When GM John Chayka made it his mission to shore up the weak Arizona Coyotes' defense, he wasn't joking.

How many defensemen do the Coyotes have?

There are now 10 (TEN) defensemen on the roster, along with 10 forwards, and two goalies. That leaves just one spot for another player to break into the lineup, and that will more than likely be Dylan Strome.

Of course, most NHL teams don't carry 10 blueliners on their roster. More than likely Jamie McBain and possibly Anthony DeAngelo, or Klas Dahlbeck will play down Tucson way for the new AHL Tucson Roadrunners. This is assuming that Michael Stone (who has his arbitration meeting soon) and Connor Murphy come to contract terms with the Coyotes' management. That will allow a couple more roster spots to become available... say for Christian Dvorak or Brendan Perlini, or even Conor Garland.

The Coyotes are rich in forward prospects, and now their blueline is starting to look more formidable thanks to Chayka's attention to the defensive shortcomings of the team lately.

Something needed to be done

With the team floundering in 25th place in goals against last season, amounting to almost 3 goals given up per game (2.99 to be exact), it was a no-brainer to build the defense to stay competitive.

Luke Schenn can be a physical presence on the Coyotes' blueline. Source: (Harry How/Getty Images North America)
Luke Schenn can be a physical presence on the Coyotes' blueline | Harry How - Getty Images North America

Adding Luke Schenn was a step in the right direction. It serves two purposes: 

  1. In case Stone doesn't sign a contract, and he is gone, Schenn is an acceptable replacement. Granted, Stone has more of an offensive game than Schenn, but the team has adequate offense, and needs to upgrade its defense. 
  2. Even if Murphy and Stone do agree to a contract, adding Schenn is a good move to give the defense some depth in case of injuries, trades, and his size certainly can't hurt. With Murphy, Stone, and Schenn all standing 6' 2" or taller, and all three weighing in at 210 pounds or more -- the opposing teams will face a wall of Coyotes when they try to attack the net.

Schenn's attributes are needed

Schenn is a good shot blocker with 106 in 72 games last season. He also knows how to hit with the best of them coming in with 234 hits in 72 games, or 3.25 hits a game. Klas Dahlbeck had 56 fewer hits than that to lead the Yotes last season.

So, Schenn can hold his own and had 82 penalty minutes last year. He won't back down from a confrontation, and that toughness is needed now that bad boy Kyle Chipchura has left the team.

Schenn told Coyotes' Dave Vest about his new assignment:

“It’s been a big learning curve,” Schenn said Saturday, just a few hours after he signed a two-year contract with Arizona. “You go through some up-and-down times. I’ve been fortunate to have played as long as I have and get as many games, but I still feel like I’m young and got lots to improve on and lots to learn. That’s what I’m looking forward to about Arizona … I’ve got some experience, but at the same time, I still feel like I’m a young enough guy where I don’t know if I’ve reached my full potential yet. I think there’s still a lot of work to do and I’m looking forward to working with the whole coaching staff there and all the players.”

GM John Chayka hopes Schenn can be that missing cog who will make the Coyotes' defense feared by other teams.

“He's an interesting guy,” Chayka said. “Everyone wants to focus on the negatives of his game rather than the positives. There are a lot of segments in his career where he was very impactful. He’s a physical player that separates the man from the puck and makes plays in the areas of the ice that we want to make plays, (and) he’s been an effective penalty killer throughout his career. That’s another area that we needed to address.”

To top it off, Schenn is a right-hand shot. That was something the team was searching for, and he fits the bill.

He could very well be teamed up with the offensive minded All-Star defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, but that is yet to be determined.

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About the author
William Grigsby
I was born in Chicago, and have been following hockey my whole life. I moved to Arizona in 1974, and have been an Arizona Coyotes fan from the time they first moved here in 1996. I feel I can bring a new perspective to the team. I hope you will enjoy what I write. As of November 28, 2017 I am now the NHL Editor for VAVEL USA. If you are interested in joining me as a writer, please contact me at: [email protected] for details.