We did the centres yesterday, today we do the defenseman.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson
No doubt one of the best defenseman in the NHL. Who, among other defenseman, would you honestly trade straight up for him? Certainly no one who isn't at least five years older.
It's crazy to think a franchise player of this quality was selected 6th overall. What a steal!
His play was great. He's my favorite player in the NHL. I am completely and 100% not even close to objective here: Oliver Ekman-Larsson is awesome.
His rating for this year is Vampire Weekend's Modern Vampires of the City because like OEL, it is a modern classic that will one day be counted among the all-time greats.
Keith Yandle
I award Keith Yandle the classic album grade of Bob Dylan's Self Portrait. Like Yandle, this record is often mis-understood and criticized, but people who know what they are talking about happen to love it.
Sure, Yandle could be a little tighter on the other side of the puck, but why do we expect players to be able to do everything? This guy's offensive abilities are off the charts, he lead the team with 53 points, and he would have had more if he wasn't on the team with the weakest collection of forwards in the NHL.
Some say to trade him. I wavered on this, but I am now firmly saying to keep him: The Yandle-OEL PP combo is too special to break up.
Zbynek Michalek
Has anyone ever mentioned that if you could combine Michalek and Yandle into one player you would have the best defenseman in the league? No, OK, probably not, because this isn't the Power Rangers.....
Still, ZM happens to be one of the premier defensive defenseman in hockey. This guy blocks shots, hits, and just makes smart play after smart play. He is completely under-appreciated since he a) plays for Phoenix and b) was unsuccessful for whatever reason when he went to the Penguins.
The fact that he missed 23 games can be said to be one of the main reasons the Coyotes missed the playoffs. I think if he plays all those games, getting 3 points is a cinch.
His rating is Deerhunter's 2010 masterpiece Halcyon Digest since it's a classic record that more people should know about, but don't, just like ZM.
Derek Morris
In his fifth year since returning to the desert, Morris showed the wear and tear you would expect from a 35 year old hockey player as physical as he is. Unfortunately, Morris was too slow, a healthy scratch at times and will not be back.
It was a great run for one of the most important players in Coyotes history. Morris has played in Phoenix for a total of ten years and it will be sad to see him go but I just can't see how they can justify bringing him back with the players they have knocking at the door.
His rating is U2's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb because you only own it for sentimental reasons and never want to play it. Morris used to be an Achtung Baby but now he is just a shadow of his former self and you start to realize that being fifty and going by a single name is kind of lame. Still, we love him and wish for a return to form, we just don't think it's gonna happen.
Dave Schlemko
Schlemko is a weird case. He is basically an offensive defenseman who has had to change his game up because of the presence of Yandle, OEL, Rundblad etc. I really don't know what Schlemko can bring that can keep him on the roster going forward, as Summers is faster and Gormley, Stone and Murphy are all better.
To his credit, Schlemko is a good shot blocker and decent on the PK. In his 48 games he got 9 points and averaged 16 minutes. He has tried to change his game to become more well-rounded, but the team would be better served giving his ice time to someone a little tougher to play against, considering he is bottom pairing, at best.
I rate him as one of Neil Young's worst records: Landing on Water because it was worth a try, but it's not working out and you're not going back to it anytime soon, if you can help it, especially since you have so many better options.
Michael Stone
In my opinion, Stone had a great year in 2014. He got into 70 games, put up 21 points, and moved up from the bottom pair to the middle pair. Granted, this was not a permanent move, but he outplayed, and at times, displaced Morris from his spot with Yandle.
Stone's wicked shot provides a great option on the second PP unit and his all-round game is improving to the point where it looks like he will be a very nice hybrid-defenseman in the NHL, providing a fair amount of offense and good defense too. It is not well known, outside of Phoenix, but besides having a big shot, Stone is a great shot blocker and a pretty heavy hitter.
Stone's rating is 1983 U2 Classic Boy since that is a record that is pretty good, but known mostly for the potential that it oozes. Fitting, since Stone might be the new Morris - their games are somewhat similar - and maybe one day Stone can be rated an Achtung Baby as Morris once might have been.
Summers/Gormley/Murphy
Murhphy got in 30 games, but these three did not really play enough to get a fair grade. Murphy was up and down all year and he looks like he can be a great player. Summers is fast,but he's a UFA and I have no idea if he will be back. Gormley is the organizations top prospect and he didn't really get much of a chance. Still, the depth of the D is amazing and these guys will all hopefully get a longer look next year.
At this point the only rating you can give these guys is that of a decent promotional single. You have to wait to see more and hear the whole album first before you can fairly judge. Still, I like them all.
Overall, the Coyotes defense is looking good for next year. It is by far the biggest strength of the team and it will be interesting to see what they do with this depth in regards to improving at forward.
Thanks for reading and tweet me @james_tanner123