Injuries piling up for Coyotes along blue line
As the Coyotes become the latest NHL team to be victimized by injuries this season, they’re just trying to get through the next couple days as they wait for reinforcements to arrive.
While nobody at Coyotes practice at the Ice Den in Scottsdale on Friday was saying exactly that, the noticeable absences by several of the team’s key players did the speaking for them. The Coyotes are hurting right now, and most of the damage is on the blue line.
When the Coyotes take the ice against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, the second game of a five-game homestand, they will most likely be without three of
their normal starting defenseman well as their No. 1 goaltender.
Jason Demers is the latest victim to fall prey to the Coyotes’ injury bug, sustaining a lower-body injury in the final seconds of Thursday’s 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators that will end his 2018-19 season, sources confirmed Friday evening.
Demers’ injury was an ugly one, as the big defenseman appeared to lose his balance around the Coyotes’ net while tangling with Predators forward Kyle Turris. After going down awkwardly on his left knee, Demers appeared to try to regain his footing but could not put any pressure on the leg.
With Demers now expected to miss significant time, this latest development certainly qualify as the Coyotes’ most detrimental injury to date. Demers, who scored his first goal of the season in Thursday’s game, might not light up the scoresheet but he plays a valuable role as an effective right-side defenseman on the club’s top pairing with captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
Along with injuries to Alex Goligoski (lower body) and Jakob Chychrun (upper body), the Coyotes’ blue line has been thrown into a state of flux. Robbie Russo has joined Dakota Mermis as defensemen to be recalled from the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate in Tucson, and at least one of them figures to crack the lineup on Saturday.
“We’ve still got some good guys (who are healthy) but there are some guys in the minors that, if they get in the lineup, have a chance to play,” Tocchet said. “‘Chick’ (Chychrun) and ‘Goose’ (Goligoski) aren’t far behind, so we’ll get some reinforcements. This is what happens in terms of having depth on the blue line. You get tested. These are the times of the year when you’re getting tested with injuries.”
What could be the Coyotes’ saving grace is what comes after Saturday, three consecutive days between home games — a rarity in an NHL schedule. The break could allow time for both Goligoski and Chychrun to get healthy, as each of their respective ailments is thought to be relatively minor.
“Like I said, guys have their opportunities,” Tocchet said. “There are guys that can hold the fort for us, and all of a sudden those three guys (go down). Those three guys are really good hockey players. It strengthens your team when you have that kind of depth.
“We’ll practice Sunday and Tuesday, which is great. And then we’ll have another game. I’m a big guy with practice. You’ve got to do it, and not just for the injured guys. It’s big for the regular team, too.”
The same goes for goaltender Antti Raanta, who has now missed six consecutive games with a lower-body issue and did not practice with the team on Friday, suggesting that Darcy Kuemper will be back in net against the Bruins. Raanta’s injury was thought to be minor at first, but his lingering absence is beginning to cast doubt on the health of as
The Arizona Coyotes (9-8-1) welcome the Boston Bruins (10-6-2) to Glendale for the second game in a fivegame homestand at Gila River Arena. … The Bruins will be playing the second end of a back-to-back on the road after taking on the Dallas Stars on Friday. … Both the Coyotes and Bruins enter play on Friday tied for fourth place in their respective divisions. … This is the first of two meetings between the teams this season with the Coyotes scheduled to travel to Boston on Dec. 11; the Coyotes were 0-2-0 against the Bruins last season. … The Bruins are led by their top forward line of Patrice Bergeron (nine goals, 17 assists), Brad Marchand (six goals, 14 assists) and David Pastrnak (17 goals, eight assists), all of whom have combined for 71 points this season.
Coyotes – Jakob Chychrun (upper body), Jason Demers (lower body), Antti Raanta (lower body) and Alex Goligoski (lower body) have all been ruled out for Saturday’s game. … Christian Dvorak (torn pectoral) is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery in October . ... Bruins – John Moore (lower body) did not suit up on Friday in Dallas and his status for Saturday’s game is in doubt. … Kevan Miller (hand) is also questionable. … Zdeno Chara (leg), Brandon Carlo (upper body), Charlie McAvoy (concussion) and Urho Vaakanainen (concussion) are all on injured reserve and are likely all ruled out for Saturday.
the Coyotes’ No. 1 netminder.
Still, until reinforcements arrive, the Coyotes will be be forced to get creative. It also helps matters that the Bruins will be playing on the second end of a backto-back on the road and have even more blue-line injuries than the Coyotes.
What the Bruins do have, however, is one of the best lines in hockey. Boston’s top forward unit of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak entered play Friday with a combined 71 points.
By comparison, all Coyotes forwards on the club’s active roster have combined for 73 points through the team’s first 18 games.
Archibald suspended
The NHL announced on Friday that Coyotes winger Josh Archibald received a two-game suspension for his illegal check to the head of Predators forward Ryan Hartman on Thursday.
NHL Player Safety released a video on the hit that cited Hartman’s head being Archibald’s main point of contact as the chief reason why the check was deemed illegal. They also noted that, although Hartman was making a play with the puck, Archibald did not change his body positioning to avoid collision to Hartman’s head.