Mini BTP: Vision For The Division (Arizona Coyotes)

Brandon Mileski & Pat Micheletti continue their "Vision For The Division" series and talk about the Arizona Coyotes in this episode.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Hey, Welcome to another episode ofMini BTP. Brandon Moleski and Pat mcilletty
continuing our vision for the division series. And Pat, we're going from the
bottom to the top. Last timewe did Chicago Blackhawks a day. We're
talking about your Arizona Coyotes, whofinished seventh in the Central Division with seventy
points. So they didn't come ona little bit towards the end of the

(00:21):
season, Pat, especially against sarkMinnesota Wild. The Wild split of the
four games last year they won twolost too, but they lost the final
two kind of back in March andApril. So an Arizona team that was
coming on a little bit towards theend. Though. They've made a bunch
of changes. They made a tonof changes, and I think I don't
want to get too high on them, but I really I like the changes

(00:45):
that they've made. I think they'reshort term changes when you when you look
at some of the players they signedVIAT free agency. In fact, two
former Minnesota Wild players three actually inand Nick bukes Stead, Jason Zucker and
uh Matt Dumbo and d you knowand so you know Dumb on a one

(01:10):
year deal. Zucker and a oneyear deal. I'm not sure of Busts
contract, but but what they did, he got two years two point one
per year, Oh Diddy, Okay, good and good for him. I
mean for for a guy who wasyou know, kind of healthy, scratching
a lot here in Minnesota and wasjust lucky to get a contract, that's
the pretty good dollar amount for himat this stage. Yeah, and he
had a pretty good year last yearand then he gets straight into Edmonton.

(01:34):
But but what I like, whatwhat what Arizona has done. They've got
They've brought in guys that can play. Now you can you know, decide
for yourself what type of players youthink these guys are. Bottom line is
they've played a lot of games inthe league and they still have some tread
on the tire. So I thinkArizona I don't want to put them in

(01:57):
the playoffs yet, but but Ithink they're gonna be a tough out for
for a lot of teams, anda lot of it is gonna be determined
upon how quickly they come together,how you know, how they're how they're
reacting you know, with with withwithin the other players on the team.
And because I think they have theyhave a pretty good lineup when you look

(02:23):
at it top to bottom, atleast one that is UH certainly better than
what we've seen in the past.Well, you mentioned all the Minnesota connections,
Pat and obviously Matt dumba first timeaway from the Wild he signs in
one year three point nine million dollardeal with Arizona. Jason Zucker a one
year five five point three million dollardeals Bukes Dad got that contract. You

(02:44):
also have a Logan Cooley turning profrom the University of Minnesota. It looked
like he was going to return forhis sophomore season. He kind of goes
back, had had a change ofchange of heart and decides he wants to
turn pro. And another guy thatwe saw plenty of at the University of
Minnesota, drafted three overall by theCoyotes two years ago. Tons of speed,
tons of offensive playmaking ability, andwe'll see how quickly he can transition.

(03:07):
Well, I think two things UHprompted him to sign. UH.
One, when Adam Vantilly signed withColumbus, there is a rivalry between those
two that that that really I thinkgoes deep and we'll see that this year.
And secondly, UH Cooley was ableto get the same bonus structure as

(03:29):
the number one picking in Connorbadard.That you know, when you can get
that that that's unheard of, youdon't see it very much. But Cooley
was able to get that from Arizonashows you how much Arizona wanted him in
their lineup. I think Cooley isready to play in the National Hockey League.
From a skills perspective, I stillthink he you know, I wish

(03:52):
he would have came came back justfor for his own maturity purposes and and
growing another year and getting stronger.But but there's no question about it.
The kid is is so dynamic anduh, you know, I think they'll
use him the proper way. Youwon't see him taking uh faceoffs in his

(04:15):
own end. You'll see him onthe power play a lot. But you
know, if he just has amediocre year with with the other players that
are around him like h Keller andMitchelli and Logan Krause and Hayton, you
know, guys like that and JasonZucker, Uh you know, I think

(04:40):
I think he's he's I think he'sbetter surrounded than Badard is in in Chicago.
I forgot to mention the other Minnesotaconnection Jack McBain, if we remember,
drafted by the Minnesota while I endedup not wanting to sign here and
goes on to Arizona and instead,so another one played pretty well for him
last year too. He had somemoments, you know, you know,

(05:00):
Pat, I you know, Arizonaplayed well at the end of the end
of the year, and kind ofpeople around the league are kind of thinking,
hey, this might be a teamthat that emerges and and gets a
little better. I'm still not convinced. I look at their lineup. I
look at their lineup and go,you know, who's your star power,
right, I mean, your bestyour best forward is Clayton Keller, who's
fine and he's still young, butuh, nobody that scares me particularly.

(05:25):
And then I look at that blueline, Pat Matt Dumbo is the only
defenseman making over two million dollars thereright now. And you can tell me
what you think of Sean Jersey,who the young guy who they who they
acquire from the LA Kings, Andyou know, he had nine goals twenty
assists. But after that, youknow, it's Josh Brown, Troye Stetcher,
a bunch of you know, onemillion dollar defenseman. I still think,

(05:46):
you know, Matt Dumbo was finehere is kind of your fourth,
but if he has it's turning yourtop pairing. I'm I'm not convinced.
I still think they might have someissues in the blue line, and I
still think they're probably years away fromfrom kind of having more star power up
of the forward position. You're right, You're right. I'm on Jersey.
I really really, really really likehim. You know, if they can

(06:10):
get him to calm his game downa little bit. You know, he
likes to go go go, go, take chances and all that kind of
you know, if they can gethim to defend a little bit better,
and I think they know that.I think he's an upgrade from what they
had a year ago. Stature isa guy has been around forever and a
good team guy. But no areyou gonna Are you gonna make some noise

(06:35):
with a guy like him on theback end? Probably not their goaltending.
They like the young kid, thecheck. I think he's a check,
but he's still he's still unproven.So I do like their forward group.
Brandon, I have to admit,when I look at their forward group and
the combinations that they have together,projected. I like him more than some

(07:00):
of the other teams in the division, to be quite honest with you.
Uh so, yeah, than theWilds. I do, wow, I
really do. Uh you know,as of right now, until proven otherwise,
I do. I like it,you know, when you're looking one
to four, I do not nowas an individually, probably not when you

(07:25):
have when you have Caprisa and Boldie, I wouldn't. I wouldn't have any
of their forwards for for either ofthose two. But when but but collectively,
Hayden's a good player. You know, Zucker can still get your twenty.
You got Michelle who a lot ofpeople thought should have been the rookie,
uh Rookie of the year last year. He's a really good player.

(07:46):
I like kraus in a in afellino role, but he can score a
little bit more. Uh. NickSchmaltz has has moments of being really really
talented. So they've got some guysthat that I think are are are are
are pretty legitimate. So uh,but you have to you know, you

(08:07):
need, you need, you needmore than that, you need more than
that to be a factor. Allright, Your prediction for the Arizona Coyotes,
where will they finish in the CentralDivision this season. Okay, I'm
gonna, I'm gonna. I'm gonnathrow it out there. I think they're
gonna make the playoffs. Wow,yep, I have them making the playoffs.
Wow. All right, he's fat, mclety and Brandon Leski. This
has been another episode of many BTPH. We'll move on through the Central Division

(08:31):
next week. Thank you for listeningand watching. Uh and we'll talk to
you next week. Bye.