The expression that swept across Craig Cunningham’s face was as difficult to witness as it was to express. The experience for Cunningham is both a challenge and a path of acceptance. By now, most know his story, his journey and hope. Cunningham nearly died on the night of Nov. 19th. The 26-year-old right winger suffered cardiac arrest […]

There’s an old axiom that says patience is a virtue. Just ask Arizona Coyotes’ coach Dave Tippett. Here’s a man recognized as one of the better coaches in the NHL and a man who has endured losing season after losing season. If there is a benchmark for patience, Tippett probably drew the geometric form and wrote […]

With the emphasis on placing younger players in the lineup, the Arizona Coyotes moved another step in that direction. Before practice Sunday at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, the Coyotes took what they hope is another step toward respectability and success. With center Dylan Strome, the third overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, continuing to […]

When you’re struggling for wins and respectability, the last thing you would want to happen is another roadblock and more adversity. Plus, when you’re at the bottom of the NHL standings, like the Arizona Coyotes, that’s just another kick in the teeth. Add playing shorthanded for nearly one full contest to the litany of maladies […]

  The result was disappointing and there was little solace from Arizona Coyotes’ coach Dave Tippett afterwards. Then again, this may be expected from a hockey club laden with rookies and short on experience. Tippett would be the first to admit that Thursday night’s 5-4 shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings before 15,036 in Gila […]

For Arizona Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith, the moment was not as bright as he hoped. In fact, the shine and gleam for a stellar career achievement was dimmed by the reality of the current season. After Smith shut out the Colorado Avalanche this past Monday night, he passed Nikolai Khabibulin and Ilya Bryzgalov with 22 shutouts […]

The wait may be longer, but the results are likely encouraging, That’s because draft selections of the Arizona Coyotes are beginning to transition into production. Sure, this team is buried near the bottom of the NHL’s Western Conference and the light at the end of the tunnel was extinguished long ago. In particular, left wing […]

In the way the current hockey campaign unfolded for the Arizona Coyotes, this team quickly fell on life support. Rapidly, separation from both the Western Conference and the Pacific Division was swift and precipitous. By the Christmas break, the Coyotes sported a 11-19-5 and in the middle of a nine-game losing streak. By the time […]

If one game could represent a microcosm of the Arizona Coyotes‘ forgettable season, circle the March 9 home encounter against the Ottawa Senators. Two words from coach Dave Tippett, after the 3-2 overtime loss to the Sens, reflected this defeat and the season: “missed opportunities.” The combination of lost leads and an inability to complete plays doomed the Coyotes […]

One of the reasons Arizona Coyotes’ general manager John Chayka gave for trading Michael Stone was to create more opportunities for other defensemen. When Stone was shipped to Calgary on Monday, opportunities opened for Anthony DeAngelo, whom Chayka said would be recalled shortly from the AHL Tucson Roadrunners, and an emerging Jakob Chychrun. The pair of […]

In this forgettable season, there have been several factors leading to the decline of the Arizona Coyotes. Too many giveaways in inopportune times and poor puck management are the main culprits. Add to this list the reality of slow starts. In a majority of games this season, the Coyotes fell behind quickly and struggled to […]

Despite missing nearly two months, Arizona Coyotes forward Max Domi says he did not miss a beat. True, Domi managed to skate with his teammates with a healing broken right hand, fractured in a fight with Calgary’s Garnet Hathaway on Dec. 8. While he continued on-ice drills and worked to strengthen his hand, there is no […]

LOS ANGELES – If fans have a desire to see their favorite NHL players in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, several critical decisions remain outstanding. In fact, NHL decision-makers appear in no hurry to make any kind of decision. That was the assessment coming out of the Staples Center during the All-Star weekend. In a […]

When it comes to team expectations, don’t ask Arizona Coyotes’ coach Dave Tippett for his take. Flatly refusing any discussion on the matter, Tippett declines to be caught in the hype and hysteria of fortune tellers. As his team heads into the All-Star break, that was Tippett’s assessment of the Coyotes. While Tippett is more […]

Despite wins in two games of the last three, there remain legitimate concerns. Though the Arizona Coyotes have picked up four points in their last three contests coming into play at Toronto Thursday night, there is one ominous sign that lingers on the horizon. The number of shots the Coyotes allow on goalie Mike Smith is […]

The speed and energy finally arrived. At least, this was for one game, and decision-makers of the Arizona Coyotes hope the effort foreshows a successful path. For a team mired in a six-game losing streak and displaying difficulty putting the puck in the net, a four-goal outburst against the Nashville Predators Saturday came as a […]

These days, there are several buzz-words flying through the sports world. Two of the more prominent seem to be players and coaches talking about “the process,” and it’s time for teams and players “to be engaged.” For now, the Arizona Coyotes appear to reference “engage,” and that’s in an attempt to jump-start their season. As the […]

Just past the quarter-pole of this NHL season, numbers do not add up for the Arizona Coyotes. Not only are the Coyotes near the bottom of the NHL’s power rating, the real numbers remain low. Perhaps the number which means the most is 20, as in standings points. Coming into Thursday’s home game with Calgary, […]

On Saturday night, the Arizona Coyotes did just about everything right but win a hockey game. Goalie Mike Smith was lights-out, the penalty killing was outstanding and the Coyotes came-from-behind to earn a lead late in the game. If Arizona was able to do things to grab an advantage, the missing component in this 3-2 […]

This may not be a bad time to put wins together. To make the hour more important, the Arizona Coyotes are now in a streak against Pacific Division rivals. Put that in the past tense. A recent string of accumulating points (five standings points) in their past three games came to screeching halt Thursday night. […]