The Arizona Coyotes lost four straight games not too long ago, and their play was nothing to be excited about. Turnover after turnover, it looked like a team that wasn’t close to playing in the playoffs down the stretch. Since then, they have won three straight, many thanks to the play of goaltenders Connor Ingram and Karel Vejmelka.
Now is as good a time as any to get caught up on the news around the Coyotes. While there’s a lot to discuss, we have to begin with the trade rumors surrounding Vejmelka, which have caused a stir on Twitter/X.
Vejmelka Trade Rumors Are Nonsense
On Dec. 16, insider Kevin Weekes suggested that Vejmelka could be on the move. He said several teams, such as the Oilers, Red Wings, and Hurricanes, were eyeing the 27-year-old and could be targeting him since they are dealing with goaltending issues. It made sense teams were at least looking at him. However, it makes absolutely no sense for the Coyotes to trade Vejmelka, given their current situation. They don’t have a go-to guy to call up in the American Hockey League (AHL) like they did last season with Ivan Prosvetov, who was claimed off waivers by the Colorado Avalanche at the start of the season.
In the AHL now, they have Matt Villalta and Anson Thornton. If a Vejmelka trade were to happen, they’d have to rely on one of those two for the remainder of the season unless they trade for another netminder. Both are AHL players for the time being and shouldn’t be playing in the NHL quite yet. Especially Thornton, who arguably shouldn’t even be in the AHL, given his current skill set. Given the success the team has had recently, what would the message be to the locker room? This season is about growth and seeing new players blossom, and trading Vejmelka would only hurt the team, regardless of the return coming back to Arizona.
Hayton & Boyd Expected to Be Out for Extended Amount of Time
Craig Morgan reported on the PHNX podcast that Barrett Hayton and Travis Boyd would be out for a substantial amount of time. Hayton’s surgery on his hand/thumb hasn’t been responding well, and his timeline to return is now shortly after the All-Star game or early February. This one stings just because of the crucial impact Hayton delivers each night, and while it may not be on the stat sheet, Hayton does far beyond that. He gets to the net, drawing in players, which creates infinite space for Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz to work with.
Related: Coyotes’ Hayton Needs to Show Last Year Was No Fluke
For Boyd, he was finally starting to pick his game up, but he then got injured. It’s suspected that he’ll be out for the remainder of the season with a torn pectoral muscle. The 30-year-old was in and out of the lineup, but once injuries hit, he started to find his game and was really playing solid hockey. If the Coyotes sneak into the playoffs, he could return then, but for now, he will be out for the remainder of the season.
Injuries have nagged the Coyotes all season long, and these add to the list. Both are huge pieces to the team’s success, and they’ll have to win without them for the foreseeable future.
Mullett Magic Is Real
There was plenty of speculation heading into last season on what Mullett Arena would be like. Its capacity is unlike any in the NHL, and fans and players were intrigued by how everything would play out. Now that we’re almost a season and a half in the Mullett Arena experience, it’s a true home-ice advantage. The Coyotes have a current record of 32-20-5 at the Mullett.
This is especially impressive, considering they were rebuilding last season and were in no position to be talking about the playoffs. They all rallied together, and the energy the crowd was giving made a monumental impact on the team as a whole. Some thought after a few rough games this season at the Mullett, the success wouldn’t last. However, that was not the case as, so far, they’re 11-5-0 on home ice. That record is the third-best start on home since in Coyotes franchise history. Despite the small capacity, they’re winning games at home, and that’s all that matters.
Additional Tidbits:
- It was announced not too long ago that Coyotes prospects Connor Geekie and Maveric Lamoureux would be on the Canada World Junior Championship roster. Team Canada has loads of first-round picks, and Geekie and Lamoureux have chances to play significant roles on the team. Geekie will presumably be the team’s first or second-line center after his surge in the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season. As for Lamoureux, he’ll be a top-four defenseman; who his partner will be is unknown. The WJC offers an incredible opportunity for them to get exposure to a historic tournament in which dreams are made.
- For the most part, the Coyotes have usually kept under the radar as a whole. Some players don’t get enough respect or attention as they should, and that’s the case for Matias Maccelli. After failing to be a Calder Trophy finalist, he has 22 points in 30 games this season. Points are lavish, but his impact on the team goes beyond that. Entering the offensive zone, his passing ability and much more make him so underrated. Expecting no injuries to pop up, he should top his career high of 49 points, which he put up last season.
- Success throughout the Coyotes organization is vital. While having NHL success is all the majority of people look at, winning in the AHL also matters. This season, the Roadrunners, filled with youth, have a 14-8-2 record and are having an impressive start to the 2023-24 campaign. These efforts have been ushered by Josh Doan, Dylan Guenther, and Nathan Smith. It’s been a team effort down the I-10, having much more contributions from everyone rather than one player. After making the playoffs last season, they’ll look to do it again, with lots of talent finding success.