Follow @james_tanner123 After yesterdays somewhat depressing look at the forwards, we are here today to look at the defense. But, first, let us review:
The Coyotes forwards are a mess: You need about 13 forwards, and they have seven under contract, but we're predicting/hoping that they get rid of Korpikoski and Vitale, leaving Gagner, Hanzal, Doan, Chipchura and Rieder, and that, in addition, Boedker will be re-signed.
As much as there are positives to be spun out of that group, it's the worst in hockey by a mile, probably. But, there's hope because Strome (potentially) Domi, Duclair, Letunov, MacInnis, Samuelsson, Lessio, Dauphin, Perlini and Dvorak are on the horizon.
Definitely not the worst group in the league anymore when/if some of those guys turn out to be stars.
----- Interlude
In protest to the ridiculous practice of having every day be National Something Day, I've declared today to be National Patsy Cline Celebration Day, so kick it up a notch and get hard core with this viscous jam.
So what about the D? Who shall stay and who shall go?
OEL
They say he's obsessed with Stieg Larsson and that he still shops at Ikea, even though he's a millionaire. What I say is that he is bar-none the best defenseman in the NHL.
I really do wish the Coyotes weren't so depleted at Centre, because partnering him with Hanifin or Provorov for the next decade would be better than a magical trip to the Baltic Sea.
Either way, he's the best and we love him and, obviously, he's staying.
Michael Stone
At a cap-hit of $1.1 million dollars next season, it's possible that he will offer the best value in the NHL per dollar next season. Massively underrated outside of Arizona - I assume because I've literally never heard a fan of another team mention him.
Last year, he started as the #4 and was paired with Yandle. But, when both Yandle and Michalek where traded at the deadline, Stone became the #2 and partnered with OEL, where he looked good.
He was playing just over 20 mins/per game when he was #4, but after the trades he moved up to a 24 minutes/per game where, despite the obvious tank-job and horrible roster, he still put up a 48% CF rating while skating against the top players in the league.
He's big, he hits, his shot is a rocket and he's the best kept secret in the NHL.
Connor Murphy
He's a big, puck-moving defenseman with quite a bit of offensive upside. But whatever happened to his game last year was not very satisfying.
Projected as a future star, expectations were high for the sophomore last year, but he took a dump all over them. You hate to be crass, but that's the truth. After the trades, he played the least of all six defensemen, and his point totals went from eight in 30 games in his rookie seasons, to seven in 73 last year.
He's still got the talent, and you have to be patient with young D, but man we wanted more from him last year. Still, it's not like right-handed shooting 6'3 defenseman with his skill level come around all that often.
He'll be given another chance and then a couple more after that.
No word on whether he's a fan of Patsy Cline, or Patsy Cline Day.
Gormely had an up and down year. He played 27 games in Arizona, but injuries limited him to just 50 games total between the NHL and AHL and Tippett didn't exactly give him a ton of ice-time when he was on the big club.
Though drafted in 2010, he has only 32 games in the NHL to his credit. I think some - if not most - of the reason for this is because OEL is 23, Stone is 25 and Murphy is 22 and that is A LOT of young D to try and break in all at once. Don't forget, also, that the Coyotes have been trying to compete this whole time.
So I expect Gormley to get his chance, and I expect him to be be good.
Potentially, this is a top-four that could be the best in the league, or Gormley and Murphy could be given up on and amount to nothing......it's approaching a tipping point, but the good thing is, with the team rebuilding, there is no rush. And it's not like the NHL has a ton of teams with four defenseman with this much potential, age 25 or under.
I assume the Coyotes will re-sign him, as his ECL is now up.
Klas Dahlbeck
He's 6'2. He's just 23. He's a smooth skater and a Scandinavian Prince. Sound familiar?
While he's no OEL, Dahlbeck is a nice pick-up for Antoine Vermette (not to mention a first rounder, holy crap that trade was a steal). While it's hard to judge a primarily defensive player on a decimated Coyotes team after the deadline, Klas looked good, as far as I could tell.
For a guy thought of as mainly a "defensive-defenseman" Dahlbeck moves the puck really well, which makes him indispensable on a team that already moves the puck well from the back-end but lacks a defensive stalwart with Michalek gone. Like Michalek, he isn't your typical stay-at-home D, but a hybrid-style who's game should play well in today's NHL.
He's RFA, but I'd be shocked if the Coyotes didn't re-up him soon.
John Moore
OK, stop me if you've heard this one before: a 24 year-old former first round pick who's a great skater, John Moore is another in a seemingly endless line of blue-liners with massive potential skating for the Coyotes. Acquired in the Yandle Swindle, Moore is the sixth player listed in this write-up and that doesn't mean he's the worst.
Like Dahlbeck, he offers solid defense and the ability to move the puck. He also skates like the wind and gives the Coyotes a full compliment of six defenders who are all plus skaters and who all have some ability to move the puck and play defense.
An embarrassment of riches is what some might call it. He's an RFA, but also likely to be back.
Conclusion
What's there to even say? Even if Murphy or Gomrley bust out, the Coyotes are in a fantastic position with their rebuild because they have six better-than-average defenders, all with size, all who can skate and most of who can also play solid D.
Oh, and one of them is the best all-round defenseman in hockey.
It's insane.
After writing this, I don't even feel like it's that much of a disappointment to pass up on one of the top defensemen in the draft anymore. That's not to say the Coyotes shouldn't look to improve, because you can't count on all six of these guys to realistically be star players, but if there is a more impressive young group in the NHL, I am not aware of it.
Let's celebrate one more time for Patsy Cline Day.