With the 22nd overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Phoenix Coyotes select…

Jarred Tinordi

With the possibility of the ‘Yotes losing Zbynek Michalek this offseason to free-agency, and some of their defenseman getting older, they will surely be looking for a defenseman to compliment their stockpile of offensive forward prospects. Tinordi is a highly regarded shutdown defender, and will be a huge part of the Coyotes organization for years to come.

Luca Vacca (LeafsWire)
NHLHS Toronto Maple Leafs Correspondent
leafswire@nhlhotstove.com
@leafswire

With the 13th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Phoenix Coyotes select…

Alexander Burmistrov

Katyln Gambill
NHLHS Phoenix Coyotes Correspondent
kgambill@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Freezethepuck

We got your fix right here.

We go live tomorrow with our 2009-2010 NHL season wrap-up show.

Be sure to tune in live with us tomorrow from 1-3 p.m. EST.

The Hockey Guys on Blog Talk Radio – link for show tomorrow. Chat room will open approximately 5 minutes prior to show’s puck drop.

Tied with the Boston Bruins as the thirteenth  oldest NHL team, the Phoenix Coyotes utilized their age this season.

Largely seen as a disastrous franchise headed out of Phoenix, the Coyotes hired a new coach this season to change the direction of the team.

Dave Tippett did just that. He changed Phoenix into a team that finished fourth in the Western Conference and made the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

Yet, the Coyotes’ success came from a new roster tune-up that Tippett instilled. Instead of a very young team like last season, these Coyotes have ages all over the board.

The oldest, Mathieu Schneider became a Coyote at the trade deadline. In eight games with Phoenix, however, Schneider registered four assists.

The second oldest player, Robert Lang, began the season with Phoenix. In 64 games, Lang only recorded nine goals and 20 assists. However, before Schneider became a Coyote, the Coyotes utilized Lang’s experience and wisdom.

In fact, Lang’s experienced helped younger players, but Shane Doan’s calming sense largely benfitted the younger players. Skaters like Martin Hanzal, Lauri Korpikoski, and Scottie Upshall experienced some up and down moments during the year, but Doan always helped them settled back down into their groove.

When Upshall went down to injury, the Coyotes suffered a huge setback. Suddenly their leading scorer would no longer play until the next season. The worries swirled around the hockey world that the Coyotes would not manage to bounce back from their forward crashing.

Yet, the Coyotes rallied. As they did throughout the year, the Coyotes became a score-by-committee team. If one hot player fizzled, then another play would step up for the time being. Then another one would take over.

Doan became one of those players. At the start of the year, he looked like a brand new player, a reliable one. Then, he went on a 23-game goal drought. He put up assists during that time, but never a goal.

During that time though, the Coyotes continued winning because other players took over (largely Wojtek Wolski and Lee Stempniak).

Despite their great start, the Coyotes became very busy at the trade deadline. Arguably the most successful team on trade day, the Coyotes acquired Wolski and Stempniak in separate trades.

Since joining the Coyotes, Wolski scored six goals and 12 assists (regular season) and two goals and one assist in the playoffs (thus far). However, Stempniak’s time in Phoenix amazed nearly everyone.

After having a disappointing season in Toronto last year and this year, Stempniak became a Coyote. He quickly made his presence known by scoring 14 goals and four assists in 18 games.

In the first two playoff games (first two of his career), Stempniak failed to register a point. Nevertheless, his time will come again.

However, the Coyotes did have successful forwards before the trade deadline. Radim Vrbata played for the Coyotes in 2007-2008 and put up his best career points. He left the following season briefly for Tampa Bay, before he joined a team in Europe.

Vrbata returned to Phoenix this time and recorded similar numbers to his previous year in Phoenix.

However, the two biggest stories in Phoenix became the career years of defenseman Keith Yandle and goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.

Yandle became the Coyotes’ go-to guy in any situation. After largely depending on Zbynek Michalek and Ed Jovanovski for so many years, the Coyotes welcomed a new talent.

At only 23 years of age, Yandle played in his first full NHL season this year. He notched 12 goals and 29 assists (both career numbers).

Then comes Bryzgalov. As a 29 year old, Bryzgalov played in 69 games, four more than he ever played before.

