Phoenix Coyotes 09/10
What a season the Coyotes are having! At the start of this NHL season they were once again being written off, but, with more than half the season already over, they find themselves comfortable in the Play-Off positions in the Western Conference.
This is, in no small part, down to the recent draft picks from previous poor seasons, and the captaincy and leadership of Shane Doan. The Coyotes may not play with the style and finesse of the Chicago Blackhawks, or the San Jose Sharks, but they do have a lot of grit, tenacity and passion for the game that has served them well so far.
It could be questioned just how far relying on the above qualities can get a team, but so far, it is serving them well and long may that continue. It is not as if the Coyotes are without style, Lombardi and Upshall have been impressive along with Doan and the goaltending of Bryzgalov has earned him a lot of praise.
Everyone loves an underdog and that is certainly the case with the Coyotes. As already mentioned, critics and pundits were writing them off before the season started, incidentally, a season that started with a win over Stanley Cup Champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and they are suffering wtih some major financial issues.
The NHL ended up buying the Coyotes and are now searching for a buyer, so how long they will remain in Phoenix, or even remain the Coyotes is questionable, but for now at least, the fans can get behind this team and cheer them on to achieve even more.
A Stanley Cup win is probably out of the question, but throughout the season Phoenix have collected wins over the Sharks, the Devils and several other top of the league teams, so there is no reason why they can’t do it again should they meet these teams in the Play-Offs.
It has long been thought that issues off the ice, or pitch, depending on the sport, can affect a team when they play. However, the Coyotes are certainly proving that rule wrong as they continue to impress. Heading down to the Jobing.com Arena is no longer an easy two points. They Coyotes are simply getting on with business, letting their hockey do the talking and confounding the critics as they do it.
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