The Arizona Coyotes have been fighting for a playoff spot since 2012 and with the start of this season, they are seeming like a team that can make the cut. The Coyotes are 15-8-3 so far and are currently holding 2nd in the Pacific.
The Yotes have 71 goals for and 60 goals against. Their power play is at 19.23% and their penalty kill sits just above league average at 81.08%.
Nick Schmaltz, who missed a big chunk of last season due to injury, has been on fire, leading the team in points. The 23-year-old has 19 points (4G 15A) in 26 games with a +4 and an average of 15:55 on the ice. He currently has a career-high Corsi For at 52.3%. Schmaltz never got a big chance in Chicago so this is a perfect time for him to grow and shine.
Conor Garland is leading the team in goals with a whopping 10 goals so far. Last season, Garland had 13 goals in 47 games. So far he’s got 10 in 26 despite being without a point in the last 4 games. Garland is also at a +9 right now with an average of 13:16 on the ice.
Goaltenders Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta have been pretty steady so far. They’ve combined for a .930 save percentage and a 2.24 goals-against average. Kuemper has been leading the charge, starting 17 games and carrying a 10-6-1 record. Raanta has 9 starts with a 5-2-2 record.
The season is still young but this team is looking like a solid contender. We’re only a little more than 1/4 of the way into the season but this strong start can help them in the long run.
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