James Tanner: It's Going to Be a Long Year: Coyotes Fail Team Building 101 Just a completely disappointing showing my Maloney and co.

I appreciate you giving The Smiths some love in the past, and I know Grohl plagiarized Dio, but you just can't hate on the Foos.


YOU CAN'T.

I appreciate you giving The Smiths some love in the past, and I know Grohl plagiarized Dio, but you just can't hate on the Foos.


YOU CAN'T.
- CaptainRivet

They are boring. They have no creativity. Mid-tempo rock is super lame and if I felt like hearing some, there's only 5672 better and more interesting bands.

I like the Foo Fighters the same amount as I like the return of Antoinne Vermette, whose return is about as warranted as the sequel to the move Paul Blart.

Whats up with the front page? Website hacked by Phil Kessel?

They should have been overpaying veteran free agents on 1 year deals with the plan being to flip them at the deadline for prospects and picks

They can take back other teams bad contracts to make the cap work and net first and second round picks as compensation for their trouble

I don't know why more teams dont do this, especially when they know going in the playoffs are unlikely, and are a cap floor team that needs to spend anyways

its probably what they are doing with Vermette and Michalek, I'd have done it on a grander scale

The problem is that we need at least 3 of the rookies to step in this season...and every season after that so we can build a program that will be "cup worthy"

Last season the only rookie making a dent was Rieder.

This season, it should be Domi/Duclair/Samuelsson

Next season, it should be Strome/Perlini/Dvorak

Season after that, it should be (top 5 from 2016 draft/Merkley/(one of Bunting/Dauphin/Letunov)

We've got to begin introducing more than 1 young guy on the roster each year, it's pathetic watching the likes of Moss last year and Chipchura skate around the ice, when there are more exciting prospects being buried because they're not veterans which is what Tippett wants.

Time to move on from Tippett and find a coach that embraces playing and coaching the youngsters with skill.

The problem is that we need at least 3 of the rookies to step in this season...and every season after that so we can build a program that will be "cup worthy"

Last season the only rookie making a dent was Rieder.

This season, it should be Domi/Duclair/Samuelsson

Next season, it should be Strome/Perlini/Dvorak

Season after that, it should be (top 5 from 2016 draft/Merkley/(one of Bunting/Dauphin/Letunov)

We've got to begin introducing more than 1 young guy on the roster each year, it's pathetic watching the likes of Moss last year and Chipchura skate around the ice, when there are more exciting prospects being buried because they're not veterans which is what Tippett wants.

Time to move on from Tippett and find a coach that embraces playing and coaching the youngsters with skill.
- Sindiggy

I agree with this, but I'd be far more aggressive adding rookies to the team. I'd also be remiss if I didn't say Chipchura was a solid player.

Strome needs to go straight into the NHL - he's too young for the AHL and the OHL is a joke for him.

NTC? NMC? Could go at deadline for picks again. Vermette to chicago for 1st and prospect and michalek to stl for a prospect...

Dude, Maloney and Regier are best buddies, so if you wonder why the team is making worse decisions, look no further than Regier. How that guy has a job in the NHL is beyond me, I wouldn't trust him to be a 3rd key holder at a Dairy Queen. Look at how much Buffalo has accomplished since he's been removed. The dude is a cancer, has zero hockey sense and will bring this organization down with him. Oh well, at least he will get to enjoy screwing up this franchise in Vegas next season.

The answer to this lineup is quite simple:

Auston Matthews

Arizona is in a full rebuild. The state of the franchise off the ice is a mess & that seriously impacts what they can do. Few want to play here so taking back Vermette & Michalek to me is great asset management. These 2 players like playing in Arizona. Who wouldn't. I love the Pheonix area & here they play roles they can't get the opportunity to play on most other teams & they will be flipped again in the next 2 seasons for similar returns again. Great asset management. Jim Benning could learn a ton from Maloney.

Maloney turned Vermette into a 1st & moving him from 1st line C in Arizona to 3rd line C in Chicago significantly reducing his salary demands moving forward & showed what he really is. A soft #2 C or solid #3 with great face off abilities. Michalek returned a solid prospect in Letunov. Both resigned for reasonable money & term 3.75 for Vermette & 3.2 for Michalek both on 2 year deals. These acquisitions or re acquisitions if you prefer along with the trade for Grossman provide time for the kids to develop in junior & the minors.

Arizona will be the worst team in hockey next season. I know you want the glamour & excitement of watch kids play but this is a better way to develop prospects. Make them earn there playing time & get their heads screwed on straight. Drouin will be better served long term as will TB by what they have done to him. His premadona attitude will be adjusted.

I see it like this.

Boedker, Vermette, Doan.
Reider, Hanzal, Downie.
Domi, Gordon, Richardson.
Lessio, Chiphurra, Vitale.

