All season long, the Arizona Coyotes have been waiting for their defense to step up and dominate games. 

Unfortunately, they are still waiting.

Sad statistics

With the season ticking away, the Yotes have played 31 games with a disappointing 11-15-5 record. The defensive lapses continue to force them to chase games. 

If you listen to any of Head Coach Dave Tippett's post-game press conferences, you will hear the disgust in his voice about losses permeated by getting in a hole without a chance to comeback.

The goals against average for the Desert Dogs is nothing to write home about. Giving up 3.13 goals per game will do very little to make a season successful.

The team also is 13th in their conference with a goals against - goals for ratio of -27. Something needs to give.

Who's needing to improve their game?

When you have an All-Star defenseman of the caliber of an Oliver Ekman-Larsson you expect him to dominate games as he has in the past. Adding another playmaking blue-liner like Alex Goligoski was supposed to alleviate some of the pressure on OEL to do it all himself.

For whatever reason, OEL has not been himself. He's had embarrassing turnovers in his own end, which have burned him time after time.

Every hockey player knows better than to clear the puck up the middle, yet Oliver has done that more than he'd care to remember.

He also is taking way too many penalties pushing the team's penalty kill to the limit.

He is hands down the Arizona team's best player, and he's just not playing up to his capabilities. He used to dominate, he is now playing average, at best.

Connor Murphy has been a disappointment 

 Murphy needs to improve after receiving a huge contract. Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)
Murphy needs to improve after receiving a huge contract. Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)

When Connor Murphy signed a six-year $27.1 million contract, the team made a statement to him that he will be on their blueline for a while. Lately, he doesn't seem to be earning that salary. His +/- of -12 lands him right behind Martin Hanzal's -13. 

He was injured, and his first game back against the Minnesota Wild was less than memorable. On one play he overskated the puck leading to a turnover, and costing the Coyotes a goal. He's not a young prospect anymore, and the team needs his play to be far superior than what he has shown thus far.

Was Alex Goligoski a good pickup?

Goligoski needs to be more dominant on the blue-line. Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)
Goligoski needs to be more dominant on the blue-line. Source: Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)

The team gave Alex Goligoski a huge contract (five-year deal worth $27.375 million) with hopes he would solidify the defense. So far, that has not happened. Of late, he has been paired up with young Anthony DeAngelo, and they seem to click well together. 

Goligoski's Corsi CF% was 53.1 when he arrived in the desert. Thus far this season he has fallen to 42.3. His +/- stat is not impressive either with a -10. 

Adding up these three defensemen's salaries which total $15.325 million, if you were GM John Chayka would you be happy?

There are bright signs for the future

The emergence of two young defensemen will definitely mean the future of the Coyotes' blue-line will be formidable.

Jakob Chychurn has turned some heads in the NHL, as he has shown for an 18-year old he can play in this league. Has he made some mistakes? Of course. Does he have upside potential, especially with his offensive bursts and excellent skating prowess? You bet.

He is a physical specimen who plays much older than his age. He is physical, a good puck mover, and can keep the opponent's defense on alert, as he is not afraid to join the fray in the offensive zone.

He's a keeper.

Anthony DeAngelo - can he pass and shoot, or what?

This young defenseman has some qualities which the team's management and coaching staff are pleased with thus far, in this his first NHL season. 

He has a tendency to disregard his defensive responsibilities at times, and was sent back down to Tucson of the AHL to work on them. Since he's been back, his play has improved.

The kid can fire the puck, and what impresses this writer is his uncanny ability to hit the open man no matter how far down the ice he may be. Just an outstanding prospect who can only get better with time and experience. 

Michael Stone could be gone

Stone has an excellent shot, and could be trade bait. Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)
Stone has an excellent shot, and could be trade bait. Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

The Coyotes signed Michael Stone to a one-year $4 million contract with the concept of seeing just how well he recovered from his severe knee surgery. He started out well enough, but of late his play has deteriorated. 

Many teams in the NHL need a right-handed shooting defenseman and Stone could bring the team a forward to help them when both Max Domi and Brad Richardson are side-lined with long-term injuries. 

As what happens when most athletes have major knee surgery, they tend to loose a step, and Stone seems to fall into this category. He has eight giveaways, and no takeaways in his 20 games, and was sat down by Coach Tippett to bring a point that his play is sub-par.

Luke Schenn is a solid defenseman

Luke Schenn has performed well doing what he does best -- hit people. His 87 hits lead the team, and he is a good stay-at-home defenseman. Recently Coach Tippett has paired him up with OEL, and that has seemed to work out well. 

You know what you get with Schenn, and his size certainly doesn't hurt.

What does the Coyotes' defensive future hold?

The team MUST improve on it's dismally poor puck possession numbers, and start to protect their goalie better. Of late, both Mike Smith and Louis Domingue should get combat pay for all the target practice other teams have directed their way.

When a team like the Coyotes have weak offensive numbers (28th in the league), they must do all they can to be better in their own end. If not, then this will be an extrremely long season for the team, and Head Coach Dave Tippett as well as GM John Chayka will be making some personnel changes to have a shot at improving. 

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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.