Today was a glorious day for hockey.
Much like 1980, there are dynamics that can never be duplicated. Canada on home ice. The upstart, overachieving US team. A one game winner take all. Sudden death overtime. And the backdrop of a glorious Olympic tournament. What a game. What a moment for hockey.
And for once NBC did the right thing by going live in all time zones with Olympic coverage. The US ratings will be huge, perhaps the best ever for a hockey game. And the resulting interest will help every level of the sport.
The winner today was hockey. For those of us who have loved the game for so many years, it was great to see our sport honored. And for those just joining us, there’s plenty of room (and beer) on the bandwagon. Hang on, it’s a great ride.
Now about those amazing Coyotes...
How can you not be impressed with this team? With 19 games left in the regular season, the Yotes have 79 points. That’s about 20 points better than you could have gotten odds on last October.
No one thing better illustrates the turnaround than the playoff ticket packages that were mailed to season tickets holders last week. Boy did they look good.
In late December we suggested that the Coyotes needed to be around 70 points by the end of January to be in position to reach the playoffs. That observation was based on an unfavorable home schedule beginning January 31st (just a small part of the mismanagement of the team) of 17 road games against 10 home games.
In January, the Coyotes experienced their most difficult stretch of the season. The Yotes went 4-5-1 and it started to look like the clock may have struck midnight.
Well, there’s nothing like a good road trip to end that conversation. After a late January win in Detroit, the Coyotes left Phoenix on January 30 with 69 points and went back on the road and won in Dallas, Nashville and Chicago. The first two teams are fighting for playoff spots and the Hawks have been among the elite in the NHL this year. It was a glorious trip that vaulted the Yotes into 4th place in the Western Conference and solidified their playoff standing.
Ilya Bryzgalov has been the team’s MVP and after a little rough stretch in January, he has snapped back to form. The Coyotes will need him down the stretch. With 79 points in the bank and 19 games remaining a .500 record will get the team into the playoffs. But now, with a playoff spot squarely in the crosshairs, the team is thinking bigger. Home ice in a 4-5 series against either Los Angeles or Colorado is a real possibility. With a sharp Bryzgalov, the team has a chance to gain home ice in the first round of the playoffs and gain a favorable first round matchup.
The NHL trade deadline approaches...
The Olympics have ended and at midnight the NHL reopens for trading. There will be 63hours until the deadline for deals at 3PM Eastern on Wednesday.
Now the spotlight will shift towards Don Maloney to see what he does to strengthen the team for a playoff run. Maloney had two commodities that most general managers don't have -- salary cap space and excess assets in the form of players not currently in the NHL and additional draft choices obtained in prior trades. For the first time in recent memory, the Coyotes will be buyers at the deadline. Maloney's shopping list will likely include a scoring forward and a depth defenseman.
Maloney was interviewed on a New York Rangers television broadcast before the break and he said that any moves the Coyotes make the balance of the year will be dollar for dollar moves. It will require some creative bookkeeping and ingenuity from GMDM to add the scoring he desperately needs as well as the 7th defenseman he craves.
Looking up and down the Coyotes roster, there’s really not many veterans the team would be willing to move. Kevin Porter is still a borderline prospect who might interest some teams. And we’ve heard that that former first draft choice Chris Summers hasn’t developed at Michigan as much as the Coyotes had hoped and might be available. There is plenty of additional salary in the Coyotes farm system that could be packaged with valuable assets to bring back reinforcements for the playoff push.
I don’t put much stock in Peter Mueller trade rumors. Mules has played much better in the last month and filled in capably when Scottie Upshall went down for the season with a torn ACL. The window for trading Mueller is probably past.
So what does all this mean? The Coyotes will probably have to package some useful assets (draft picks and unsigned players) with some dead wood salary to bring back a scorer. It would also be helpful if they were dealing with a team that has some financial flexibility. And Maloney doesn’t want to offer too many assets for a pure rental who has no interest in resigning in Phoenix.
All of which points to Toronto. The Leafs are in the middle of a full scale housecleaning and have made it clear that pretty much everyone is available. One player who might interest the Coyotes is Alexei Ponikarovsky. He’s a 29 year old center with a big body who is headed to a career best season with 19 goals and 40 points in 57 games. He has a $2.1MM cap hit and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Toronto needs draft picks to replenish the ones they traded to Boston for Phil Kessel as well as young players. It also helps that Don Maloney and Brian Burke are close friends. Toronto is the leagues richest franchise and can also bury money in the minor leagues to balance a deal. Porter, a salary and a draft pick (probably a 2nd) could bring Alexei to Phoenix. It makes sense because the Coyotes could use another center. In this scenario, Matt Lombardi might permanently swing outside, where he has played well.
And there’s a bonus with Ponikarovsky. While he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, he could be a candidate to stay with the Coyotes. He will likely command a contract that will be in the Coyotes price range. If he likes it in Phoenix, he may be here longer than the average tenure of a rental.