His success became outstanding though. He won 42 games, lost 20 in regulation, and lost six in overtime. He also finished with eight shutouts on the year.

Many speculate Bryzgalov deserves the Vezina trophy and the Hart trophy. Whether or not he does deserve them does not translate into him winning.

With the Coyotes, not one player sticks out as the main reason behind their success. This year, the Coyotes clicked. They had the chemistry necessary, the skill, and the heart.

Phoenix really did become a team this year. Even the fans rallied behind the Coyotes, helping them to stay in Arizona.

After a terribly stressful off-season of turmoil and wonder, the Coyotes proved to Arizona that they can succeed, and can win.

Katlyn Gambill
NHLHS Feature Writer
kgambill@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @freezethepuck

We are back to regular programming hours today, which means the show will start live at 2 p.m. EST. To join us live is very simple.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thehockeyguys

Use that link, create a user name, sign in and join us.

Jeff Marek will be joining the guy’s within the first hour of the show.

We hope to see you all there today.

Have a great final day of the weekend.

~THG

In what has been discussed time and time again, the National Hockey Leagues second season, also known as the Stanley Cup Playoffs, is all about goaltending.

Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings, Brian Boucher of the Philadelphia Flyers, Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks, Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins, Ilya Bryzgalov of the Phoenix Coyotes, Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres, Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators, Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils, Evgeni Nabokov of the San Jose Sharks, Marc-Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Antti Niemi of the Chicago Blackhawks, Brian Elliot of the Ottawa Senators, Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings, Jaroslav Halak of the Montreal Canadiens, Craig Anderson of the Colorado Avalanche as well as both Jose Theodore and Seymon Varlamov of the Washington Capitals have not only stepped up to make some amazing saves but have been able to keep each and every series even or close enough to it.

On top of their in-game play, there have been some sensational saves throughout the opening round of these playoffs.  Boucher, Luongo, Quick and others have been outstanding, Anderson has set new records but Pekka Rinne’s stop on Chicago’s Patrick Sharp is one that stands out the most. Although the Hawks beat the Predators yesterday, that series remains up in the air with no clear cut favorite at this point.

Yes, as I mentioned, Craig Anderson made 50 saves in regulation yesterday, which has become the new record for saves in regulation time for a playoff game.  He is the backbone to the Avalanche advancing and so far, so good.

Sidney Crosby and Braydon Coburn have both played “hero” in saving their netminders and team by stopping goals as well.  Crosby slid across the crease with the puck standing on the goal line to keep the Senators off the score board. Another stand out moment during these playoffs.

We also were able to witness two hat tricks in one game when Montreal’s Andrei Kostitsyn and Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom did so in game 2 of their Eastern Conference playoff series.

Henrik Zetterberg of the Detroit Red Wings also has a three goal game to his credit in this first round. Evgeni Malkin has a goal per game for his Penguins.  Mike Richards has been a man possessed for the Philadelphia Flyers. And the list goes on.

In these playoffs, outside of goaltending, it all rests on the players that take their game to the next level. In that game 2 between the Canadiens and Capitals, Nicklas Backstrom was on player who truly took his game up a notch.  Showing people Peter Forsberg like skills, Backstrom had a four point affair helping the Capitals gain a much needed victory in what was likely the most important period and game of their season.

It has been a wild and crazy start to the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, to say the least.

Joe Depto, a writer here at the hot stove as well as one part of the brand known as The Hockey Guys, called yesterday “Separation Sunday”.

The Colorado Avalanche, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Phoenix Coyotes all took control of their series; at least by the series records.

With that, if yesterday was any indication to what is in store for us tonight you better have your jersey on tight and your seat prepared in front of your television sets.  It’s only going to keep getting better.

What is YOUR favorite moment from these playoffs so far?

Anthony Curatolo
NHLHS Senior Writer
acuratolo@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @HockeyGuy_AC

If you were a betting man who strictly took the underdogs, the first night of the playoffs made you rich.

And as if the first night of the 2010 NHL playoffs completed wasn’t enough, it seemed as if night two would match night one.

Why you ask?  The answer is simple. Not one team considered to be the favorite were able to win.

Last night was a different circumstance.  However, one main team who are heavily favored to be representing the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals were taken down in overtime by a team many considered as an unfair match-up.

