If you have ever looked at hockeyreference.com there is a section where they predict how teams will finish with other statistics included. The results are based on 1,000 simulations of the remainder of the season.
It’s still very early with most teams having played just between 13-17 games thus far. There’s plenty of hockey to be played, and many events can change the above predictions. Injuries can disable a team’s ability to succeed and players can get hot or cold. There can be trades, any number of things which control their final season standings. It must be noted that’s why this chart is updated daily. It included things affecting the real results at the end of the season. However, here are the 2019-20 Arizona Coyotes projected statistics.
2019-20 Arizona Coyotes Projections
It goes without saying that the Arizona Coyotes have gotten off to a terrific start this season. They did take another early-season injury blow when they lost defenceman Niklas Hjalmarsson for three months due to a cracked tibia. He did this by doing what he does best, blocking shots.
According to the prognostications of the chart, the Coyotes are projected to finish with 99.1 points just trailing the Vancouver Canucks who are forecast to end up with 99.2 points. That would place them second in the Pacific Division race. In fact, they have a 31.8 percent probability of winning their division. Who thinks that’s going to happen?
One might say that’s crazy. Yet don’t forget the results are based on how each team is doing thus far. In addition, it is performing 1,000 simulations for the rest of the season. Another interesting statistic is that the Coyotes have one of the best probabilities of making the playoffs with an 85.5 percent chance of playing in the postseason. The Canucks have an 85.9 percent chance of making the playoffs. The St. Louis Blues lead with 86 percent.
More Surprising Predictions
The even more surprising predictions are that the 2019-20 Arizona Coyotes have them with a chance of actually finishing on top of the Western Conference standings. They would be edging out the Nashville Predators with a 14.5 percent probability to Nashville’s 14.2 percent.
The next statistic may blow your socks off. According to the chart, the Coyotes right now are ranked fourth behind the Washington Capitals (11.1%), the Boston Bruins (10.3%), and the Nashville Predators (8%) to win the Cup. Yes, this seems hard to believe but it could happen. According to the projections, the Coyotes have a 6.8 percent chance of raising the Cup.
Arizona Coyotes Improved Play
The Coyotes stand third in the Pacific Division with 20 points, trailing the leading Edmonton Oilers by just two points and have two games in hand. The team is being led by their second-best defence in the NHL allowing just 2.27 goals against per game. The New York Islanders lead in that category with 2.14 GAA. That can be attributed to their great goaltending tandem of Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta.
The offence of the Coyotes ranks 18th with 2.87 goals per game. If they can get some additional scoring, they would be turning some heads in the league. One must look way to 41st in the individual scoring to see a Coyotes player ranked in offensive production. Nick Schmaltz comes in with four goals and 10 assists in place there.
Power Play/Penalty Kill
One area which needs improvement is the power play. The Desert Dogs are 17th with an 18.8 percent success ratio on the man advantage. They only have nine powerplay tallies this season with Phil Kessel, Carl Soderberg, and Christian Dvorak accumulating two each. Scoring has always been a challenge for this team and with the addition of Kessel and Soderberg that should be resolved. Having Dvorak back for an entire season will certainly add to that success ratio.
The other area which could use some improvement is the penalty kill. While they ranked tied for first in that category last season with a terrific 85 percent kill ratio, they are only 20th this year with an 80.4 percent.
It seems that the 2019-20 Arizona Coyotes are off to a great start, and while projections are nice to ponder over, the games must be won on the ice. So far it appears that the team is more focused than in previous seasons and time will tell if they can improve.
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