The ups and downs of a hockey season are inevitable, and the Arizona Coyotes are certainly riding an all-time low. They’ve now lost six games in a row and are below .500. While that’s not necessarily ideal at this point in the season, it’s fair to mention how far they’ve come from the previous two seasons. They are seeing significant leaps from several key players, including Dylan Guenther, Sean Durzi, and Lawson Crouse. Seeing the positives is great, but ignoring the outside noise is complex.
Related: Coyotes Fans Deserve Transparency Amid Arena Search
With that, it’s only fitting we discuss what’s going on with the Coyotes’ arena situation, which has several key updates on multiple fronts.
What’s the Latest With Arena Talk?
Where do we begin? Do we start in 1996 when the Kachina was born in the desert? Or is it more fitting to begin with the revolving door of issues that the team faced at the formally named Gila River Arena in Glendale? This isn’t a historical lesson on the Coyotes’ arena history, though it probably could pass as one. In recent weeks, there have been multiple updates on the ongoing arena saga that seems like it will never end. While many people thought that the NHL All-Star Break was a deadline, that was far from the truth, as PHNX insider Craig Morgan said numerous times.
So why are we talking about this? Well, it started with Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith’s desire to have an NHL team in Salt Lake City. After Smith publically put out a message saying such, rumors swirled, and some even thought the Coyotes would be playing in Salt Lake City in the 2024-25 season. Those were cooled down when a report from Stacey Barchenger of azcentral.com said the Coyotes are moving forward with a plan to buy state trust land in north Phoenix.
While it was a hot commodity, the Coyotes were heavily interested in land in north Phoenix; this report slowed many. It’s a step in the correct direction, of course, but finishing the deal and buying the land could take even longer. That’s what most fans are concerned about, which is fair; how much longer will this process take? There’s also no guarantee they will win the state trust land auction, which would spell even more issues for the franchise that has faced this problem far too often.
It’s still too early in the process to know what will happen, but the clock is certainly ticking, and the ball is in the Coyotes’ court.
Coyotes on Unfavorable Side of Schedule Making
Every season, at least a couple of teams face a stretch of schedule that doesn’t make sense. For the Coyotes, this happens a few times each season when the travel and cities they play in don’t add up. It started when they played the Nashville Predators on Feb. 10 and travelled to Philadelphia to take on John Tortorella’s Flyers on Feb. 12. That’s nothing crazy; it’s a nice, short, and simple two-game eastern road trip. However, it’s the games afterward that make you scratch your head.
They then take on the Minnesota Wild at 7:30 at Mullett Arena, which is half an hour later than usual. They then take on the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday at Mullett Arena and travel to Colorado on Sunday. Then, they return to the Grand Canyon State to take on the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, playing three games in four days. It would be different if it were one consistent road trip, but bouncing back and forth between Mullett Arena and going on the road makes for many inconsistencies.
This isn’t something new, however, at least a couple times the Coyotes get the short end of the stick.
Barrett Hayton Makes Return to Lineup
When Barrett Hayton went down with a hand injury in early November, doubt crept in as the Coyotes’ center depth was scarce. Travis Boyd also went down around the same time, so the team improvised until the former fifth-overall pick returned to action. He wasn’t producing like he did in the 2023-24 campaign, but his presence made an impact on the ice, as he was able to drive the net with lots of efficiency.
In his return to the lineup, he’s been placed alongside two of the youngsters, Logan Cooley and Guenther, and it was arguably the best line these past two games. They have energy and seem to always create some sort of offensive pressure. Not only that, but they are also creating grade-A scoring chances, giving the Coyotes some hope in this five-game losing streak.
It’s uncertain if Hayton will be put back between Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller once he’s back to 100%, however, this line has been fun to watch.
Additional Tidbits
- We have talked about him a lot since his recall, but Guenther is most certainly a topic of discussion recently. In 14 games this season, the 6-foot-2 winger has four goals and nine points, which goes to show the amount of growth and development he’s had. His shot got him drafted, and he’s using it and making his presence known. His goals are also coming at different times, not just the power play, where he was point-dependent during his stint in 2022-23. It will be interesting to see where he ends the season, but he’s finding his game right now.
- Entering the 2023-24 campaign, the depth of defense was one of the vast improvements. Signing guys like Travis Dermott and Matt Dumba did just that, but they haven’t been the best on the back end this season. Swiss defenseman J.J. Moser has been a rock for the Coyotes this season. His calmness and presence give the players and fans a sigh of relief when watching the team play.
- The Coyotes currently sit at .500 with a 23-23-3 record and have been struggling to find a spark. Knowing where they sit, what happens at the trade deadline? They could go three ways: buy and make a run for the playoffs, stand pat and let things unfold, or trade some players on expiring contracts. A few could be guys like Jason Zucker, Dumba, and even Troy Stecher. We don’t know what general manager Bill Armstrong has planned, but he’ll indeed look at every avenue to improve the team.
