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Puck Daddy’s NHL 2014-15 Emoji Preview: Arizona Coyotes

(The 2014-15 NHL season is nearly upon us, and attempting to handicap the winners and losers can sometimes leave us speechless. So we decided to break down all 30 teams with the next best thing to words: Emojis!) 

Last Season In Emojis

Last Season, In Summary 

Huzzah! New owners for the Coyotes, after years of turmoil!                      

Alas, the Coyotes celebrated by finishing out of the money for a second straight season under Dave Tippett, just two points out of the wild card. Mike Smith’s injury near the end of the season was their undoing.

But that was the Phoenix Coyotes.

These are the Arizona Coyotes.

Last Season’s Definitive Highlight 

The best of Ekman-Larsson, who is in turn the best thing about this team.

Off-Season Transactions

The Coyotes made a statement when they bought out Mike Ribeiro, who had 47 points in 80 games but whose off-the-ice behavior led to his dismissal.

Radim Vrbata and the Coyotes couldn’t agree on a new deal, and the team’s sniper left for the Canucks.

Sam Gagner was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers by way of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Joe Vitale signed a 3-year free-agent deal.

The Coyotes bid farewell to several players, including Derek Moss, Thomas Greiss and noted scholar Paul Bissonnette.  They added former Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regeir to their braintrust, and former Sabres coach Ron Rolston as a scout. Both of these things amused Buffalo Sabres fans.

With Vrbata gone, Mikkel Boedker is the leading scoring forward in the roster from last season, with 51 points in 82 games. His line with Antoine Vermette (24 goals) and Shane Doan (23 goals) gelled well last season. Doan is entering his 19th season in the NHL, and coming off his best offensive season (on average) since 2011.

Could Doan end up with Gagner? Potentially. The Coyotes obviously want to get him going offensively, to see if Gagner has the goods to be a top liner on this team.

Martin Hanzal also had his best offensive season on average last year with 40 points, on top of being the team’s ace on faceoffs. He’s played well on an unconventional line in the preseason with Max Domi, a sparkplug like his dad, and Henrik Samuelsson, who obviously skates better than his did.

Lauri Korpikoski saw time with Hanzal last season, and had 25 points. Martin Erat had just five points in 17 games after his nightmarish season with the Capitals ended.

Vitale, Kyle Chipchura, Brandon McMillan, Lucas Lessio, David Moss and B.J. Crombeen figure to land in the team’s bottom six, fighting for some ice time higher in the lineup. And in Crombeen's case, literally fighting.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson had a challenging season, tallying 44 points but skating to a minus (-4) for the first time as a pro. But he and ace shot-blocker Zbynek Michalek (20:59 TOI) worked well together.

Keith Yandle was the team’s leading scorer last season with 53 points, although he was a minus-23. He spent much of his time with Michael Stone last season, but the Coyotes put him with OEL earlier in the preseason. It's hard to imagine they'd overload like that, considering the bottom four.

David Schlemko and Chris Summers will be in the mix. Connor Murphy could get his shot with Yandle after playing 30 games last season. Does Brandon Gormley make the leap into the top six?

Mike Smith was inconstant last season, sporting a .915 save percentage and going 27-21-10. But his importance to the team was underscored by the Coyotes going off the rails after he sprained his MCL in late March. By far the most important player on the roster and the key to Coach Dave Tippett’s system.

That said, tall drink of water Devan Dubnyk should give him a nice push as the backup keeper.

           

Probable Text Conversation Within Organization

Special Teams

The Coyotes were fourth in the NHL on the power play at 19.9 percent, and eighth in opportunities with 282. Yandle’s 34 power-play points led the way.

Arizona was a disappointing 26th on the penalty kill, however, at 79 percent on 272 times shorthanded.

GM and Coach

Tippett remains one of the finest coaches in the NHL, constantly getting more out of his roster than most would have. Was last season’s surprisingly porous defense an aberration?

GM Don Maloney continues to meticulously fight to keep his core together in the face of budget challenges and add whatever pieces he can. He’s kept the Coyotes in contention, but that’s different from being contenders.

And Now, A Blooper 

Miss you already BizNasty.

The Potential Best Thing About This Team

Ekman-Larsson. The maturation of one of the best young defensemen in the game should continue this season, whether he’s paired with Michalek or if the coaches decide to combine him with Yandle, which they did early in camp.

The Potential Worst Thing About This Team

Scoring by the forwards, especially with the loss of Vrbata. Yandle and Ekman-Larsson might be the best offensive players on the team.

Single Emoji Prediction

The camel.

Yes, a creature of the desert, but also a steadfast, methodical traveler. The Coyotes are built sturdy, and will remain a tough out in the West. Whether they return to the postseason depends on the spark from some younger players, the health of Smith and, let’s face it, either the Wild or the Stars falling out of the wild card.