There’s another target that would make even more sense – Keith Tkachuk. With history in Phoenix, not only could he help the team on the ice, he could also sell some tickets. That’s a nice bonus for a team still struggling at the gate. Tkachuk’s base salary is $2.1MM and he has $400K in bonuses available. The same package might interest St. Louis, which a team that is still wavering between being buyer and seller. If the Blues decide to be sellers, Tkachuk will almost certainly be moved somewhere. Tkachuk might not be available to play for a week due to a broken finger but he would add size, versatility and some pizzazz to the Coyotes. He is also a local name brand who could help sell a few tickets.
If Maloney can’t land a big fish, he’ll probably opt for a veteran player with playoff experience. Preferably one who can score a few goals and add depth to a veteran team. Two names to keep in mind are Carolina defenseman Aaron Ward and Atlanta Thrashers forward Colby Armstrong.
And finally…whatever happened to Ice Edge Holdings?
You remember Ice Edge? They signed a 30 day letter of intent to purchase the Coyotes 75 days ago.
I can’t often say I’ve spoken directly to Gary Bettman about an issue, but I can on this one. You see, I called his XM radio show a couple of weeks ago and asked what was going on with Ice Edge.
Bettman’s (very cool) reply? “These deals take time”. He went on to say that even though it was a 30 day letter of intent, “we have not set a deadline for closing the deal.” I tried to ask a follow up question but was cut off mid-question. Bettman and E.J. Hradek sounded a little sheepish about cutting me off however there was no additional discussion or clarification. It seemed to me that Bettman was not very interested in talking about Ice Edge.
His tone didn’t leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling.
There are three compelling reasons that a deal needs to be done soon. The first is that once the playoffs arrive, the Coyotes front office be starting work on next season. That can’t happen soon enough. The playoffs offer a tremendous opportunity to sell season tickets and sponsorships. Another lost summer would doom the franchise. The new ownership needs to be in place to allow fans and sponsors to buy with confidence.
The second and third reasons are Matthew Lombardi and Zbynek Michalek. Both are unrestricted free agents and both are vital parts of the Coyotes. Both will require a minimum three year commitment at least $3MM per year. That will need to come from new ownership.
Possible deal hang ups? There are 3 – long term financing of the group, the arena lease and the whole Saskatoon deal.
Ice Edge has the upfront money to close the purchase. The perspective owners have committed 90% of the purchase price in cash. I was told by an executive of another team that they have plenty of cash. What they may not have is the wherewithal to sustain large losses over a long period of time.
No one expects the Coyotes and the arena to start making money next year. There will be losses. The anticipated magnitude of the losses and the funding necessary to cover them greatly concerns the league. Having the dough in place to cover those losses is part of the greens fees for any purchase to be approved. The league has a number in mind and Ice Edge will have to satisfy the league they can absorb losses over a long enough period to outlive the recession and turn the profitability of the entity around.
One of the things that will help is a new lease arrangement with the City of Glendale. There has been a lot of rustling that indicates conversations are ongoing but secrecy has been the order of the day. You would like to think that something will be done soon here but until a deal is announced one has to withhold judgment.
And about Saskatoon, most people around the NHL agree that a five game package is not going to be approved by the league. We’ve suggested a more modest three game package might gain favor as a trial but there’s not a great appetite to split the schedule. That’s too bad because a few other NHL teams could benefit from a sister city program. If Saskatoon is off the table, you are looking at an additional $5MM in loss projections. Ice Edge is almost certainly looking to line up additional financing.
One way or another, this deal needs to be put to bed soon. Best case, done deal. Worst case, the team goes back on the market in time to entice new owners when the very exciting playoffs are going on.
Oh…and in case you were interested about how No-Show Joe did at the Olympics?
1 Goal in 7 games and a -1 for Thornton as a member of the gold medal winning Canadian team. The only Canadian forward who produced less was the lightly used Patrice Bergeron. As predicted here. Typical of his big game record.
He should package up his gold medal and send it to Shane Doan.
Showing posts with label Ilya Bryzgalov. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ilya Bryzgalov. Show all posts
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Half Way Home
The Coyotes concluded the first half of the 2009-10 season last night by beating the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in a shootout. It's the continuation of a wonderful story that is quickly becoming the talk of hockey.
Since the disaster of this summer, the franchise has far exceeded expectations on the ice, been sold to a new investment group and has seen attendance start to grow after a disastrous start. It's the kind of Christmas story that warms the heart. You can almost hear Jimmy Stewart saying “It ranks right up there at the top”.
For starters, the Yotes now have 53 points in 41 games. Only San Jose, Chicago, New Jersey and Washington have more. Unthinkable for a team that most pundits picked to finish 30th this year. And frankly surprising to those of us who thought the team would do well to battle for a playoff spot.
Right now, Dave Tippett is a lock as NHL coach of the year, Don Maloney likewise as GM and Ilya Brzygalov, he of the inconsistent game, a leading contender for both the Jennings and Vezina Trophies. And the team, which badly lacks star power, finds a way to win every night. Young kids have stepped up, different players have contributed every night and no team in the league outworks the Coyotes. In fact, I've been watching hockey for a long, long time and I have to go back years to think of a team that works as hard as the Coyotes.
