4 things we saw in first week of camp
After a week of full team training camp, the Arizona Coyotes are one step closer to its play-in series against Nashville in a little less than two weeks. In playing as a whole team for the first time in four months, there were highs and lows in the team’s first week back together.
With only one more week of training camp left until the team is expected to report to Edmonton, here are four things we saw in the Coyotes’ first week back on the ice.
Early Emphasis on forechecking
Head coach Rick Tocchet is well aware the Predators bring an aggressive style of offense to the ice, and they waste no time putting it into action.
In the last showdown between the two teams, in a 3-2 Coyotes loss in Nashville on Dec. 23, Arizona got burned early as they would suffice 30 shots by the midway point of the second period. While the Coyotes were able to bounce back, the Predators aggressive forecheck set the team back early.
In practices as early as Tuesday and most recent as Sunday, combating the Predators’ forecheck remained the main theme throughout. Players have not taken it easy on each other in drills where pressure is applied in sparking offensive opportunities.
Even a team who hasn’t had playoff experience in almost a decade, players have stressed the importance of getting on the Predators early. Nashville averaged 33 shots per game, which is the fifth best mark in the NHL this past season.
Improving the power play
There were a lot of inconsistencies on the Coyotes’ power play unit throughout the regular season. While the team was able to finish in the top 15 in the power play percentage by the end of the regular season, they were near the bottom in power play efficiency in late January.
The team sees the restart as a second chance to clean up the power play and find consistency in this second half of the season. Tocchet said that forward Phil Kessel really added a spark to the unit when he arrived to Arizona. His stats on the power play in Pittsburgh were some of the best in the league.
Forward Derek Stepan, who has played in 97 playoff games, expressed that this could be something the Coyotes could capitalize on and run with, if the unit can catch fire in the playoffs. Stepan said every team’s stats reset from the regular season when the playoffs begin.
At the same time, Nashville is looking for special unit redemption from the regular season as well. The Predators penalty killing unit was in the bottom three at the pause, but has seen improvement after former head coach Peter Laviolette was fired.
Goaltending battle continues
Tocchet and other players expressed that one of the team’s strengths is their goaltending. Nothing has really changed on that front from the regular season as Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta continue to battle for the starting spot.
At the pause, Kuemper was riding high with the seventh best save percentage in the league at .928, however, Raanta was not far behind as he had the 14th best save percentage in the league at .921. The pair is the highest ranking goaltending pair save percentage wise, narrowly beating out Anton Khudobin and Ben Bishop in Dallas.
In training camp, both goaltenders have pulled out impressive stops in scrimmages and drills alike. In the scrimmage, Kuemper narrowly missed a shutout bid, with his team winning 3-1 in one period of play.
Looking towards Nashville, Raanta was the man in net the last time the two faced off in December. Despite the loss, he made 38 of 41 saves for a .927 save percentage on the night. The last time Kuemper faced the Predators was back on Oct. 17 in a 5-2 win in Glendale. Raanta made 23 of 25 saves for a .920 save percentage.
In finding the best keeper, Nashville is having the same thing happening as Juuse Saros continues to challenge longtime starter Pekka Rinne for the spot in net. Time will tell who will be in net for either team on Aug. 2.
Urgency to be ready for Edmonton
The Coyotes held their first scrimmage on Thursday, seeing the red team defeat the white team, 3-1, over the course of 20 minutes of play. Following the practice, Tocchet said he saw the team still had rust and the pace was slower than he thought it would be.
Tocchet said the team needs to move from 0-100 quicker than usual, as they will make the transition from not playing in four months to playoff hockey. Players expressed that the biggest adjustment is just playing with more guys and having more contact than there was in Phase 1 and 2.
It’ll be interesting to see how the pace of play moves in the play-in games and playoffs as every team in the league has had to make the quick turnaround. Unlike the regular season, players don’t have comfort of easing into training camp and regular season play. The pace picks up when there are only two weeks to prepare for play.
Defenseman Jason Demers said he thinks if the team can take advantage of communicating on the ice, especially in an environment with no fans, they will be able to make the adjustment quicker. Other players have also expressed the need for the team to talk more on the ice.
The Coyotes will practice for one more week at Gila River Arena before heading off to Edmonton on July 26. Arizona will play an exhibition game on July 30 against Vegas. Arizona will act as the away team in their best of five play in series against Nashville, which begins 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 2 at Rogers Place in Edmonton.