It did not take long for the Great One to make his presence known in the Valley of the Sun. Phoenix had the Great Overhaul this offseason, unloading stars Keith Tkachuk and Jeremy Roenick. After a poor stretch run doomed the Coyotes' playoff hopes, Wayne Gretzky and GM Cliff Fletcher welcomed a young army to Phoenix. Among the newcomers are center Daymond Langkow and defenseman Danny Markov. Will the youth movement be able to lead Phoenix past the first round of the playoffs?
Here are your thoughts on what Phoenix needs for next season:
Khabibulin release pushes 'Yotes over the edge
I understand getting rid of J.R. and Capt. Coyote, but Nikolai Khabibulin? If you're going to build a team for the future, wouldn't it have been better to do it with a young goalie among the top 10 net minders in the league? Sean Burke did a great job last year, but when he didn't have help, it really showed. All I can remember of Khabibulin in a 'Yotes uniform was stopping two amazing breakaways against the St. Louis Blues in the playoffs.
Abe
Richmond, Va.
Penny-pinching pocketed team's identity
Phoenix is no more. The team has lost its stars, identity and respect. Once a strong team in the West that was certain of making the playoffs, the Coyotes have fallen back to the field and will take a long time to rebuild, if they ever do. Losing Jeremy Roenick and Keith Tkachuk is the end for Phoenix. These two franchise stars carried the team, both offensively and defensively. If they weren't scoring or setting up key goals, they were pulling off a big hit or cleaning up defensively for their team. They also generated so much money for Phoenix that they essentially paid for themselves. Instead of saving money as it had intended to do, Phoenix will lose valuable funds from fans by not re-signing these two players. It will be so depressing watching the Coyotes slump to the cellar of the Pacific Division, knowing what could have, and should have, been.
Andrew
San Diego
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Our team went from being contenders to being a joke. Thanks a lot. The question in Phoenix now is who will win more games this season, the Coyotes or the Cardinals? ” |
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— Rebecca, Phoenix |
Playoff curse will live on
The players have all changed, but one thing will remain the same -- you won't see this team in the second round of the playoffs. They might make the playoffs because Edmonton and L.A. will probably take big dives, but baring a major trade, Phoenix won't have what it takes to break the first-round jinx. At least this year, there won't be any big name stars to blame it on.
Greg
Vancouver, British Columbia
Youth, waiting game will pay off down the road
Coyotes fans must have some faith in the in GM Cliff Fletcher for the upcoming season. He did build winners in Calgary and Toronto. As it was, this team wasn't going anywhere near the Cup. They were good for a run at the Conference Finals at best. There is a lot of opportunity for for young players to make a name for themselves now, so expect a few to step up. If nothing else, this team will be exciting to watch, and when they move into the new arena in a few years, they should go on a free-agent shopping spree and finish molding this team into a true contender for the long haul.
Justin
Phoenix
New-look squad keeps fans interested
With the speedy group that Wayne Gretzky and Co. have put together after dropping virtually every player of note from last year's team (except Sean Burke), I will be much less likely to immediately turn off the television next time the Dogs are on National Hockey Night. They will be fun to watch, much more so than a team led by Keith Tkachuk, the most overrated American hockey player of all time.
Jonathan
Oberlin, Ohio
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I'll gladly forego some W's for the time being to see hockey the way it was meant to be played, with great skating, passing and teamwork. ” |
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— Brian, Phoenix |
Keep your skates on, Wayne
Wayne Gretzky has now joined Phil Esposito and Bob Clarke as greats who we wish had never hit the front office. He buys the team amidst a storm of controversy, has a fire sale (dumping Keith Tkachuk, Nikolai Khabibulin and Jeremy Roenick), and then has the nerve to say the Coyotes will be competitive and that the organization is committed to winning. What is it about these guys when they trade their jerseys in for suits and ties? The Coyotes will stink it out this season. They will battle it out with Anaheim for second to last spot in the West.
Nick
Tecumseh, Ontario
Gretzky's ego fueled exodus of All-Stars
Wayne has come in and flexed his muscles -- getting rid of any name player who could overshadow him. Cliff Fletcher failed as a GM in Toronto and will continue to fail in Phoenix. Our team went from being contenders to being a joke. Thanks a lot. The question in Phoenix now is who will win more games this season, the Coyotes or the Cardinals?
Rebecca
Phoenix
Personnel losses will not rock the boat
It's fair to say this will not be a 90-point team next season, which technically would make them worse. However, last year's team was not a 90-pointer without the incredible play of Sean Burke. I do think this team will be exciting to watch -- they will be younger, faster and will hopefully have a better attitude. They were not a playoff team last year and probably won't be one this year. Expect them to be better in some areas, worse in others.
Bob
Fountain Hills, Ariz.
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Phoenix is no more. The team has lost its stars, identity and respect. ” |
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— Andrew, San Diego |
Uncertainty lurks for Phoenix
It's hard to even describe all of this. It's like looking at a whole new team. However, it's going to be very exciting to watch a dynamic team now instead of one that relies on Keith Tkachuk or Jeremy Roenick all the time. I love those guys and am grateful for the beautiful hockey they produced, but not they are not part of the new era. I have faith in Cliff Fletcher. I'll keep my fingers crossed at the season opener for sure.
Roman
Phoenix
Market moves may bring team together
The Coyotes for the past five years could be summed up with one word -- YAWN. Jeremy Roenick and Keith Tkachuk proved to be great individual players, but they were mediocre leaders with a lot of howl and no bite. This year's team may not have all the depth it needs and it may not make the playoffs, but I certainly hope Mr. Gretzky can give us some interesting hockey, games that are fast and exciting to watch. I'll gladly forego some W's for the time being to see hockey the way it was meant to be played, with great skating, passing and teamwork. This is something the previous Phoenix teams could never put together. I never got a sense of chemistry in the past five years. It seemed like a bunch of players with good skills, but no desire to play as a team. Now that the egos are gone, let's mix it up and see what works. Let's take some chances and create some exciting hockey in the desert.
Brian
Phoenix
