What’s Working Two Weeks in & Cooley and Bedard Line Up for First Time
Welcome to the THW Arizona Coyotes Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Coyotes writers.
In today’s edition, we have Coyotes two weeks in… what’s worked & what hasn't, Cooley and Bedard square off for first time, and three takeaways from the Coyotes’ 5-4 loss to the Kings.
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Coyotes Two Weeks In… What’s Worked & What Hasn’t
October 31, 2023 by Cooper Krigbaum
The perspective around the Arizona Coyotes immediately altered when top prospect and Pittsburgh native Logan Cooley signed his entry-level contract. It also changed when they signed veterans Matt Dumba, Jason Zucker, and Alex Kerfoot, as well as bringing back Nick Bjugstad and Troy Stecher, who were previously dealt at the trade deadline. There then was a sense that this team could sneak into the playoffs. That would be something the Coyotes have yet to do since the 2020 run in the Edmonton bubble but were toppled by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round.
While the season is still young, the Coyotes have answered a swarm of questions we fans have had entering the season. Andre Tourigny’s group has displayed flashes of executing at a high level while, on the flip side, lacking in several crucial departments. Now, what can this team build off of, and what can they improve upon?
Coyotes’ Cooley, Blackhawks’ Bedard Set For First NHL Matchup
October 28, 2023 by Haynes Evans
Monday night will be a game like no other, when two of the league’s most highly anticipated rookies, Connor Bedard and Logan Cooley, face off against one another for the first time in their NHL careers. In preparation of Monday’s game (Oct. 30), I collaborated with my colleague, Gail Kauchak, who covers the Chicago Blackhawks for The Hockey Writers, to discuss the first of many meetings between the two Calder Trophy favorites.
Both Bedard and Cooley come from two separate backgrounds. Bedard grew up in British Columbia, while Cooley grew up in Pittsburgh. Both took different routes that led them to the NHL. Bedard dominated the Western Hockey League (WHL), scoring a ridiculous 134 goals and adding 137 assists for 271 points in 134 games over the course of three seasons. Cooley, on the other hand, spent two seasons with the U.S. National Development Team, racking up 64 points in 51 games before committing to the University of Minnesota, where he’d put up 60 points in 39 games as a freshman, finishing second for the Hobey Baker Award, as well as runners-up in the national championship.
3 Takeaways From Coyotes’ 5-4 Loss Over the Kings
October 28, 2023 by Chase Beardsley
The Arizona Coyotes have now lost four times this season. While the losses to the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders were close and gave fans hope, their loss against the Los Angeles Kings on Friday (Oct. 27) completely let fans down as the home team lost 5-4. Here are some takeaways from Friday evening.
If there was any way to sum the loss up in a few words, it would be the defense failed. The blue line did not look good at all, as their plus/minus stats went from a lot of positives to a lot of negatives. The Coyotes couldn’t clear the puck out of their own zone, leading goaltender Karel Vejmelka to fend off 39 shots without anyone in front to help him out. The Coyotes knew that they were facing a good Kings team but couldn’t end up keeping up with them.