The Essentials: Phoenix Coyotes Edition
(This month, Puck Daddy asked bloggers for every NHL team to tell us The Essentials for their franchises — everything from the defining player and trade, to the indispensable fan traditions. Here's Travis Hair from Five For Howling, giving us The Essentials for the Phoenix Coyotes.)
By Travis Hair
Player: Shane Doan
Offseason drama this year notwithstanding, he's been the face of the franchise and it's most outspoken supporter. It's rare to have a player with the same franchise for so long, especially in a market like Phoenix and the fans and other players love him for it.
Season: 2011-2012
Apparently the previous seasons didn't mean much to the analysts early as they once again said the Coyotes couldn't even make the playoffs at the beginning of the year. Winning the Pacific Division and making it to the Western Conference Finals doesn't seem too shabby.
Game: Game 6, Round 1, 2012 Playoffs against Chicago
The Coyotes finally break through the first round as a franchise. Pretty much the biggest game the team had played to that point.
Goal: Krys Kolanos, March 30, 2002
His penalty shot against Patrick Roy. There may have been more important game winning goals, but Roy absolutely losing it to the point of getting ejected after getting scored on makes this goal priceless.
Trade: To Buffalo - Daniel Briere, 2004 3rd round pick (#71-Andrej Sekera), To Phoenix - Chris Gratton, 2004 4th round pick (#112-Liam Reddox)
What an awful trade regardless of what Briere's upcoming salary demands would have been.
Unsung Hero: Sean Burke
Was solid during his playing days, but his goaltending coaching is a huge part of what's turned the Coyotes into winners. Taking a waiver wire pickup in Bryzgalov and a goalie everyone had given up on in Mike Smith and turning them into above average if not Vezina candidate goalies.
Franchise Villain: The Goldwater Institute
Bunch of waste of space gas bags.
Fight: Craig Weller vs. Rick Nash, Dan Fritsche and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen
It may not have been the flashiest, but Weller checks Nash, dump Fritsche and then one punches Tollefson. Awesome moment.
Coach: Dave Tippett
The Coyotes have had some runs of good coaching, but no one has taken them further and been more consistent than Tippett. He's been right up there for the Jack Adams every season he's been here. You have to think that once ownership is taken care of he's on toward the top of the list to re-up.
Broadcaster: Curt Keilback
Was the voice of the franchise for the longest time right up until just before the ownership saga. He's still got the ability and Dave Strader was great, but he'll always be the voice we associate with the game.
Arena Behavior/Tradition/Trend: The Whiteout
Taken from Winnipeg or no, the Whiteout has been the tradition for the Coyotes Playoff runs. Sure there were a lot of first round exits associated with it until this year, but it's also a pretty amazing experience in person.
Arena Food: Macho Nachos family style
They come in a big pizza box and have beef brisket on them. These are not your typical stadium nachos.
Swag (jersey, hat, shirt, gear, etc.)
Pretty much anything associated with the Whiteout. We had guys in wedding dresses, spacesuits, white tuxes, if it's in white someone was wearing it at those games. A close second are any of the old style Kachina jerseys. Those things were awesome.
