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I honestly don't see why so much of the media is so down on the Coyotes going into the season. There is talent there, probably more on this roster than we've had over the past couple of seasons. We do have questions marks ( Burke's health, a young defense, need to improve PP and PK ), but name a club in the NHL that doesn't have some sort of major question hanging over its head right now.
If Mara and Vaananen step up to the next level, and without Teppo to defer to I think they will, and if Burke stays healthy, or at least doesn't miss long stretches like last season, I see no reason why we won't be contending for a playoff spot. The Cup, no, we are building towards that in about 3-4 years,but this team will surprise a lot of people.
[quote]Originally posted by AndyO I honestly don't see why so much of the media is so down on the Coyotes going into the season. There is talent there, probably more on this roster than we've had over the past couple of seasons. We do have questions marks ( Burke's health, a young defense, need to improve PP and PK ), but name a club in the NHL that doesn't have some sort of major question hanging over its head right now.
If Mara and Vaananen step up to the next level, and without Teppo to defer to I think they will, and if Burke stays healthy, or at least doesn't miss long stretches like last season, I see no reason why we won't be contending for a playoff spot. The Cup, no, we are building towards that in about 3-4 years,but this team will surprise a lot of people. [/QUOTE)
I think it is a combination of things. First we took everyone by surprise a couple of years ago and naturally everyone thought that they would improve on that. What they didn't anticipate was losing over 400 man games to injury. Losing our goalie - one of the top 5 in the NHL - for about 80 % of the season, and on and on. Not having Kolanos last year..
I like the way they are building the team. Doaner and Nash having a past together, etc. to build that chemistry quickly. The defense will be good and great in the years to come even without Repo. I think that this will be a quality, quality team who will be gritty muckers who won't be outworked. Now if Kolanos comes back, Savage pulls his head out, and Gratton and Nash do well I do not see any reason why this team can't hit 95 pts +.
Hey, its been shown that just a committment to hard work can do wonders in the NHL. The Wild are the perfect example. They are, with the exception of Marian Gaborik, only a moderately talented team. But thru the brilliance of Jacques Lemaire, they have always been competitive, and now are one of the better clubs in the West. Now, I don't Bobby Francis on a par with Lemaire, but , player for player, we do have a better roster than Minnesota, again, with the exception being Gaborik.
Guess what I'm trying to say is that we will be competitive this season. It seems that moreson than any other sport, attitude and work ethic count for more in hockey than anything else. Barnett has built the club with that in mind, something I wholeheartedly agree with. We are shaping up as a physical, hustling, grinding team that, with good goaltending, will make some noise.
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