The Coyotes have not played since Monday and they don't play until tomorrow.
Their record is 20-31-7 and they have lost four games in a row. The team has not played a meaningful game since the end of Octorber and frankly, outside of watching Yandle and Ekman-Larsson play, there really hasn't even been a reason to tune it.
The recent four game losing streak is, surprisingly, only the third such losing streak of the season. However, this does not include the time earlier in the year when they went a month + without beating anyone but the Oilers - during that time, they lost ten in a row to teams that weren't the Oilers.
The highlight of the year: Going 5-0 vs Edmonton. A feat that actually hurts the team, since they are currently three points up on the Oilers, had they lost even two of those games they'd be five points behind them and only a measly five points up on the Sabres.
So basically, the only thing the Coyotes did right this year could end up haunting them for the next two decades, should they miss out on one of the two available "franchise altering" players available this summer.
Seriously, I don't mean to complain, but this has been tough to watch. But what is worse, is how the team keeps dishonestly pretending it wants to win. If you have to lose, then do it with some intelligence, is my point here. For instance, the team should have already moved out the players everyone knows are available.
Getting intentionally bad and giving opportunities to young players would at least make the team watchable and interesting.
Also
- The team could have brought up Hogdson or Gaudett and instead they pick Arcobello off waivers. To what end, no one knows.
- Last week, in an apparent attempt to climb up the standings, the team played their starting goalie four games in a row over two sets of back-to-backs.
- Despite playing for the future, the team continues to ice Doan and Vermette as its most used forwards. Why? Play the Reiders, the Lessios or even Gagner to see if you want to bring him back.
-Maybe call up Samuelson and get a look at him, see how he looks in the NHL.
I don't except a professional like Dave Tippett to do anything other than try to win every game, but since that isn't working, why not send Dave on vacation until the team is ready to win.
Buffalo has embraced their tank job, and all I am really saying is that the Coytes could embrace theirs a little more fully. That means more ice time to the kids, bringing up guys from Portland, and trading their chips well in advance of the deadline.
If they were to do that, I might actually be excited for tomorrow's match with Tampa.
Ultimately, the team has lost four games in a row and they stink. What could possible be lost by further embracing the tactic of losing now to win later? I would prefer not to see a single player play another game with this team who isn't in the plans for next year.
And while we're at it, let's stop with the constant Yandle circus. There is a 2% chance he re-signs here and that 2% is only because technically, it's a possibility. But it's been a tiresome time of "will they or won't they" and they should just do it already.
Fact is, you'll get more for him now than ever again when the team getting him can have him for two playoffs and isn't trading for a UFA - so just do it.
Maybe I am wrong, but right now, that's what I think.