Hall a Coyote game-changer
Latest acquisition giving offense a boost so far
Imagine hearing this a year ago. “Dvorak finds Hall. He finds Kessel, who finds the back of the net.”
That was the call from Coyotes TV analyst Tyson Nash as he dissected a goal that featured the team’s two superstars, Taylor Hall and Phil Kessel, in the first-period of the Dec. 29 game against the Minnesota Wild.
Arizona has two players with talent levels local fans are not used to seeing. And up until recently, third-year head coach Rick Tocchet had them playing on the same line, a unit that flashed its potential in what ended up as an 8-5 loss to the Wild at Gila River Arena.
Christian Dvorak started the play with an effective forecheck and eventually found Hall in front of the net. Hall was on his backhand and didn’t have a great shooting angle, so he dished to Kessel for a point-blank shot that trickled through Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk.
It was the second goal in as many nights in which Hall’s fingerprints were all over. Hall, who has three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in four games since joining the Coyotes, also found Oliver Ekman-Larsson for the game-winning goal on Dec. 17 in San Jose and ripped home his first goal with the Coyotes on Sunday in Detroit.
This is what the Coyotes were envisioning when they acquired Hall — a game-changer, bona fide scorer and elite playmaker.
The Coyotes are 20th in goals scored this season across the 31-team NHL. At even-strength, their offense has fared even worse. At times, their offensive struggles have spoiled elite goaltending and stingy defensive play.
Something needed to change. The Coyotes didn’t have a true differencemaker up front. Perhaps that can be Clayton Keller, Nick Schmaltz or even Barrett Hayton at some point, but not right now.
Kessel was supposed to be that guy, but he has struggled. An early-season injury contributed to a slow start, but it has been clear that Kessel isn’t shooting enough and hasn’t played with nearly enough consistency in his game.
At times this season, Kessel has looked out of place. Teammates don’t always seem ready for his slick passes. Others have struggled to thread him the puck for scoring chances.
But Hall can start to change all that. It gives Kessel a superstar to flank him, effectively erasing the narrative that Kessel’s struggles are the result of a lack of talent. The Coyotes hope that Hall’s presence — whether he’s on the ice with Kessel or not — can help Kessel start to produce closer to career norms with the Coyotes.
It also allows Keller and Schmaltz to settle into second-line roles, removing some pressure from the shoulders of two young players working to prove their worth after signing lengthy contract extensions.
Keller, for one, has flourished. The third-year forward is up to 14 points (6 goals, 8 assists) in his last 12 games and six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in the four games since Hall slotted into the lineup. Berated with criticism much of the season, Keller is playing some of his best hockey as a professional.
And it makes the power play extremely dangerous. The Coyotes currently own the league’s 12th best man-advantage, converting on 20.8 percent of opponents’ penalties. Those numbers are a bit misleading, however, since the Coyotes’ power play is one that has gone through extended droughts at times this season.
With Hall and Kessel playing opposite each other on the top unit, as well as Schmaltz and sharp-shooting Jakob Chychrun on the second unit, the Coyotes likely will see much more consistency out of their power play down the stretch.
The Coyotes, who entered the holiday break leading the Pacific Division for the first time in 20 years, have scored 15 goals in the four games since Hall’s arrival, although they are just 2-2 in those games. Hall is certainly not the lone reason for the increased offense but it’s not a trend that should be ignored, either.
Hall doesn’t make the Coyotes perfect. They remain a team that must learn to play well on home ice. They must find a way to defend more consistently, although that will likely become easier once Niklas Hjalmarsson returns from injury.
Still, Hall changes a lot for the Coyotes. It makes them more than just a fringe playoff contender. It makes them a legitimate candidate for a run at the Stanley Cup..
It may be a shock for Coyotes fans to hear that, and it may be a shock to see Hall and Kessel in Sedona Red. But who says change has to be a bad thing?