Road to the Playoffs thread

[Ryanwb]

You should just rename the title to this thread to: "Road to the offseason"

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

You should just rename the title to this thread to: "Road to the offseason"

I should have known the title would be bad mojo. The ASFN Dbacks season thread a couple years ago was called something like "road to the playoffs," and the Dbacks went on to their worst season in history.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

The aggrivating thing is that the defense hasn't been very good either.

True.

It's very disappointing that this team is playing so much worse than last year's.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I just read that that was the DAL G's first NHL start.

"Hey, we're playing PHX...let's start the rook."

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

I just read that that was the DAL G's first NHL start.

"Hey, we're playing PHX...let's start the rook."

Yeah, he got the start as Turco had played the night before. The rookie ends up posting a shutout in his first start, not that the Coyotes made it hard for him.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

the rook looked rattled early misplaying many pucks

JR looked suprisingly good and levsin looked good as well

not sure why you would sit laraque when playing a team with barnaby

the 5-3 chance was horrible - this team needs some imagination - they are content to just hold the puck on the boards or work it out by the blue line and shoot from there - no one is getting strong in front of the net, the passing was fairly poor and the shot angles were fairly easy

if you are going to take a shot at an angle you can't score at, then you must muscle the puck in and hope for a rebound - they weren't even doing that

the people who showed up seemed into it though and i'd love to see this team get it going and create a great hockey environment - i'm just not sure how they can do it...............

 

[Chaplin]

Totally understand the whole "look good on paper, awful on the ice" thing, but come on, this has crossed the border into bizarro world...

 

[Scott MS]

Yeah, it is bizarre. Last year's team was more competitive.

I'm sitting here looking at 20 pairs of tickets to games for the rest of the season. Not a good feeling . . .

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Its amazing, this team on paper should have been one of the best since the team moved here ten years ago. Instead, it looks like by far the worst. It is early and there is still time to turn it around (teams like San Jose started the year off atrociously last season and managed to make the playoffs, but unlike the Sharks I don't think a Thornton-caliber player is going to fall from the sky to save us).

The problem is that there isn't just one or two things that the team can isolate and fix. Cujo got real old real fast, and Morrison couldn't stop a puck if it were a beachball. The Coyotes can't kill a penalty and are horrifically undisciplined. Nagy and Comrie for whatever reason won't shoot the puck. Jovanovski looks like the worst signing of the offseason, and we're stuck with him and his huge contract for five years. Dennis Seidenberg has been both a penalty magnet and a defensive liability, I think he will be the first one shipped out of town. It is just so hard to say what needs to be done, but if this team doesn't figure it out, a full rebuild looms in the near future.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Mike Morrison chased out of his net again in the second period. Chances are pretty good he is done with this team.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Things apparently just weren't bleak enough, Doan is out with a back injury that has apparently been plaguing him for some time. Oh, and Reinprecht injury is worse than previously known, he will be out for about 10 weeks.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

Eh, Doan has done nothing for this team this season anyhow. And neither has anyone else. This "team" stinks on ice. They have nearly ruined my enjoyment of hockey this season. They are undisciplined, unskilled, and uninterested. It's time for Gretzky to think about hanging up the coaching title. If he is teaching them to play like this, he is a terrible coach. If he is not teaching them to play like this then they have tuned him out and the result is the same. It is very frustrating to watch. How can anyone be a fan of this team right now?

Nagy has turned into a very average player. Barnett signs over-the-hill players who do nothing for the squad at all - and sells it as an achievement. This team has no identity at all, no attractions to make you pay attention. It is a glorified EHCL team.

Does anyone honestly see this getting any better? It must be the loss of Reinprecht and Ricci! Now Ballard can make a small difference and he is fun to watch, but the rest of the "stellar" blue-line has yet to live up to its billing.

 

[Ryanwb]

Owen Nolan is only a few lucky bounces away from breaking out. He still has some great moves out there

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

It isn't going to be long before heads start to roll

 

[Ryanwb]

JR looks like he's 100 years old, he has always been kind of a slow starter but I'm not holding my breath

 

[Chaplin]

JR looks like he's 100 years old, he has always been kind of a slow starter but I'm not holding my breath

What is sad is that JR is one of the only guys that people are saying is actually playing fairly well.

 

[Scott MS]

Well, I'll be at the game Thursday night vs. the Oilers (Howler Bobblehead Night!!) and Saturday vs. the Rangers. Should I be excited?

Mostly excited to see Jagr play in person. The way the new NHL schedule is organized, you only get to see an Eastern Conference team live at home every three years. I got the tickets for the Islanders, Rangers, Devils, and Penguins this year. I passed on the Flyers (I think it's a Monday night).

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Mike Morrison has been placed on waivers. Unless some other team is stupid enough to claim him, he is headed to San Antonio. David LeNeveu will be called up to replace him.

 

[Scott MS]

What's wrong with this franchise? The San Antonio Rampage are now 2-7 also, giving up a lot of goals. LeNeveu and Sauve are near the bottom of the league in goaltending.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

What's wrong with this franchise? The San Antonio Rampage are now 2-7 also, giving up a lot of goals. LeNeveu and Sauve are near the bottom of the league in goaltending.

Pat Conacher is a horrible coach for San Antonio, they aren't going anywhere until they dump him. There is also the lack of talent, as most of our top prospects (Lisin, Mueller, Hanzal, Wheeler, and now LeNeveu) are playing elsewhere.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Doan is out for the game against the Oilers due to a bad back. Forward Don MacLean (the AHL MVP) has been recalled from San Antonio, as has defenseman Matt Jones. Poor play already cost one Coyote his job this morning, and it could be the first of many. Seidenberg better not get too comfortable, he is probably the next to go in a game or two with Matt Jones knocking on the door.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

Apparently Doan sitting was the key!

Yotes lead 3-1 after one, with power play goals by Michalek and Nagy and an even-strength by Saprykin. Perhaps the Oilers are just tired and will pick it up in the second period, but the Yotes have looked a little more like a team tonight. I cringe whenever a shot goes towards LeNevue, but he has been okay minus a terrible goal against from nearly the icing line to his left.

 

[Compa]

Things apparently just weren't bleak enough, Doan is out with a back injury that has apparently been plaguing him for some time. Oh, and Reinprecht injury is worse than previously known, he will be out for about 10 weeks.

The ESPNews ticker showed today that Reinprecht doesn't have a point in the last 4 games (also noting that he had 5 in the first game).

The past few seasons obviously haven't gone well, but this season really makes me miss the late 90s version of the Coyotes that would have their annual hot streak in October and November to cushion themselves for a late-season fizzling-out.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

The ESPNews ticker showed today that Reinprecht doesn't have a point in the last 4 games (also noting that he had 5 in the first game).

LOL. What a slacker.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

Good win for the club. Perhaps a glimmer of hope?

Yotes win 6-2 and LeNeveu was pretty solid. His first GA was pretty weak, but he had no chance on the second (broken play rebound right to Sykora in front of the empty net) and yet almost got his glove on it.