The Montreal Canadiens, despite a lopsided first period against the Washington Capitals, were able to erase a one goal deficit, force overtime and eventually take game one.

It was not easy.

The Capitals came out like men on fire.  They shot twenty rubber discs in the direction of Canadiens netminder Jaroslav Halak in the first period alone.  Halak looked calm and collected between the pipes and only surrendered one goal during the onslaught.

With only one NHL Playoff game of record for the Habs number one netminder, the critics figured this to be an easy series for the presidents trophy winners.

If game one was any indication as to what is to come, those critics were wrong.

We have had all but one playoff series begin. Seven games have been played, currently, in these 2010 playoffs and only two “favorites” have been victorious.

The Vancouver Canucks and the Buffalo Sabres.

Outside of those two teams it seemed the rest felt the pressure of being the favorite.

In New Jersey, Brian Boucher out-dueled Martin Brodeur helping the Philadelphia Flyers defeat the New Jersey Devils.  Game two is tonight from the Prudential Center.

In Phoenix, although they are the higher seeded team, the Coyotes took down defending Western Conference champs and rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard. They also go again this evening.

The young in age but mature on-ice Colorado Avalanche, with a lucky bounce, took down the heavily favored San Jose Sharks in overtime by a final score of 2-1. Again, another game two match up is set to go tonight.

The Ottawa Senators, without any of the big guns producing offensively, took down the defending Stanley Cup champs 5-4. That goes to game two this evening as well.

It just goes to show that once the “second season” is upon us within the National Hockey League, anything is possible.

Anthony Curatolo
Senior Writer
acuratolo@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @HockeyGuy_AC

Phoenix Coyotes by David Strehle

The Phoenix Coyotes overcame bankruptcy and ownership turmoil to have the best regular season in franchise history, setting new marks for wins (50) and points (107).  Their 29 home wins were the second highest total in the league, so home-ice could be an advantage in their evenly matched first round series with Detroit.

The teams split four low-scoring contests during the season.  In order for Phoenix to win this series, goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov must be at the top of his game.  “Bryz” finished third among netminders with 42 wins, and was  2-2 against  the Red Wings.

Scoring has historically been the team’s biggest shortcoming.  With Shane Doan, Matthew Lombardi and Radim Vrbata leading the way, Phoenix had just enough offense to succeed.

But GM Don Maloney appears to have addressed that issue.  At the trade deadline, the Coyotes added Lee Stempniak and Wojtek Wolski, and both have fit in nicely.  As a matter of fact, Stempniak scored as many goals (14) in 18 games with Phoenix as he did in 62 with Toronto and was named the NHL’s “first star” for the month of March.

This additional offense bolsters a balanced attack and makes Phoenix a legitimate threat to knock off the red hot Red Wings.

Detroit Red Wings by Luca Vacca of LeafsWire

After starting the season off below standards, the Detroit Red Wings pushed very hard in the second half of the season, securing a playoff spot by locking down fifth place in the Western Conference. The main factor in the early season woes for Detroit was the sheer amount of injuries to key players they suffered. Throughout the season, they lost Johan Franzen,Tomas Holmstrom, Niklas Kronwall , Valtteri Filppula, and others to injury, and they were sorely missed. On the season, only two Wings (Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk) passed the 50 point mark (each with 70), while all other players produced less than 50.

In the past, Detroit has relied upon solid goaltending, strong defense and skilled forwards for success. This year, it’s a bit different. Their starting goaltender going into the playoffs will not be Chris Osgood, but rather Calder nominee Jimmy Howard (37-15-10, .924 SV%, 2.26 GAA). Howard has had an amazing season for the Wings and can be considered a big part of their late season surge and playoff push. However, he will require the Red Wing’s defense to be as strong as ever especially with the offensive shortcomings the wings have faced this year.

Niklas Lidstrom will lead his team into the playoff unknown, and they will have to battle each and every night, giving it their all because for the first time in a while, the Wings aren’t considered locks for the last dance.