The current 10 game home winning streak is a franchise record. Not just for the Phoenix franchise, but the entire 30 year Jets-Coyotes NHL history. As we told you earlier this month the Coyotes need to win their home games now to build a cushion when the schedule turns against them in February and March. Since we wrote that piece, the team hasn't lost at home.
Consider this, if the Coyotes play .500 hockey over the last 41 games of the season it would give them 94 points, which would very likely be enough to make the playoffs.
Point totals aside, the Coyotes look like a playoff team. Monday night, they played San Jose even for 65 minutes in the Shark tank before losing the shootout. The next night, they did the same against a red hot Canuck team that had been sitting in Phoenix waiting for them. Both games had a playoff look and feel. And in both cases they were playing elite teams with a distinct advantage.
Better yet, there's still room to improve the product. GMDM has available budget (the Coyotes are still barely above the salary cap floor) and tradeable assets to strengthen the team. The team still needs scoring help and as the trade deadline approaches, many useful players will be available. Maloney has been a shrewd trader with a tight budget and many pressing needs. With fewer needs and some financial room to move, he could be on the prowl for an difference making acquisition at the deadline.
Also reaching the halfway point this week is the time fuse on the letter of intent signed by Ice Edge Holdings to purchase the team.
While news has been sparse since the agreement was signed, there are several important facts that have leaked out.
Ice Edge and The City of Glendale appear to have an agreement in place that will generate additional revenue for the franchise in some way shape or form. Importantly, the lease will not contain any type of out clause that might dampen fan interest. As soon as Ice Edge and the NHL have a sales contract in place, it will be time for Glendale to show their hand.
Negotiations with the league appear to be centered around the group proving their wherewithal to absorb losses over the next few years. With 90% of the purchase price committed in cash, there's reason to believe that additional money is available to cover losses as well as the credit line all franchises are required to have. As I told you earlier this month, I've been told by people within the hockey universe that these guys have money. That's good because they won't be turning a profit on day one, but the recent performance of the team has to be heartening given the size of the project and the scope of the investment. A contract should be signed with the NHL in the next 15 days.
And as for the Saskatoon option, that idea has not been well received by NHL Governors. We suspect a compromise is in order here -- a lighter schedule (say 3 games for a two year test period)at a neutral (still likely Saskatoon) site. Ice Edge can schedule those games in the first half of the year when weekday crowds are light in Phoenix. That move as well as a shift in the home schedule to include more March games (to coincide with spring training and sport oriented tourists) should address much of the schedule concern. It gives Ice Edge additional revenue and helps the NHL move the team off their books.
Perhaps best of all, attendance is growing. Yes the crowds are certainly being bumped by cut rate and free tickets but the building is getting fuller and more enthusiastic every night. Saturday's game against Detroit is almost certain to be the teams first non-promotional sell out crowd in a long time.
The stocking are full for Coyote fans this year. The team is vastly improved, new owners are on the horizon and as anticipated fans are turning out to watch the much improved product. Here's a scoop -- hockey may, may yet work in Phoenix. How great is that?
Since the disaster of this summer, the franchise has far exceeded expectations on the ice, been sold to a new investment group and has seen attendance start to grow after a disastrous start. It's the kind of Christmas story that warms the heart. You can almost hear Jimmy Stewart saying “It ranks right up there at the top”.
For starters, the Yotes now have 53 points in 41 games. Only San Jose, Chicago, New Jersey and Washington have more. Unthinkable for a team that most pundits picked to finish 30th this year. And frankly surprising to those of us who thought the team would do well to battle for a playoff spot.
Right now, Dave Tippett is a lock as NHL coach of the year, Don Maloney likewise as GM and Ilya Brzygalov, he of the inconsistent game, a leading contender for both the Jennings and Vezina Trophies. And the team, which badly lacks star power, finds a way to win every night. Young kids have stepped up, different players have contributed every night and no team in the league outworks the Coyotes. In fact, I've been watching hockey for a long, long time and I have to go back years to think of a team that works as hard as the Coyotes.
The current 10 game home winning streak is a franchise record. Not just for the Phoenix franchise, but the entire 30 year Jets-Coyotes NHL history. As we told you earlier this month the Coyotes need to win their home games now to build a cushion when the schedule turns against them in February and March. Since we wrote that piece, the team hasn't lost at home.
Consider this, if the Coyotes play .500 hockey over the last 41 games of the season it would give them 94 points, which would very likely be enough to make the playoffs.
Point totals aside, the Coyotes look like a playoff team. Monday night, they played San Jose even for 65 minutes in the Shark tank before losing the shootout. The next night, they did the same against a red hot Canuck team that had been sitting in Phoenix waiting for them. Both games had a playoff look and feel. And in both cases they were playing elite teams with a distinct advantage.
Better yet, there's still room to improve the product. GMDM has available budget (the Coyotes are still barely above the salary cap floor) and tradeable assets to strengthen the team. The team still needs scoring help and as the trade deadline approaches, many useful players will be available. Maloney has been a shrewd trader with a tight budget and many pressing needs. With fewer needs and some financial room to move, he could be on the prowl for an difference making acquisition at the deadline.
