Coyotes not saying much, but actions are
SARAH MCLELLAN
More questions than answers have headlined the Coyotes’ offseason for years.
The threat of relocation loomed when the franchise was owned by the NHL from 2009-2013 with a carousel of potential suitors – from Matthew Hulsizer to Greg Jamison – contributing to a murky outlook.
Roster turnover has also been an unpredictable factor amid a budget that’s steadily ranked below the spending power of the league’s perennial playoff teams.
And ever since the city of Glendale pulled the plug on the Coyotes’ previously long-term agreement to play at Gila River Arena, the franchise has been without a permanent home in the Valley.
That issue hasn’t been resolved, and the lack of clarity remains a glaring omission in the team’s forecast. But what’s adding to the uncertainty this summer is the silence about the Coyotes’ long-term direction, a message that has yet to be delivered by owner Andrew Barroway since he bought out the previous minority owners last week.
Barroway is still unavailable to discuss his plans and vision for the Coyotes, but the team’s actions during an already-busy offseason may offer some clues as to what to expect in the future. and a beacon of stability amid adversity seemed like a relationship worth maintaining rather than nixing.
Coupled, though, with the trade of another tenured Coyote, former No. 1 goalie Mike Smith, it certainly looks like the Coyotes want to mix up their look. And the revolving door hasn’t been limited to the roster.
They’ve promoted Steve Sullivan from his post as director of player to development to assistant general manager and brought in Jake Goldberg from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League to be the director of hockey operations.
But the team has also made subtractions, dismissing assistant coach Newell Brown and Tucson Roadrunners GM Doug Soetaert less than a year after hiring him. Sullivan will serve as Tucson GM and oversee the team’s amateur player development staff.
Arizona also chose not to renew the contracts of two pro scouts and head athletic trainer Jason Serbus, assistant athletic trainer Mike Ermatinger and manual therapist Mike Griebel.
“We just gotta be better across the board,” General Manager John Chayka said. “Last season was unacceptable, and you make changes. It’s not necessarily a reflection of one person or anything like that. But like I said, I just think we need to be better across the board – myself included – and we expect to be elite level across the board in all departments of our organization.”
The coaching staff falls under Tippett’s jurisdiction as he makes decisions on the coaches – which included parting ways with Brown, who has since joined the Canucks.
Job shuffling isn’t unusual after a new regime takes control.
The Florida Panthers underwent a similar transition last summer, tweaking their coaching staff, beefing up their analytics focus and even replacing training staff members while Dave Tallon was shifted from GM to president of hockey operations. In April, though, Tallon, a well-respected hockey mind, was reinstated as GM after a difficult season with Panthers brass calling for a “singular voice,” according to the Miami Herald.
The Coyotes appeared to have consolidated the voices in their process with Barroway becoming the sole owner, but what input he’s provided remains unclear – except for Doan saying it was explained to him that it was Barroway’s call not to have Doan back.
Since the team doesn’t expect to be active in free agency, the trade market is a point of focus and the expansion draft has made it an attractive option for retooling. Vegas’ selection will be revealed Wednesday, and a slew of trades could also be announced as teams have reportedly struck deals with Vegas – potentially to encourage it to lay off a certain player or draft a particular one and then flip to them.
But these trades may have been costly, so there’s no guarantee the Coyotes addressed their goaltending via this route – even though securing one of the unprotected netminders like Petr Mrazek, Antti Raanta or Philipp Grubauer would have improved the outlook at the position.
Arizona is also seeking right-shot options at forward and on defense, and center ice remains a work in progress.
“Ideally, everyone’s looking for that topline, Number 1 center that can match up and play in all situations,” Chayka said. “The reality of that is they’re very rare. They’re al- most impossible to trade for.”
Trades unrelated to expansion are also expected, and the likes of Derek Stepan (Rangers), Matt Duchene (Avalanche) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Oilers) may be on the move this summer.
Again, though, it’s not a given the Coyotes snag high-profile help – even though that’s what they seem to need.
How the Coyotes surround their youth would appear to be one of the most telling factors in not only how competitive they might be next season but also when it’s realistic to expect this team to challenge for a playoff spot. The progression of their young players is also important as setbacks or missteps would be a tough blow, especially since so many are poised to land in the lineup. But who else is brought in to assist the process figures to be essential.
And the Coyotes do have to add, as they’re approximately a $12.5-million cap hit below the salary floor, according to capfriendly.com. Their actual spending could end up being less than that number but either way, they need to acquire.
Chayka hasn’t ruled out the possibility of the Coyotes using their cap space to bring in players – like the team did last summer when it took on contracts of inactive players in trades to receive defenseman Jakob Chychrun and winger Lawson Crouse.
All of these offseason decisions will be critical in determining whether or not the Coyotes are equipped to improve.
That is an answer that could be answered by Barroway, as he would seem to be setting the agenda.
But the Coyotes’ actions will also do the talking.