That's potentially 3 C's playing out of position. Reider; although he hasn't played C in the NHL yet, Richardson; played C in Vancouver but primarily RW in LA, & Vitale.

Now if Maloney wants to introduce 2 rookies at the same time, Downie could bump Lessio out of the line up or Richardson could move to the 4th line if Duclair plays.

Acquiring Grossman & bringing Michalek back allows Tippett to make 3 pairings where he's not forced to play rookies or prospects together. Michalek & Grossman are solid stay at home Dman.

Ekman-Larsson, Stone.
Michalek, Murphy.
Grossman, Dahlbeck.
Gormley.

I would argue this is almost Ekman-Larsson's team now but until Doan, Hanzal, Vermette & Michalek move on he will share the load.

The answer to this lineup is quite simple:

Auston Matthews
- milly28diablo

That's the problem, should this team add a scoring top line ish forward, they actually have enough depth and defensive accumen to be a team that drafts between 12-18 which is exactly what you don't want.


Losing a year while the kids get their feet wet and drafting high again is what I wanted to see. Not some half baked attempt to give the team an illusion of competitiveness.

If Hanzal and Boedker stay healthy and continue to grow, Domi steps in and plays like a guy who's been patiently developed is supposedly going to be and Smith plays well, combined with Tippetts coaching and OEL and the ability to grind it out as good as any team in the league, they'll probably be too good to get Matthews but not good enough to do anything else.

The answer to this lineup is quite simple:

Auston Matthews
- milly28diablo

I know he's an AZ guy, but I hope the Devils can out-tank the Yotes for him.

Gonna be a long year for both teams.

They shoukd put Pronger's contract on the 3rd defensive pairing. Maybe someone will trip on it, or it will fly up and stick to someone's visor, hindering their shot.

I don't know if you have watched MacInnis play but last season as an over ager I saw three games he played. He did not dominate kids much younger than him on the boards. He honestly looks like he will either need a lot more time to develop or more likely a bust unless he can get much stronger and a bit faster.

[quote=striker777]

I was saving this for part 2 tomorrow, but let's be realistic: they brought back two beloved ex-players because it looks good. The city and fans all can look at this and say hey these guys want to play here, it's not so bad! Everyone is happy!

Also, by doing this they might just sneak themselves into a cheap playoff spot if everything goes right. They've looked at their team and said everyone who can score is still a ways off the NHL, so let's grind out some 2-1 victories.

It's not the worst idea, a Playoff team will play better in AZ where most of the fans are not exactly hardcore, sophisticated detail oriented long term vision fantasizing nerds that write about hockey and comment about it on the internet.

The fact is, even if they're within 10 points of the Playoffs at the All Star game, they can count on selling thousands more tickets than even a best case scenario rebuild.

The Coyotes could have tanked one more year and done it right. They could have let the young players get a year of experience. But finances and off ice drama dictated otherwise.

The team is no longer bad enough to finish last and not good enough to win a round in the Playoffs. The Cupboard is stocked, but not enough.

Seriously, if they are going this direction, some trades ought to be in order to improve now.

I have no idea how you come up with these lines. Boedker has played left wing his whole career and you shift him to the right in favor of Rieder? And you put Richardson on the wing when he was brought in to play center?? Duclair will be in the top 6, Richardson will be the 3rd line center with guys like lessio and rieder on his wings.

That's the problem, should this team add a scoring top line ish forward, they actually have enough depth and defensive accumen to be a team that drafts between 12-18 which is exactly what you don't want.


Losing a year while the kids get their feet wet and drafting high again is what I wanted to see. Not some half baked attempt to give the team an illusion of competitiveness.

If Hanzal and Boedker stay healthy and continue to grow, Domi steps in and plays like a guy who's been patiently developed is supposedly going to be and Smith plays well, combined with Tippetts coaching and OEL and the ability to grind it out as good as any team in the league, they'll probably be too good to get Matthews but not good enough to do anything else.
- James_Tanner

I sure hope so. It'd be nice if you left him for the Devils

I don't know if you have watched MacInnis play but last season as an over ager I saw three games he played. He did not dominate kids much younger than him on the boards. He honestly looks like he will either need a lot more time to develop or more likely a bust unless he can get much stronger and a bit faster.
- BluemanGuruu

He's one year removed from being drafted. Get a grip man, you can't say a guy is a bust at 19. He might not be NHL ready on paper, but it wouldn't hurt to give him a taste.

I have no idea how you come up with these lines. Boedker has played left wing his whole career and you shift him to the right in favor of Rieder? And you put Richardson on the wing when he was brought in to play center?? Duclair will be in the top 6, Richardson will be the 3rd line center with guys like lessio and rieder on his wings.
- Dahlmanyotes

Those aren't meant to be lines. It's just slotting guys into a lineup to give an idea of who'd make the team.

