Dave Vest@davest4yotes2m2 minutes ago
.@ARaanta31 will start in goal for @ArizonaCoyotes today vs. @NHLFlames. Raanta has earned more victories (five) vs. CGY than any other team in his six-year NHL career. In his final two starts vs. CGY last season, Raanta stopped 84 of 87 shots and notched two wins.
Dave Vest@davest4yotes3m3 minutes ago
.@Cous27 is expected to skate in his 200th NHL game today. When he does, he'll become just the 11th player selected in the third round or later of the 2011 NHL Draft to skate in 200 NHL games. PHI drafted Cousins 68th overall.
Dave Vest@davest4yotes2m2 minutes ago
.@ArizonaCoyotes d-man @j_chychrun7: "We can't give teams freebies and I think we've been doing that. We're all guilty of it and we all know it. We need to get back to using our speed ... and getting the other team tired and taking advantage of their mistakes."
Craig MorganVerified account@craigsmorgan5m5 minutes ago
Coyotes didn't even wait to hit the road to make a trade. Dylan Strome & Brendan Perlini are gone for 22-year-old F Nick Schmaltz, who had 2 goals and 11 assists with Chicago. As I noted in my story, sometimes change can help if it wakes up a team.
Richard Morin ️@ramorin_azc15m15 minutes ago
Curious to see how #Coyotes look at practice tomorrow. Maybe something like…
Galchenyuk—Stepan—Keller
Panik—Schmaltz—Hinostroza
Grabner—Richardson—Fischer
Crouse—Cousins—Archibald
Craig MorganVerified account@craigsmorgan5m5 minutes ago
Clearly, all 3 players have had trouble reaching their potential. We'll see if change alters that. Schmaltz had 21 goals & 52 points last season in Chicago. There's something there. Can he & the Coyotes find it again? Just as important, will this be the needed wake-up call in AZ?
Dave Vest@davest4yotes22m22 minutes ago
John Chayka: "When I asked about Nick (Schmaltz) in the past, he’s been an untouchable ... At some point he became available, and when a player like that becomes available you’ve got to give to get. We certainly did that, but we’re excited about what we have moving forward."
Craig MorganVerified account@craigsmorgan40m40 minutes ago
John Chayka admitted that the Coyotes' recent play and the playoff spots available in a middling Pacific Division were factors in this trade. There were other factors, but that was part of it.
Dave Vest@davest4yotes4m4 minutes ago
John Chayka: "We still have an opportunity in this division to compete. For whatever reason, we haven’t been able to produce as much offense as we need to and we think this (trade for Nick Schmaltz) makes us a better offensive team."