s23 - Season Recap [WB11]

It’s tough to imagine that coming on the heals of the franchise’s fourth President’s Trophy in five seasons with a high-water mark of 114 points that it could all be for nothing if the Phoenix Coyotes don’t finally break through and win the Stanley Cup.  Tough standard to live by if you’re a player of the Coyotes, but sadly this is their reality.

Since leaving behind the baren wasteland of Saskatchewan for the sunny confines of the desert, the Phoenix Coyotes have been a regular-season juggernaut of sorts.  From the start of the 2006-07 season, the Coyotes have amassed a 330-198-52 record: impressive stuff.  Despite that success, their playoff record doesn’t yield the same results.  Having only made it to the Stanley Cup final once in that span – losing in the 2009 final to the Boston Bruins in 7 games – the Coyotes hold a 64-41 record in that span.

“Look it’s no surprise we’re chomping at the bit to get after this (playoffs),” said GM Chris Baker when asked about the upcoming postseason.  “We’ve been here before.  We need to find a way to take that final step to win the ultimate goal.”

The ultimate goal.  What happens to this team if they don’t take that step and ultimately stub their toe.

“We don’t entertain those thoughts,” Baker said.  “We have constructed another winner.  Coach Q (Joel Quenneville) has these guys believing in each other and the system he’s been teaching through the 84-game schedule and now we’re a few days away from seeing the fruits of their labor come to fruition.”

About the regular season… The Coyotes were good.  Like really good.  Winners of the always tough Pacific Division with an impressive 52-22-10 record, Phoenix were led by upstart Jordan Staal.  Prior to coming to Phoenix at the deadline last season in a blockbuster with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the 25-year-old had yet to fully reach his potential.  Sure, there were a couple of 20-plus goal campaigns (20 in 2010/11 and 25 in 2011/12), but for all intents and purposes Staal looked to be in line with the skillset of a 3^rd line centerman rather than a top-six pivot.  Until this season.

Playing behind Joe Thornton as the Coyotes’ #2 centerman, Staal smashed expectations playing in all 84 games, scoring 37 times while finishing with 87 points.  Not bad for a guy set to hit his prime.  Staal was so good, that it forced Quenneville into playing Henrik Zetterberg on the wing to allow for the younger Staal the reps needed to grow.

The young center wasn’t the only “kid” to take a major step.  Coming off incremental positive seasons in his first two seasons in the league, 24-year-old Jakub Voracek dove into the deep end in year 3 scoring 36 times and finishing with 78 points in his 84 games played.  In the final year of his entry level contract, the young Voracek did what all upcoming free agents want to do in their final year… score and score big.  He did just that and in turn secured himself a nice 4-year extension that will pay him a handsome $5.833-million per season.

Lastly, we’d be remised if we didn’t mention the play of 25-year-old Semyon Varlamov.  After another 30-plus win season (33 wins last season), Varlamov has wiped clean any concerns fans might have had once legend Roberto Luongo was dealt in favor of the youngster.  Through his first 202 games as a pro, Varlamov has lost only 63 times.  Simply put the kid looks to be the real deal and will once again be in the conversation for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Goaltender.

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