Clearly his best game is yet to come.

27 December 2008 / Robin Keith Thompson

The Phoenix Coyotes are gaining momentum as a young and talented team.  Creeping up the standings, signs are beginning to appear that the young pups will down you with a six-shooter if you aren’t careful.

First, the Coyotes are shutting down opponents with stellar goaltending.  Ilya Bryzgalov and Mikael Tellqvist have been decent in net.  But we all know that Bryzgalov is a fabulous netminder and has begun to start rolling in a way that should bring Phoenix that solid stopper.  Bryzgalov has a .913 save% (23rd overall) and a 2.70 GAA, which are below his regular averages.  He is fresh off of his first shut-out of the year, a 2-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Much is being made of the recent winning ways of Phoenix, in which they have put together a 6-2-2 record, climbing into 3rd in the Pacific, 7th in the Western Conference, and 16th NHL-wide.  Things are never as good (or as bad) as they seem.  Faceoffs are stil dead last with a 43.1% (30th) and the powerplay ranks as 28th best with a 13.9% efficiency rating.  THe Coyotes are also 20th in goals for/game with 2.61.  They are still getting outshot most nights as well, allowing 31.4 while generating 28.1/game themselves.

Now for the good news.  The penalty-killing has been getting better at 82.0% , good for 11th overall and have not allowed a powerplay goal against in the last three games against Dallas, Nashville, and Columbus.  Sure, not heavyweights, but enouraging.  Overall, the Coyotes have scored 86 times and allowed 91 goals against. 

But consider this:

Since 26 November 2008 Phoenix has scored 36 goals and allowed 33 tallies.  That includes the 7-1 ’scalpin’ the Blackhawks gave them.  In that larger 13 game stretch, the dogs’ record is 8 wins, 3 losses, and 2 ovetime losses.  Two of those outright losses came as one-goal defeats to the Red Wings and Sharks- respectable.  Maybe a brighter sign is that they are taking care of the Kings, Blue Jackets, Stars, Maple Leafs, and Avalanche as one would hope.

Kyle Turris seems to be getting more comfortable and has recently just bought a home.  Upstarts Enver Lisin, Joakim Lindstrom, Viktor Tikhonov, Kevin Porter, and Mikkel Boedker have all contributed to some success.  A slow start from Daniel Carcillo and to a certain degree Peter Mueller, have Phoenix looking for more offensively.

In games before Christmas, the Dogs faceoff in Edmonton tonight and then in Colorado tomorrow.  After the two-day break, the ‘Yotes square-off against the Kings in a home-and-home affair, before closing out the year with the Avs in town.

22 December 2008 / Robin Keith Thompson

7 December 2008 / Robin Keith Thompson

Now, of course there is always a lag on these types of things, but as a Jets fan when I was a kid and always very interested in the franchise, I am not surprised.  With the team looking ahead at a playoff berth as a real possibility this year-let’s hope things bust out of the desert.

17 November 2008 / Robin Keith Thompson

In Thursday’s game, in his usual fourth line minutes (11:24), Tikhonov’s star power was subtle and evident.   In 11 games Vik only has 2 assists, 2 PIM, -1, and 19 shots.  Nothing spectacular I agree.  But in watching his slapdash movements, I was immediately reminded of watching Zdeno Chara.  When this kid’s body catches up to his hockey IQ and potential-he will be a bonafide star.  I would not say that without having watched him play in person.  He brings up notions of a puppy that you know is going to emerge larger every day and you see the food bill chalk up.  Another comparision may be Milan Lucic.  I watched that kid barely make the Vancouver Giants and work his as$ off and eventually become a force for the Bruins.  Same sort of haphazard player with hockey sense and talent.  Watch for Tikhonov, his star is rising.

 Sure, the Canucks did not need to devote a shadow to Tikhonov to shut him down and win the game 1-0.  And most in Vancouver were (and still talking about it on the radio) disappointed in not having Kyle Turris play.  Turris is a good playmaker and was a star the last time I personally was at GM Place for the Canada/Russia Super Series (with Karl Alzner, Sam Gagner, Drew Doughty, John Tavares, Lucic, etc. (Mayorov, Alexandrov, Vasyunov, r.i.p.-Cherepanov, Varlamov).  Turris’ -4 and 4 points needs to be better and he has been sat against the Canucks and formerly the Flames.  His defensive play is not on par with Tikhonov’s and this is reflected.

Phoenix welcomes Shawn Matthias, David Booth, Nathan Horton and former Coyotes Keith Ballard/Nick Boynton tonight.  Let’s hope that Olli Jokinen has a better game than he did in Vancouver. First line minutes and he was fairly absent Thursday. 

8 November 2008

Robin Keith Thompson

Phoenix ranks 29th in Goals for per game at 2.14, which is a bit of a surprise.  Olli Jokinen is the only player at a point per game pace with 1 goal and 6 assists in 7 games.  With only 16 shots, the Coyotes should look for his intensity to be ramped up and if line tinkering is the answer, look for that to be addressed.  Captain Shane Doan is second with 5 points and I think that the play of veteran Steven Reinprecht has been very good.  Defensemen Ed Jovanovski and Derek Morris are certainly performing well under expectations.  The goals against per game is at 3.14 which ranks them in the bottom third of the NHL as well.  Ilya Bryzgalov’s slow start has more than a little to do with that, as Zbynek Michalek and Kurt Sauer has proven to be reliable.

Faceoffs are absolutely brutal, ranking last in the NHL at 41.6% and again Reinprecht stands out.  The vet has the only winning percentage at 50.79% with 32 wins against 31 losses.  This needs to be figured out and I think that you can live with Jokinen’s 40% rate (ouch!) if Kyle Turris is moved to the wing, because his percentage has been abysmal as well.  Faceoffs are so key to puck possession.  Turris’ production would probably increase as well, though his four points are decent in my view.  He also needs more shots, as nine over seven games is shy of what could be.  Get more aggresive Kyle.  His blog can be read here.

So, all in all, things could be worse.  After two wins to open the season, Phoenix has dropped four of five.  WIth a number of practice days ahead before they welcome Sidney Crosby and the Penguins to the desert, look for some noticeable changes.  Do Viktor Tikhonov and Kevin Porter see more ice with some line changes?  Does Gretzky stand pat?  How will the defense respond?  Things are heating up in the season and the desert could be the leagues hotspot.

Give the kids credit. They have certainly come to play. “These kids are pretty unique and they are pretty good,” Wayne Gretzky said. “I think although they’re kids, they’re pretty mature. They really have their eyes wide-open and are having a lot of fun.”

Mikkel Boedker scored a beauty on a two-on-one rush to open the scoring against the Ducks. Steven Reinprecht led the play and made an outstanding pass to Boedker, who froze both defenseman Steve Montador and J.S. Giguere for his first career NHL goal. Save that puck.

Kyle Turris was prominent during both games, tying the lead in the young season with 3 points so far. His first NHL goal (game-winner) came later in the Ducks game, and he assisted on a goal by captain Shane Doan as well. Winger Kevin Porter was quietly effective in tallying a couple of assists for the Dogs. Porter recently lost his grandfather and our hearts go out to the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner.

The altogether outstanding play of Ilya Bryzgalov has kept the Coyotes in both games as the Ducks outshot the ‘Yotes 35-24 and the Jackets managed 29 shots in the first game. Bryzgalov was named 2nd star against Columbus.

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