Also reaching the halfway point this week is the time fuse on the letter of intent signed by Ice Edge Holdings to purchase the team.
While news has been sparse since the agreement was signed, there are several important facts that have leaked out.
Ice Edge and The City of Glendale appear to have an agreement in place that will generate additional revenue for the franchise in some way shape or form. Importantly, the lease will not contain any type of out clause that might dampen fan interest. As soon as Ice Edge and the NHL have a sales contract in place, it will be time for Glendale to show their hand.
Negotiations with the league appear to be centered around the group proving their wherewithal to absorb losses over the next few years. With 90% of the purchase price committed in cash, there's reason to believe that additional money is available to cover losses as well as the credit line all franchises are required to have. As I told you earlier this month, I've been told by people within the hockey universe that these guys have money. That's good because they won't be turning a profit on day one, but the recent performance of the team has to be heartening given the size of the project and the scope of the investment. A contract should be signed with the NHL in the next 15 days.
And as for the Saskatoon option, that idea has not been well received by NHL Governors. We suspect a compromise is in order here -- a lighter schedule (say 3 games for a two year test period)at a neutral (still likely Saskatoon) site. Ice Edge can schedule those games in the first half of the year when weekday crowds are light in Phoenix. That move as well as a shift in the home schedule to include more March games (to coincide with spring training and sport oriented tourists) should address much of the schedule concern. It gives Ice Edge additional revenue and helps the NHL move the team off their books.
Perhaps best of all, attendance is growing. Yes the crowds are certainly being bumped by cut rate and free tickets but the building is getting fuller and more enthusiastic every night. Saturday's game against Detroit is almost certain to be the teams first non-promotional sell out crowd in a long time.
The stocking are full for Coyote fans this year. The team is vastly improved, new owners are on the horizon and as anticipated fans are turning out to watch the much improved product. Here's a scoop -- hockey may, may yet work in Phoenix. How great is that?
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Coyotes at 10 & 7
After 17 games, the Coyotes are 10-7 and rank seventh in the Western Conference. If they could maintain that pace, it would project out to 96 points and based on history, that would be enough to make the playoffs.
It won't however be that easy.
It's been a better than expected start for the Coyotes that includes impressive wins over a number of power teams. And comes at the same time as two other Western Conference teams have kicked off the year with vastly improved fortunes. Los Angeles and Colorado are much improved. The uptick in Los Angeles was expected. The improvement in Colorado was not. If those two teams continue their improved play, the horse race for Western Conference playoff spots will be intense.
The Coyotes may well be in the best 5 team division in the NHL. San Jose once again looks to be the terror of the regular season. The Stars are solid and the Kings are vastly improved. Anaheim is off to a slow start but they may have the most talented roster outside of San Jose in the West.
Looking at the bigger Western Conference picture, no one expects Detroit to be on the outside looking in, even though they are not the same team they were in the past. An educated case is that the Coyotes will be competing with Dallas, Columbus & St. Louis for the last couple of playoff spots in the West. It will make every game interesting and important. No other professional sports league has such a compelling regular season.
To make the playoffs, it's essential for the Coyotes to win games they are capable of winning. Missed opportunities could well be the difference in making or missing the playoffs. The upcoming stretch of games against the Canadiens, Stars, Lightning, Wild, Blues represent 5 winnable games for the home team. Anything less than 7 points over this stretch would be a disappointment.
The Coyotes come to play every night. The work hard, play a disciplined 1-4 checking system (that's a trap for those of you who don't worship at the house of Jacques Lemaire) and they have generally gotten very good goaltending. And they still suffer from a lack of firepower that is a serious long term concern for the franchise.
So what should we expect?
More of the same. Lots of low scoring tight checking games. A continued emphasis on defensive play. And something novel and interesting -- a trade deadline where the Coyotes will likely be buyers rather than sellers.
As we've discussed here many times, the most crucial element for the team will be the goaltending of Ilya Bryzgalov. Bryz has been awfully good for the first five weeks of the season. The Coyotes are 3rd in the league in goals allowed average. Bryzgalov has been steady almost every night and sensational on several. If you have followed his career, you know that he tends to run hot and cold. So far, mostly hot. That's a good thing.
He's getting a lot of help from a mobile and deep defense. Ed Jovanoski, currently "day to day" with a lower body injury has been the team's best skater. His absence for any length of time could be devastating. The motivation of playing for a spot on the Canadian Olympic team and the Coyotes new management have rejuvenated the 33-year-old defenseman. He's playing like the player that Phoenix expected when former GM Mike Barnett gave him a $32.5MM contract 4 summers ago.
Jovo has had plenty of help. Keith Yandle is having a breakout season. Sami Lepisto has been a nice rookie surprise. Veterans Adrian Aucioin and Jim Vandermeer have come as advertised and Zbynek Michalek has been his usually sturdy self.
