Tocchet teaching now more than ever

Huddled in the corner along the boards was Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet and assistant John MacLean with a handful of players.

At the other end of the rink, assistant Scott Allen and goalie coach Jon Elkin were overseeing another group. The remaining players were off the ice.

Rather than reconvening for a hearty practice like the Coyotes usually have after each game during their winless start, the Coyotes changed up their routine ahead of their Saturday meeting at home with the Blackhawks and scattered inside Gila River Arena Friday.

“As a coach, you always want to keep the players’ energy level (up),” Tocchet said. “Sometimes you have to go off the grid a little.”

Since taking over behind Arizona’s bench before the season, Tocchet has focused on the X’s and O’s to help players implement the quick, aggressive style he covets.

But being at the helm of a 0-6-1 group that ranks last in the NHL – this only months after Tocchet was crowned a Stanley Cup champion as an assistant with the Penguins – seems to have magnified his role as teacher.

“He’s been great,” defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson said. “You almost feel a little bit guilty, too, not to be able to give him that first win. We really want to give him that one.”

The Fox Sports Arizona broadcast of Thursday’s 5-4 loss to the Stars showed Tocchet inside the Coyotes’ dressing room drawing instructions on the white board during intermission – an in-game tactic he’s started to do more this week.

That performance against the Stars was the team’s best so far, trumping their effort two nights prior when they faced the same team in Dallas.