Predictions?

I figured it's almost time for the big dance in April, so what better than to make some predictions. We have some very good races in both Conferences, and some power houses at the top. I'll quickly list a few of my predictions, and put down your predictions!

Eastern Conference Champions - New Jersey Devils
Western Conference Champions - San Jose Sharks

Eastern Conference Odd Team Out/In - New York Rangers/Florida Panthers
Western Conference Odd Team Out/In - St. Louis Blues/Edmonton Oilers

Unexpected Eastern Conference Playoff Run - Carolina Hurricanes
Unexpected Western Conference Playoff Run - Columbus Blue Jackets

Lottery Winner - New York Islanders

He's Back! Game In Progress Coyotes 3 Sharks 1

What a game so far! As much as I hate to say it, where has this been? Your ruining that wonderful draft pick! Nevertheless this has been a great game for the Coyotes against a very tough, but struggling team. Shane Doan said after their last practice that things will be better, well so far so good Shane. This could get Turris and the power play going. These teams are playing like they do not like each other very much. With all this talk about the young players, a guy like Brian McGrattan is showing some real guts. Brian has gone through a lot this year in his personal life. He has made it all the way back to the NHL, and he certainly held his own with heavy weight Jody Shelley. I for one, hope to see him take on the enforcer role for the future. Enjoy the rest of the game!

Lucky 13

Well with just less than a month left in this season, it is time to break down what needs to be done. Yes, the playoffs are out of reach, but that doesn’t mean this team doesn’t have something to play for the rest of the way. From the recent poll, it is an important tryout for some players with these 13 games left. The most important thing to watch these coming games will be the amount of ice time Gretzky gives the young guns. With some potential big minutes coming for the younger players, it will give them a chance to cap off the season positively. In the next few days I will put some focus on the players that need to give the coaching staff reason to be excited going into the summer. The first player will be Kyle Turris.
The third overall pick has had a rough start to his NHL career. He has gone through some ups and downs very quickly this season. We all remember when Gretzky scratched him late before the Coyotes played Kyle’s hometown Vancouver Canucks. Turris got off to a get start this year scoring his first NHL goal in Anaheim, but a series of bad play developed into a minor league stint. Since returning to the team a few weeks ago, Kyle still has yet to find his game. It is time for Gretzky to put Turris with some of the big guys for the rest of the season. It would be good to have Turris play with some veterans and get some big minutes. There is no doubt that Turris has the skill to be a great NHL player, but he needs to understand the NHL level. For the remainder of the season Turris needs to show some more confidence with the puck in the offensive zone. A big part of Kyle’s game is his speed, and he needs to start using his speed to create more space for himself. With more ice time, and some veterans like Doan to play with, it will allow Kyle a chance to find these opportunities. Next year the team will be counting on someone to step up at center and play some key roles. Turris has the skill to take on some roles, but only if he shows improvement down the stretch to start.

Looking Forward to the Draft?

It is a depressing thing to talk about when the regular season isn’t over, but he NHL draft will not be held until late June, and it is probably the most important date for the Coyotes until next October. Once again the Coyotes find themselves in the thick of things with the NHL lottery. Despite having such a strong and promising first half of the season, the Coyotes will be battling with the bottom feeders for the rights to the John Tavares sweepstakes. Now I am not necessarily saying that Tavares will be the first overall pick, but all analysts seem to think so. I will be highlighting a few draft prospects that could fall to the Coyotes this June. It is safe to say that the Coyotes will have a top 10 draft pick, so I will be as realistic as possible with the players I choose to describe.
If the Coyotes fall down to get the top pick in the NHL draft or even the second pick, it may be smart to make the surprising pick. No, I am not being sarcastic, the surprising pick being Victor Hedman.
It is extremely tempting to think of John Tavares in a Coyotes uniform, but there are other things to think about besides the name on the back of the jersey. Tavares is a phenomenal player and will make the Coyotes second guess not picking him, but this team needs a rock at the blue liner for the future and present. It is nice having the likes of Jovo on your defense, but he makes many mistakes and is getting up their in age. Hedman has the size of an NHL defenseman and the skill to follow that. Despite Hedman’s mammoth size, he can skate very well. This guy has a mean streak, and the offensive talent of Lidstrom. This type of defenseman would add depth at this point, but fierce talent and strength in the future. He could be a worthy replacement to the losses of Keith Ballard and Derek Morris in consecutive years. The skating ability and ability to join the rush would give Gretzky some more flexibility in the offensive transition, and dare I say this will finally help the putrid Coyotes power play. Another big reason to draft this player is the fact that the Coyotes have spent a lot of time developing potential star forwards. The Coyotes need to spend the money in the offseason to take care of forwards to help bring along Turris, Mueller, Boedker, etc. Evening out the prospects in this lineup will further show the big picture, while competing for a playoff spot right now.
Working with the same philosophy, Jared Cowen is a nice young defenseman from the WHL. There is not as much drop off from Hedman as some scouts have said in the past. Cowan is another big boy at 6 feet 5 inches, weighing in at 218 pounds. Like Hedman, Cowan is a very mobile defenseman who is very solid all around in his game. Cowan would be a nice 3 to 5 pick, should the Coyotes fall to those spots. I know the defenseman talk can get a little boring so I’ll give you a few keepers at the forward position. Lets face it the Coyotes have a ton of young talent at the forward position, but unfortunately I do no see any 40 plus goal scorers in the crop. The Coyotes have their speed and playmaking up front for the future, but who will be the finisher for years to come? One can only hope that modern medicine will provide Doan 10 more years of play, but again only hope. When you look at the Coyotes, it’s hard not to just mentally check off talents needed to help this club. The top three issues that need to be addressed are toughness, physicality and scoring. These three attributes fall under one player in this draft more than any other player.
Named after the great boxer Evander Holyfield, Evander Kane brings all these aspects and then some. Kane has great hands, and brings the energy and toughness that any of the finesse Coyotes could use as a linemate. Not only would he compliment the other smaller forwards, but he would take some pressure off of players like Doan, and Jovanovski in the physical department. The top ten in this year’s draft have great talent, and Coyotes fans should be excited about June.