In fact the biggest problem the defense has had is staying on the ice. In addition to Jovanoski, Kurt Sauer has been out since the opener with concussion symptoms, Michalek is currently week to week with that dreaded lower body injury. In fact there's enough injury concern that GMDM is kicking the tires on 47 year old Chris Chelios who is currently playing in the American League.
With the back end playing well, the issue for the team was and will continue to be the lack of reliable scoring.
The Coyotes are 21st in the league in goals per game. Considering the roster on hand, that's not bad. Only Shane Doan and Robert Lang have ever had as much a s two 20 goal seasons and several regular forwards have never broken 20.
The Coyotes knew going in that goals would be at a premium this year. They are. Scott Upshall and Matt Lombardi have helped the offense and there's hope that one or more of the young guns sent to San Antonio might show enough promise to be back by the second half of the season.
But don't rule out the possibility of a trade for a goalscorer, should the right one become available. With players like Kyle Turris and Mikkel Boedker in the American League, the Coyotes are less than $300K above the salary cap floor. Unless Don Maloney is working under a burn the furniture budget (and he swears he is not) there is money to add a goalscorer. And there are future assets to deal including several young players who have not yet turned pro and future draft choices including the first acquired from Calgary for Olli Jokinen.
Depending what teams are and are not in playoff consideration will dictate what players are available but you may want to look east where the haves and have nots are quickly being sorted out and some veteran scorers (i.e. Ray Whitney & Jason Blake) may become available. In the past few years, now for later trades were unthinkable for the Coyotes. If the current scenario holds, they will be essential.
And as we complete the first quarter of the season, it's good to keep in mind that teams often over and under achieve in the first few weeks of the season. Part of that can be a carryover (both good and bad) from prior years, new coaching or the relative health of a team. History is littered with teams that don't finish the season the way that they start the year.
For the sake of the future of the Coyotes, let's hope they don't get caught up in that pattern this year.
It won't however be that easy.
It's been a better than expected start for the Coyotes that includes impressive wins over a number of power teams. And comes at the same time as two other Western Conference teams have kicked off the year with vastly improved fortunes. Los Angeles and Colorado are much improved. The uptick in Los Angeles was expected. The improvement in Colorado was not. If those two teams continue their improved play, the horse race for Western Conference playoff spots will be intense.
The Coyotes may well be in the best 5 team division in the NHL. San Jose once again looks to be the terror of the regular season. The Stars are solid and the Kings are vastly improved. Anaheim is off to a slow start but they may have the most talented roster outside of San Jose in the West.
Looking at the bigger Western Conference picture, no one expects Detroit to be on the outside looking in, even though they are not the same team they were in the past. An educated case is that the Coyotes will be competing with Dallas, Columbus & St. Louis for the last couple of playoff spots in the West. It will make every game interesting and important. No other professional sports league has such a compelling regular season.
To make the playoffs, it's essential for the Coyotes to win games they are capable of winning. Missed opportunities could well be the difference in making or missing the playoffs. The upcoming stretch of games against the Canadiens, Stars, Lightning, Wild, Blues represent 5 winnable games for the home team. Anything less than 7 points over this stretch would be a disappointment.
The Coyotes come to play every night. The work hard, play a disciplined 1-4 checking system (that's a trap for those of you who don't worship at the house of Jacques Lemaire) and they have generally gotten very good goaltending. And they still suffer from a lack of firepower that is a serious long term concern for the franchise.
So what should we expect?
More of the same. Lots of low scoring tight checking games. A continued emphasis on defensive play. And something novel and interesting -- a trade deadline where the Coyotes will likely be buyers rather than sellers.
As we've discussed here many times, the most crucial element for the team will be the goaltending of Ilya Bryzgalov. Bryz has been awfully good for the first five weeks of the season. The Coyotes are 3rd in the league in goals allowed average. Bryzgalov has been steady almost every night and sensational on several. If you have followed his career, you know that he tends to run hot and cold. So far, mostly hot. That's a good thing.
He's getting a lot of help from a mobile and deep defense. Ed Jovanoski, currently "day to day" with a lower body injury has been the team's best skater. His absence for any length of time could be devastating. The motivation of playing for a spot on the Canadian Olympic team and the Coyotes new management have rejuvenated the 33-year-old defenseman. He's playing like the player that Phoenix expected when former GM Mike Barnett gave him a $32.5MM contract 4 summers ago.
Jovo has had plenty of help. Keith Yandle is having a breakout season. Sami Lepisto has been a nice rookie surprise. Veterans Adrian Aucioin and Jim Vandermeer have come as advertised and Zbynek Michalek has been his usually sturdy self.
In fact the biggest problem the defense has had is staying on the ice. In addition to Jovanoski, Kurt Sauer has been out since the opener with concussion symptoms, Michalek is currently week to week with that dreaded lower body injury. In fact there's enough injury concern that GMDM is kicking the tires on 47 year old Chris Chelios who is currently playing in the American League.
With the back end playing well, the issue for the team was and will continue to be the lack of reliable scoring.
The Coyotes are 21st in the league in goals per game. Considering the roster on hand, that's not bad. Only Shane Doan and Robert Lang have ever had as much a s two 20 goal seasons and several regular forwards have never broken 20.