Unfortunately, the problems have only been compounded in recent weeks with (euphemism alert) “questionable” hits on two of their top defensemen, Brian Campbell and Brent Seabrook.  Beat reporters Jesse Rogers and Adam Jahns (among others, I’m sure) have said that Seabrook is expected to make his return tonight in the all-important rematch with the Coyotes, but Campbell is sidelined for at least six weeks with a broken collarbone and broken ribs, courtesy of Alexander Ovechkin.  Blackhawks’ coach Joel Quenneville has said that Seabrook should see regular time and shifts tonight and going forward, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility that he will be a little gun-shy after the hit leveled on him by James Wisniewski.  While this is not a hope or prediction, it’s not impossible.

The remaining defenders, including late-season acquisitions Kim Johnsson and Nick Boynton, will have to pick up the slack while their ginger-haired teammate rests his injuries with possible designs on returning mid-postseason (but don’t hold your breath on that one).  Dustin Byfuglien has gotten the call to shore up the blue line, and has played decent to say the least.  He did come in to the league as a point man, but has not played significant time there aside from spotty time on the power play (a role which has been diminished over the last three season).  This also means, as Quenneville has reiterated several times, the forwards will have to redouble their efforts on the backcheck (Patrick Kane, I’m looking in your direction…), jamming up passing lanes and continuing to dine at Chez Shot Block.
It might have been an understatement to call this game “all-important”, as it will decide (for now) who is on top in the Western Conference.  But when looking at the remaining schedules, the Blackhawks have the easier road, with two games against each Columbus and St. Louis.  The Coyotes have a pair against a dangerous Predators team, as well as games against Calgary, Vancouver, Colorado, L.A., and San Jose.  The Sharks would seem to have it easier, with 4 games left against the Wild and the Stars, but all 4 are road games, plus they host Vancouver twice and have a home and home with Colorado.  So while tonight’s tilt will have a big impact on the immediate standings, a loss by no means a top seed is forever lost.

It is important, however, that the Blackhawks figure out how to stop blowing leads late in games.  Recently they have seemed hell-bent on proving that the two-goal lead is in fact the most dangerous lead in hockey.  For a stretch, the second period was giving them fits.  When they got that ship righted, it was the final frame that became their bugaboo.  They have been coming out with a vengeance in the first period, and have left that energy and enthusiasm in the locker room at some point before the full 60 minutes was up.  CSN’s Brett Ballantini reported via Twitter today that the team attitude was light and confident, and cagey veteran John Madden has been beating the mantra “60 minutes” into the heads (and hopefully hearts) of his much younger teammates.  This is the reason Madden was brought here, and where he, veteran defenseman Brent Sopel, and even “older young guy” Patrick Sharp will earn their paychecks by re-instilling 3-period discipline in the rest of the team.

The stage is set for a revealing game in terms of the Blackhawks’ character tonight.  From what’s being reported in the Hawks’ camp today, it’s hard to anticipate anything less than a full throttle effort.  Let’s hope it’s more than just mouth music.

Ryan Hackett
NHLHS Blackhawks Correspondant
rhackett@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @hawknut

In the beginning of the 2008-2009 season nobody in Arizona would think about trading away their top young player: Peter Mueller.  The former eighth overall selection potted 54 points in his rookie season, only two years after his draft year.

Fast forwarding a year and a half later and the kid seems to be lost.  A understandable sophomore slump continued into what now appears to be a brutal third season.  Mueller seems to be the only player adversely affected by the necessary coaching change, unable to adapt to coach Dave Tippett and his defensive system.

Through 45 games the 21-year-old managed 13 points, with only three of those touching the back of the net.  Ranger GM Glen Sather expressed interest in Mueller earlier in the year, offering a scavenger deal centered around Bobby Sanguinetti or Christopher Higgins.  While Sather might wish to fleece his former assistant and acquire the troubled young player, GM Don Maloney seems poised to receive fair value.

The Boston Bruins moved a similar player in Brad Boyes three trade deadlines ago.  At the time Boyes came off a career year only to fail to produce.  They team moved him for a similarly struggling yet established young player in Dennis Wideman.  The Coyotes most likely would require a young NHL player with similar success and experience to lessen the blow of losing a once bluechip prospect.

If he can regain his scoring touch Mueller may become a top talent in this league one day, as expected.  For one he needs to restore his confidence and playing on the third line will not do this.  When your linemates are Lauri Korpikoski and Robert Lang respectively, most players would not score 30 goals or more.

Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Editor
amonaghan@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @NHLHotStove