In this week’s edition of the Arizona Coyotes 2021-22 offseason player reviews, we’ll take a look at defenseman Conor Timmins. After being acquired during the previous offseason from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for goaltender Darcy Kuemper along with two draft picks, the Canadian suited up for only six games with the Coyotes this past season.
Upon arriving in the desert with hope and optimism, after having dealt with injuries throughout his entire hockey career since juniors, Timmins was looking for a fresh start with a chance to finally showcase his skill that made him a second draft pick by the Avalanche in 2017. Unfortunately, his chance to have a breakout season ended abruptly just six games into the season.
Timmins’ Season in Review
Timmins’ 2021-22 season was nowhere near fantastic. With just zero points through the team’s first six games of the season, any hope of him breaking out and getting on a roll came to a screeching halt after sustaining a knee injury against the Florida Panthers that forced him to miss the rest of the season. In addition to zero points, the defensemen also registered a minus-6 plus/minus rating.
Related: Coyotes 2022 Offseason Player Reviews: Vladislav Kolyachonok
Despite playing only a minor role for just a limited amount this past season on a Coyotes team full of veterans and youth, Timmins showed flashes of being a steady, reliable defenseman blocking nine shots and delivering seven hits.
What Timmins Can Improve On, Build Off Of
While it’s hard to judge Timmins’ strengths and weaknesses based on just six games, there are areas of his game from his time in Colorado that he did well and struggled with during his first season in Arizona. To begin with, he has quite an injury history, which has kept him from reaching his full potential and has set his career development back. He also doesn’t have the smoothest skating stride and fails to wow with many highlight-reel plays.
Despite the expected struggles for a guy in his situation, Timmins has shown a lot of positive areas in his short NHL career that he can build off of. For starters, he’s a smart well-rounded defenseman who can block shots, deliver hits, and take the puck off the opponent’s stick. He also makes smart passes and rarely gives the puck away. He is a bright and promising defenseman that, when healthy, can be a pivotal top four option and the Coyotes will benefit from having him on the blue line during their rebuild.
Timmins’ Next Move
Going forward, general manager Bill Armstrong will have to decide what to do with Timmins. After missing the bulk of last season, he will need time to ease himself back into action. With 11 defensemen currently listed on the Coyotes roster for the upcoming year, there’s no need for them to rush him back into the lineup. He’s currently 23 years old and could benefit from starting the season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with their affiliate the Tucson Roadrunners.
The Coyotes are only going to get younger, and Timmins has a bright future in the NHL if he can find a way to keep himself healthy. He’s one of the organization’s top prospects and has a chance to be an important player for the team in the future. There are plenty of struggles that lie ahead for him, but the team knows that he’s capable of reaching his full potential. However, only time will tell.
What do you think of Timmins? Let us know in the comments section below. Next week is forward Nick Ritchie.