The Coyotes knew going in that goals would be at a premium this year. They are. Scott Upshall and Matt Lombardi have helped the offense and there's hope that one or more of the young guns sent to San Antonio might show enough promise to be back by the second half of the season.
But don't rule out the possibility of a trade for a goalscorer, should the right one become available. With players like Kyle Turris and Mikkel Boedker in the American League, the Coyotes are less than $300K above the salary cap floor. Unless Don Maloney is working under a burn the furniture budget (and he swears he is not) there is money to add a goalscorer. And there are future assets to deal including several young players who have not yet turned pro and future draft choices including the first acquired from Calgary for Olli Jokinen.
Depending what teams are and are not in playoff consideration will dictate what players are available but you may want to look east where the haves and have nots are quickly being sorted out and some veteran scorers (i.e. Ray Whitney & Jason Blake) may become available. In the past few years, now for later trades were unthinkable for the Coyotes. If the current scenario holds, they will be essential.
And as we complete the first quarter of the season, it's good to keep in mind that teams often over and under achieve in the first few weeks of the season. Part of that can be a carryover (both good and bad) from prior years, new coaching or the relative health of a team. History is littered with teams that don't finish the season the way that they start the year.
For the sake of the future of the Coyotes, let's hope they don't get caught up in that pattern this year.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Big Performances, Small Crowds
Under the best of circumstances, October hockey in Phoenix is a tough sell. The weather is still warmer here than it is in the dead of summer in most places. There's plenty of sports competition from the NFL Cardinals, two state universities and the coming NBA season. Not to mention the State Fair. And there's little hockey coverage or culture to generate incremental interest in the game.
So poor attendance at the Coyotes two home games this week was not surprising. But the crowds of 6,900 and 9,100 this week were lousy even by Arizona standards.
It's already brought out the vultures in the hockey press. Bloggers and journalists in established hockey markets and across Canada are already writing the obituary for the franchise. "A ruined market"..."dead team walking"...and "only a matter of time until the Coyotes move" are some of the headlines I've read in the last few days.
Well, not so fast.
Unless someone lives in Arizona, they cannot understand the damage that was done to the franchise this summer. There was no promotion of the team. There was no corporate sales season. Most of the ticket reps have quit and many professionals have left the organization. Their positions for the most part have gone unfilled.
Since the ownership of the team has not been settled, there has been little in the way of advertising or marketing. And what there has been is off target and not creating a ripple in the market. Publicity for the team has been OK but not extraordinary.
There are still a lot of loose ends here. Some things need to happen in short order for attendance to improve.
Winning can cover a lot of problems and the Coyotes continue to perform well on the ice. Last night they beat down the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins 4-1 in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicates. That gives the team wins over San Jose, Pittsburgh and Boston in the first two weeks of the season. Those were three of the four best teams in the NHL last year. Phoenix gets a crack at the 4th, Detroit, on Thursday night. By any measure, a great start to the season and one that has the Coyotes on top of the Pacific Division.
And the Coyotes need to continue winning. It is non negotiable if the franchise's fortunes are going to turn. The team lacks star power. In many respects they are reminiscent of the 1996 Florida Panthers, a team of journeymen who played far better than the individual parts. Coach for a month Dave Tippett and his staff have done an outstanding job putting in a tight checking system and maximizing the assets on hand. Tippett and Don Maloney are the early leaders in any discussion for coach and manager of the year in the NHL.
The next thing that needs to happen is that the ownership situation needs to be settled. There is a perceived uncertainty in the community that is not going to go away until new owners are firmly in place.
The Ice Edge group continues to make their presence known. People inside and outside of the organization are whispering that what once seemed to be long shot bid to buy the team may be closer to reality than anticipated. Much closer than has been reported in the local press. Ice Edge already has a lease agreement in place with the City of Glendale.
There's also chatter that the Jerry Reinsdorf group may resurface once the NHL gains control of the situation. They have been keeping a low profile but that has been their modus operandi since first bidding for the team. They have access to the money and the connections necessary to purchase and manage the team.
The NHL is due back in Judge Tom's court next week for a hearing on many of the loose ends still hanging from the bankruptcy. It's expected the league will shortly file an amended bid that meets the court's criteria for purchasing the team. Then it's up to the NHL to flip the team as quickly as possible to new owners. Unless the league has gotten cold feet about the Phoenix market (and wants to take on the City of Glendale in court) a quick sale is anticipated. That will allow new owners to take over and make a strong statement that the team is staying in Arizona. This is a necessary component in rebuilding the fan base. Until the door is closed on potential relocation, questions will remain and business will suffer.
The optimist in me says that both will happen. The coaching staff is using the talent on hand as well as any team in the league. The defense is mobile and active. Adrian Aucoin is living up to his billing as a minutes-eater and is a solid confident player. Keith Yandle is showing big improvement over his rookie season. And Sami Lepisto, acquired from Washington for a 5th round draft choice, has been a pleasant surprise. Combined with tight checking, it's made life relatively easy for Ilya Bryzgalov. And Ilya has been up to the challenge, backstopping the Coyotes to the best goals allowed in the league.
