Heading into the 2023-24 season, the Arizona Coyotes were viewed as dark horses for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That was a fair assumption with the offseason additions of Sean Durzi, Jason Zucker, and Matt Dumba. However, as the season approaches the midway point, glaring holes are starting to open. At first, it wasn’t a tremendous issue, and the team was still playing well, but after playing elite teams such as the Florida Panthers, New York Islanders, and Winnipeg Jets, playoffs seemed like miles away.
That’s not to say the team can’t make the playoffs, as plenty of light is left in the season. Regardless, it will be challenging, especially considering the following holes have no fixes until the future wave of prospects comes up.
The Need For a Top Pairing Defenseman
The Coyotes traded for Durzi from the Los Angeles Kings, hoping he could quarterback the power play and become a true offensive threat. He has done that and more. However, they don’t have a true top-pairing defenseman on the roster. Some could argue that J.J. Moser is a top-pairing defenseman, and while someday he could grow into one, he is not one quite yet. Outside those two, who are likely the closest to being top-pairing defensemen, the team needs a true number-one guy.
This is supposed to be the case where they sit in the rebuild. Heading into phase two, they shouldn’t have an abundance of top-pairing defensemen because they are simply not there yet. That’s where their draft picks come in handy. Dmitri Simashev has the potential to be a true top defenseman on this team shortly, and so does Maveric Lamoureux. Both were first-round picks with untapped potential that could skyrocket once they reach the NHL.
There have been rumors that they could make a trade for Noah Hanifin before the trade deadline in March, but it wouldn’t make much sense to do that. He would elevate the team now, no doubt, but how much does he help the team in three or four seasons as he gets older? It’s a question they hopefully won’t have to answer as Hanafin’s price is likely too high for the Coyotes, as it wouldn’t be wise to make that kind of acquisition.
The Coyotes are currently on the outside looking in regarding playoffs, and while everyone wants to be in the postseason, seeing growth from the long-term players on defense will be vital. It’ll give general manager Bill Armstrong a sense of where they stand and what they need to add via trade and the draft.
A True Number One Center Lacking
Entering the season, Barrett Hayton was the Coyotes’ number-one center. After his performance towards the end of the 2022-23 season, it was evident big things were ahead for the former fifth overall pick. After a sluggish start and then an injury that’ll keep him out until early February, it’s been rough going for Hayton. However, even if he was healthy, how good of a first-line center is he? Compared to some of the other top teams in the NHL, they have their solidified first-line center, and right now, the Coyotes don’t.
This isn’t bad, as they are still just in phase two of the rebuild. They hope Logan Cooley will become that, but that’ll take lots of time for development and getting him to that level of elite play. With Hayton injured, they’ve had to pivot to other line changes. For a while, a newcomer and former Toronto Maple Leaf, Alex Kerfoot, was the first-line center. Of course, that is not a permanent answer, but it worked for a short while.
More recently, against the Boston Bruins, they had Jack McBain on the first line as a center, and it worked. He brought a more prominent presence and got to the net, which created more space for Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. They ended up winning, and Keller and Schmaltz had goals, so take that with a grain of salt.
They have plenty of prospects coming up, such as Conor Geekie, Daniil But, and Sam Lipkin; how they’ll fit into the everyday lineup is uncertain, but when we get to that point, it’ll be fun looking back on this season.
Inconsistent Goaltending
Heading into 2023-24, goaltending was said to be the Coyotes’ strong suit. Karel Vejmelka and Connor Ingram have shown before the season that they could go on spells like no other. That was the expectation for this season and one of the bigger storylines being followed. While both have been above average up until now, it’s fair to say both have had their fair share of inconsistencies.
This season, Ingram has played 24 games and has a 2.62 goals-against average (GAA) and a .912 save percentage (SV%). Vejmelka’s stats aren’t quite up to what Ingram has until now, but he has a 3.13 GAA and a .904 SV%. Both these numbers for both netminders are respectable and have kept the Coyotes in several of their games, ultimately winning lots of their games because of them.
It’s uncertain how they’ll finish the season, but in some games, they’ve been unreal. In others, they’ve been underwhelming. It’s a long season, but how they end could determine how the Coyotes finish the season.
Coyotes Finding Growth Something to Be Excited About
While the Coyotes may or may not make the playoffs, the multitudes of growth seen so far is something to be excited about. Whether it’s the emergence of Cooley or the breakout season of Matias Maccelli and Lawson Crouse, there are countless items to be excited about. The rest of 2024 will have plenty of questions answered for all Coyotes fans, but one thing is sure: the team is trending in the correct direction, and Armstrong has a plan slowly unfolding in front of our eyes.
