The Arizona Coyotes find themselves on a massive skid, having now lost nine games in a row. Of course, that’s not all bad news for them, as it’s put them in a great spot in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes now that they’ve taken over the fourth-worst spot in the league, and given themselves a 9.5% odds for the first overall pick.
However, the skid doesn’t mean that the Coyotes have been playing badly, as they’re still putting in a strong effort on the ice. Frank Seravalli and Mike McKenna talked more about the Coyotes' recent play on "Daily Faceoff Live," along with what they might do at the trade deadline.
Mike McKenna: “I’m a big fan of Andre Tourigny. I think he’s done the best given what he has. I watch the Arizona Coyotes because I love seeing players like Nick Bjugstad succeed again in the NHL, scoring, smiling, and enjoying his time. But you got to look for the players that they may move coming up to the trade deadline. Shayne Gostisbehere is someone who can give you offense on the blueline if you need it. Jakob Chychrun is still out there. Who else could potentially move on from this club?
I’m not sure where the value lies beyond some of those that I just mentioned, but I’m not sure how much they’re going to keep losing either. They’re 7-6-2 at home at the Mullet, they’ve got some juice there, and they’ve got 26 games left at home. The only problem with that theory? They’ve lost three straight there. They lost to Pittsburgh, San Jose, and Ottawa, they’re not wheelhouses either. And Karel Vejmelka’s come back down to Earth, he has a .881 save percentage in his last eight games.
I watch the Coyotes and think they’ve got a couple of pieces that they can sell off, they’re fun to watch because they play hard, but it’s going tough sledding there again for the rest of the season and on to next year.”
Frank Seravalli: “The Arizona Coyotes, the only team in the NHL without a win in the calendar year of 2023. You mention Karel Vejmelka, his name popped up in some trade rumors over the weekend, does Vejmelka make any sense for you to go to a team to shore up their goaltending given that you mentioned the swoon in his play of late?”
Mike McKenna: “It’s tough behind a team like that. I just think that he’s probably still a little bit green for a team to rely on if you’re going for the playoffs. But I think if you’re building towards your future, and you’re trying to find a goalie for two to three years from now, and you trust in your goalie department, Vejmelka’s got the tools, he’s got a pretty agreeable contract, so it’d be worth something considering if you’re a mid-pack team looking to build that position.”
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