It all seems so simple. Ice a winning team, install new owners and management and a renewed optimism, all in place in time for the Christmas selling season. And enough progress on and off the ice to make the turnstile count a footnote rather than the story. It can happen.
And yet, just a few weeks ago it seemed so far away.
So poor attendance at the Coyotes two home games this week was not surprising. But the crowds of 6,900 and 9,100 this week were lousy even by Arizona standards.
It's already brought out the vultures in the hockey press. Bloggers and journalists in established hockey markets and across Canada are already writing the obituary for the franchise. "A ruined market"..."dead team walking"...and "only a matter of time until the Coyotes move" are some of the headlines I've read in the last few days.
Well, not so fast.
Unless someone lives in Arizona, they cannot understand the damage that was done to the franchise this summer. There was no promotion of the team. There was no corporate sales season. Most of the ticket reps have quit and many professionals have left the organization. Their positions for the most part have gone unfilled.
Since the ownership of the team has not been settled, there has been little in the way of advertising or marketing. And what there has been is off target and not creating a ripple in the market. Publicity for the team has been OK but not extraordinary.
There are still a lot of loose ends here. Some things need to happen in short order for attendance to improve.
Winning can cover a lot of problems and the Coyotes continue to perform well on the ice. Last night they beat down the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins 4-1 in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicates. That gives the team wins over San Jose, Pittsburgh and Boston in the first two weeks of the season. Those were three of the four best teams in the NHL last year. Phoenix gets a crack at the 4th, Detroit, on Thursday night. By any measure, a great start to the season and one that has the Coyotes on top of the Pacific Division.
And the Coyotes need to continue winning. It is non negotiable if the franchise's fortunes are going to turn. The team lacks star power. In many respects they are reminiscent of the 1996 Florida Panthers, a team of journeymen who played far better than the individual parts. Coach for a month Dave Tippett and his staff have done an outstanding job putting in a tight checking system and maximizing the assets on hand. Tippett and Don Maloney are the early leaders in any discussion for coach and manager of the year in the NHL.
The next thing that needs to happen is that the ownership situation needs to be settled. There is a perceived uncertainty in the community that is not going to go away until new owners are firmly in place.
The Ice Edge group continues to make their presence known. People inside and outside of the organization are whispering that what once seemed to be long shot bid to buy the team may be closer to reality than anticipated. Much closer than has been reported in the local press. Ice Edge already has a lease agreement in place with the City of Glendale.
There's also chatter that the Jerry Reinsdorf group may resurface once the NHL gains control of the situation. They have been keeping a low profile but that has been their modus operandi since first bidding for the team. They have access to the money and the connections necessary to purchase and manage the team.
The NHL is due back in Judge Tom's court next week for a hearing on many of the loose ends still hanging from the bankruptcy. It's expected the league will shortly file an amended bid that meets the court's criteria for purchasing the team. Then it's up to the NHL to flip the team as quickly as possible to new owners. Unless the league has gotten cold feet about the Phoenix market (and wants to take on the City of Glendale in court) a quick sale is anticipated. That will allow new owners to take over and make a strong statement that the team is staying in Arizona. This is a necessary component in rebuilding the fan base. Until the door is closed on potential relocation, questions will remain and business will suffer.
The optimist in me says that both will happen. The coaching staff is using the talent on hand as well as any team in the league. The defense is mobile and active. Adrian Aucoin is living up to his billing as a minutes-eater and is a solid confident player. Keith Yandle is showing big improvement over his rookie season. And Sami Lepisto, acquired from Washington for a 5th round draft choice, has been a pleasant surprise. Combined with tight checking, it's made life relatively easy for Ilya Bryzgalov. And Ilya has been up to the challenge, backstopping the Coyotes to the best goals allowed in the league.
It all seems so simple. Ice a winning team, install new owners and management and a renewed optimism, all in place in time for the Christmas selling season. And enough progress on and off the ice to make the turnstile count a footnote rather than the story. It can happen.
And yet, just a few weeks ago it seemed so far away.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
0.984
If that's your body temperature, you are feeling perfectly normal.
If it’s your score on the big test, you feel pretty good.
And if it happens to be your goals allowed average, you’re on top of the world. That's just filthy. And right now, that’s Ilya Brzygalov’s goals allowed average
Very glossy stuff. The kind of goaltending that the franchise desperately needs to be successful this year. And make no mistake; Bryz is the most important member of the Phoenix Coyotes. That's due in large part to him being the most variable part of the Coyotes equation.
Ilya is a lot like the little girl with the curl. When he's good, he can be very, very good. And when he's bad, he can be just brutal.
And so far this year he has been very, very good. 4 goals allowed in 4+ games including shutouts at Pittsburgh and San Jose. That is an impressive body of work. Ilya is working behind the tight checking system that Dave Tippett and Ulf Samuelsson have instituted. He also has the benefit of a deep and experienced defense in front of him. But he’s also been on top of his game with smart and consistent positioning complimenting his always great athleticism.
