{"id":68080,"date":"2020-02-09T20:15:23","date_gmt":"2020-02-10T01:15:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/?p=68080"},"modified":"2020-02-09T21:05:19","modified_gmt":"2020-02-10T02:05:19","slug":"arizona-coyotes-playoffs-hopes-clouded-with-injuries-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2020\/02\/09\/arizona-coyotes-playoffs-hopes-clouded-with-injuries-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Arizona Coyotes Playoffs Hopes Clouded With Injuries Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

With just 25 games remaining in the 2019-20 season, the Arizona Coyotes<\/a> playoffs hopes are in a familiar position. They are fighting for a playoff spot and trying to accomplish it without key players in the lineup due to injuries.<\/p>\n

Antti Raanta<\/a><\/strong> is a prime example of a player who is experiencing continuous repetitive lower-body injuries causing the team to be short-handed in the net. Whatever injuries he has, they are not being addressed and he missing significant time when he is needed defending the goal.<\/p>\n

Arizona Coyotes Playoffs Hopes Connected to Injury Woes<\/h2>\n

Every team goes through injuries during a punishingly long 82-game schedule. During the\u00a0 2018-19 campaign they failed to qualify for the playoffs. The way things have gone lately this season they may be back into that familiar situation once again.<\/p>\n

Losing Darcy Kuemper<\/a><\/strong> since December 19th and for 20 games is a tough pill to swallow. Since his loss, the team has a depressing 7-10-3 record. Raanta hasn’t played all that well, and when Adin Hill<\/a><\/strong> has filled in, he’s done adequately well for a young, third-string goaltender. Recently, to add insult to injury (pun intended) Oliver Ekman-Larsson<\/a><\/strong> went down, followed by Jason Demers<\/a><\/strong>. OEL may be back soon, and Kuemper could actually be back to play on Monday against the Montreal Canadiens<\/a>. According to Craig Morgan, both OEL and Kuemper skated this morning.<\/p>\n

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Darcy Kuemper<\/a> is on the ice for practice this morning, taking shots at the Canadiens\u2018 practice facility. OEL is also on the ice. Derek Stepan<\/a> & Brad Richardson<\/a> are not (maintenance days). Stepan took that big hit that resulted in a 2-game suspension for Boston\u2019s Jeremy Lauzon<\/a>. pic.twitter.com\/XQlVrPkxtS<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) February 9, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n