That's the problem, should this team add a scoring top line ish forward, they actually have enough depth and defensive accumen to be a team that drafts between 12-18 which is exactly what you don't want.


Losing a year while the kids get their feet wet and drafting high again is what I wanted to see. Not some half baked attempt to give the team an illusion of competitiveness.

If Hanzal and Boedker stay healthy and continue to grow, Domi steps in and plays like a guy who's been patiently developed is supposedly going to be and Smith plays well, combined with Tippetts coaching and OEL and the ability to grind it out as good as any team in the league, they'll probably be too good to get Matthews but not good enough to do anything else.
- James_Tanner

First off, looking at that roster, there's no threat this team is too good to get in on the Matthews sweepstakes. That lineup is awful.

I agree with the other poster, this is proper asset management. The return on '
Vermette was ridiculous, maybe they can do it again. You sprinkle in a kid or two each year so you don't repeat the mistakes the Oilers have been making for the last 10 years...rushing kids into the NHL before they're physically ready. Teaching them nothing but how to be losers. Burning up ELC's way too early when you're a team without a pot to piss in.

Can't overpay free agents if you plan on flipping them at the deadline ( not sure if quote button is working ) as the teams who will be adding won't have much cap room. Also lots of players would rather know they have more then a year to figure out their next endeavour and if the one year contract doesn't work they might never find work again it's a risk for players to sign for one year or at least some players.

In all seriousness though, I belong to a 'club' of sorts, where I often here the saying, 'if nothing changes, nothing changes'. Totally apropos here. The whole construct of this team is flawed, top to bottom. You don't have revenue to sign big players, because your attendance and fan support fiscally won't buy it. You don't have fan support, because really, there isn't much to watch, or cheer for- a 2/1 defense first game with little to none explosive action, at best. If someones wishes to grow hockey in a non-traditional market, the 'safe play' isn't going to get it done, better to bet the house and see if it works. In short, if YOU ARE going to lose, do it will a full frontal attack that is fun to watch. Create a buzz, fill some seats. Say what you will about Downie, (who I don't like) but if they had two real snipers, and three more Downies, boy would the failing business model improve. Fisticuffs and tricky shots- things for the casual fan to bite on.
As an AZ resident, I have already done the post-mortem, and accepted...in 2 years I think they'll be gone. We could muse 'well, we tried it, and it didn't work', but they only tried what they tried: to conservatively scrape by, and use a non-entertaining brand in hopes of a windfall. I agree with your assessments JT, yawn. Nothing to see here.

First off, looking at that roster, there's no threat this team is too good to get in on the Matthews sweepstakes. That lineup is awful.

I agree with the other poster, this is proper asset management. The return on '
Vermette was ridiculous, maybe they can do it again. You sprinkle in a kid or two each year so you don't repeat the mistakes the Oilers have been making for the last 10 years...rushing kids into the NHL before they're physically ready. Teaching them nothing but how to be losers. Burning up ELC's way too early when you're a team without a pot to piss in.
- djamon

The Oilers aren't even good anecdotal evidence. Had they thought fit to acquire a goalie or a top pairing defenseman in the last several years they wouldn't have Connor McDavid and I wouldn't have to hear non-sense about how they rushed kids.

Not for nothing, but RNH was flat-out awesome last year. Hall is a superstar held back only by injury. Eberle is consistently excellent. Yakupov wasn't too young, he was likely set-back by horrible treatment at the hands of coaches who misused him horribly.

Nurse is in the Minors. So is Draisaitl. Who exactly did they rush?

Anyways, that's an easily destroyed clearly incorrect narrative.

As for the Coyotes with their defense and goalies, if they can score at all, I think they'll finish higher in the standings than anyone thinks. Which is unfortunate because they should bomb one more year.

Few want to play here so taking back Vermette & Michalek to me is great asset management. These 2 players like playing in Arizona.
- striker777

This is being overlooked IMO. It was mentioned before (by an Oilers fan i think?) that you need to surround the young players with at least a couple veterans so they're not thrown to the wolves on a nightly basis. Vernette & Michalek are familiar with the area, the franchise, and Dave Tippett's system. Sure you'd like to see Arizona go out and get someone new, upgrade the forward lines, etc... but it's easier said than done even with cap space. Too many players have NTC's or NMC's, the FA pool is thin, and there's no sense in trading picks/prospects for a short-term fix. AZ did pretty well considering, and I was impressed with their draft.

I've read a bunch of your blogs and you've had plenty to say about the Coyotes' forward lines and defense but you hardly ever mention their goaltending. Is Mike Smith in decline, or will he bounce back with a better defense in front of him? IMO, Maloney could have found a better backup than Lindback and I dont see any top prospects in the pipe...do you?