That’s the way it will need to be in Phoenix this year. Fire wagon hockey is a recipe for failure for this team. While there is much hope that young players will improve as the year goes on, there’s not much chance the Coyotes will score a lot of goals this year. 8-4 games are not in the best interests of the franchise.
When Bryz first arrived in Phoenix in 2007, he went on a tear that propelled the Coyotes into playoff contention. His first two months in the desert was some of the best goaltending this franchise has seen. It was enough to earn him a 3 year $12MM contract. And it gave the franchise a backbone it had lacked since Nik Khabibulin had walked three years earlier.
It was a streak reminiscent of the 2006 playoffs, when he carried the Mighty Ducks through a couple of rounds after replacing JS Giguere in the nets.
Much like the clock striking midnight in 2006, Bryz faltered down the stretch in 2008. And last year he had a real up and down season. More down than up. He was so bad that hockey's nicest man, Wayne Gretzky, pulled him from one game after just two shots (and two goals) and several times called him out in public. On a team with a small margin for error, Bryzgalov did not look like a franchise goaltender on way too many nights.
Long before I started the WHX, I was talking about the team's goaltending situation on talk radio and other message boards. I've never been comfortable with Bryz. Some nights he looks like a million bucks. Other nights, you were lucky to get change for your dollar. That kind of goaltending usually means the only action you will be seeing in April is a tee time.
Don Maloney also wavered in his faith. Last year at the trade deadline, a deal that would have sent Bryz to Philadelphia was seriously discussed. In fact, one NHL team official told me that the only thing that kept it from happening was the Flyers perennial salary cap problems. That may or may not be true but the fact is that the Coyotes surely had second thoughts about their franchise goaltender.
So for better or worse, Bryz is back in Phoenix this year. And so far, it’s for the better. Way better. No one expects his goals allowed average to stay so low. Or his save percentage so high. But what would be reasonable to expect is that he keep the Coyotes in the majority of the 65 or so games he will play this year. That’s what a $4MM goaltender should be able to deliver.
And if he does, he’ll keep the Coyotes in a playoff race that they desperately need to be a part of.
If it’s your score on the big test, you feel pretty good.
And if it happens to be your goals allowed average, you’re on top of the world. That's just filthy. And right now, that’s Ilya Brzygalov’s goals allowed average
Very glossy stuff. The kind of goaltending that the franchise desperately needs to be successful this year. And make no mistake; Bryz is the most important member of the Phoenix Coyotes. That's due in large part to him being the most variable part of the Coyotes equation.
Ilya is a lot like the little girl with the curl. When he's good, he can be very, very good. And when he's bad, he can be just brutal.
And so far this year he has been very, very good. 4 goals allowed in 4+ games including shutouts at Pittsburgh and San Jose. That is an impressive body of work. Ilya is working behind the tight checking system that Dave Tippett and Ulf Samuelsson have instituted. He also has the benefit of a deep and experienced defense in front of him. But he’s also been on top of his game with smart and consistent positioning complimenting his always great athleticism.
That’s the way it will need to be in Phoenix this year. Fire wagon hockey is a recipe for failure for this team. While there is much hope that young players will improve as the year goes on, there’s not much chance the Coyotes will score a lot of goals this year. 8-4 games are not in the best interests of the franchise.
When Bryz first arrived in Phoenix in 2007, he went on a tear that propelled the Coyotes into playoff contention. His first two months in the desert was some of the best goaltending this franchise has seen. It was enough to earn him a 3 year $12MM contract. And it gave the franchise a backbone it had lacked since Nik Khabibulin had walked three years earlier.
It was a streak reminiscent of the 2006 playoffs, when he carried the Mighty Ducks through a couple of rounds after replacing JS Giguere in the nets.
Much like the clock striking midnight in 2006, Bryz faltered down the stretch in 2008. And last year he had a real up and down season. More down than up. He was so bad that hockey's nicest man, Wayne Gretzky, pulled him from one game after just two shots (and two goals) and several times called him out in public. On a team with a small margin for error, Bryzgalov did not look like a franchise goaltender on way too many nights.
Long before I started the WHX, I was talking about the team's goaltending situation on talk radio and other message boards. I've never been comfortable with Bryz. Some nights he looks like a million bucks. Other nights, you were lucky to get change for your dollar. That kind of goaltending usually means the only action you will be seeing in April is a tee time.
Don Maloney also wavered in his faith. Last year at the trade deadline, a deal that would have sent Bryz to Philadelphia was seriously discussed. In fact, one NHL team official told me that the only thing that kept it from happening was the Flyers perennial salary cap problems. That may or may not be true but the fact is that the Coyotes surely had second thoughts about their franchise goaltender.
So for better or worse, Bryz is back in Phoenix this year. And so far, it’s for the better. Way better. No one expects his goals allowed average to stay so low. Or his save percentage so high. But what would be reasonable to expect is that he keep the Coyotes in the majority of the 65 or so games he will play this year. That’s what a $4MM goaltender should be able to deliver.
And if he does, he’ll keep the Coyotes in a playoff race that they desperately need to be a part of.
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