Tonight the Phoenix Coyotes put their five game point streak on the line against the Oilers at home. Coming off two OT losses to two very tough opponents, the Coyotes will look to get back in the win column against a team they have beaten twice this season. Who knows what you’re going to get when you play Edmonton? They have no goaltending and a suspect defense, but posses enough highly skilled forwards that they have the potential to blow just about any team out of the water, on any given night. Edmonton doesn’t seem to do very good against teams like Phoenix that can play a tight checking, offensive stifling game. Then again, Edmonton doesn’t really seem to do very good against anybody, no matter what kind of game they play. A cheap shot, perhaps, but let’s not forget that with the talent on their team, and the addition of Bryzgalov, that they have a good chance of having a strong second half. I wouldn’t bet against it.
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Yesterday the Coyotes made two minor roster moves. They probably aren’t that puzzling since Doan is skating, Korpikoski recently returned, and Klesla is close to returning, but I don’t think they are a better team for the moves. They sent Jordan Szwarz and Gilbert Brule to the minors, ostensibly because they have two-way contracts and don’t need to clear waivers. Personally, I think both players bring more to the team – and are significantly better – than Bissonnette and Halpern. The Coyotes almost never fight, and Bissonnette, he’s a fan favorite and you gotta love him, but Szwarz is far more talented and I feel he brings more to the team. Jeff Halpern is among the slowest players in the league and his faceoff skills are replicated by Vermette. I would rather have Brule and Szwarz, who I am starting to really like. Just my opinion, and I gotta admit Coach Tippet probably knows more than I do. Love to hear what you think on the topic.
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Finally, since the Coyotes haven’t quite reached the halfway mark yet, and since they haven’t played in a couple days and there won’t be much to talk about until after tonight, I thought I would have a little fun with some potential trade targets and see what you guys think. I am of the opinion, which I think is shared by just about everyone, that while the Coyotes may have the deepest collection of potentially high-end young defenseman in the NHL, they are missing a top line scoring threat that they can build around. Mikkel Boedker is probably the closest thing they have, and while I think he is going to be a special player, I am not sold yet that he will be an 80-100 point threat. So, with that in mind, here are a few players I might target if I was the GM.
1. Nail Yakupov - The Oilers probably don’t want to trade him and then watch him live up to his massive potential, but they are also terribly unbalanced and really could use a defenseman. You have to admit, the two teams seem like a perfect fit. A package built around Keith Yandle would probably be the cost, you would think. Even if Yakupov is a healthy scratch tonight, you know the Oilers aren’t going to sell low on their former first overall pick.
2. Sam Gagner - Maybe the Oilers don’t want to trade Nail, and maybe the Coyotes don’t want to trade Yandle. Could they get Sam Gagner for Connor Murphy? Would that even be a good trade? Gagner is surprisingly young considering how long he has been in the league and I think he has a whole new level to take his game. It’s debatable if he’d ever be a true top line centre, but it’s certainly possible.
3. Nazem Kadri - Kadri has as much pure offensive skills as just about anybody. He is rumored to be available and isn’t living up to his potential in Toronto, where they desperately need a partner for the recently signed Dion Phaneuf. (A great signing, in my opinion, because, outside of some of the more reality-challenged Leaf fans, I haven’t heard anyone rank him any worse than one of the top 10 or 15 defenseman in the NHL.) Since you can’t exactly trade for Tavares or Getzlaf, I think taking a chance on a guy like Kadri or Gagner and hoping you get lucky is the best option. The Leafs, I am betting, would love to have Connor Murphy.
4. Brayden Schenn - Another young, potential top line player not currently playing up to his potential for a team who needs a defenseman. I would love to see Schenn in a Phoenix uniform, he’s tough, big, hard to play against and can score.
Overall, these are just for having some fun speculation and should not be considered rumors of any kind. On the plus side, outside of Yakupov, I don’t think any of these players would require the Coyotes to trade Yandle. And for that to be a plus, it assumes that they (the team) prefer Yandle long term over Murphy, and I am not even sure they do. I do, because Smith and Doan are in their thirties and both deserve for management making a play to win now, and I think keeping Yandle and moving Murphy or even Gormley makes that most likely.
That’s what I think. Would love to hear what you think.
As always, Thanks for reading.
PS- I wrote this while listening to Pavement’s Terror Twilight (1999). It’s a classic record you should check out, or if you already have it and haven’t listened to it in a while, give it a spin.