Arizona Coyotes Fail to Qualify for the NHL Playoff for the Fourth Consecutive Season
Image Credit: Medium.com (allison)
The Arizona Coyotes were eliminated from playoff contention on Tuesday after the Vegas Golden Knights' 5-4 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators. This adds to an already demoralizing season for the Coyotes. The entire Coyotes organization rests on an uneasy foundation, with the ongoing relocation conversation looming over them. The Coyotes don’t even have a proper home arena, currently playing temporarily out of Mullett Arena, the home of Arizona State hockey.
Image Credit: ABC15 Arizona
While the Coyotes seemed to be on track, holding the second wild card spot in the Western Conference, they experienced a breakdown in late January. They went on a 14-game losing streak and did not win a single game in the month of February. Although forward Clayton Keller has stood out as the most talented player on the team, notching a 30-goal season so far, he will need scoring help if the Coyotes hope to contend in the future. The Coyotes have also struggled on the road, with an 11-20-5 record away from home. While that record is only slightly worse than their home record of 19-17-0, they need to improve their performance on the road.
Image Credit: The Hockey News
After being eliminated, the Coyotes can only look towards the future, and there are reasons to be optimistic. The biggest point of optimism for the Coyotes is their youth and development. The Coyotes' farm system was ranked 9th best in the NHL. They also have a few talented players just entering the NHL. Logan Cooley has had an impressive rookie season, ranking fifth in points among NHL rookies, and rookie Josh Doan scored twice in his NHL debut on Wednesday night. Additionally, the Coyotes have invested significant draft capital for the future as part of their rebuild. Arizona had 12 picks in last year’s draft and 13 in this year’s draft. The Coyotes also have a chance at selecting first in this year's draft, a first for the franchise.
Image Credit: TheScore.com
While things look bleak for the Coyotes currently, it’s not all bad. The Coyotes have made solid moves geared towards the future and, provided they address their housing situation, they should be cautiously optimistic moving forward. Until then, Coyotes fans can continue to enjoy watching their young rookies like Logan Cooley and Josh Doan.
