There’s a chance Kurt Sauer returns. Martin Hanzal is back. Peter Mueller has a game under his belt in his return.  Outside of Dan Carillo who will not play, the Coyotes finally have some key, healthy bodies back. And, it couldn’t came at a better time!

Let’s see if Dan Winnink plays like he did against Calgary and how Telly responds in goal. I’d call this a “must win” but aren’t they all this time of year?

Listen for more on the game from Wayne:

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See you on the pre game show at 7 on Fox Sports Arizona!

- Todd

This should be interesting. We have seen them have nights like they had against Anaheim. Bad nights. Every aspect of the game letting them down. But, it seems more often then not, they bounce back from those kind nights. Doing that here, tonight, against the best in the west, will be a tall order.

And, tonight they do so without Peter Mueller who is back in Phoenix with a concussion that he suffered in the loss to Anaheim. So many story lines to this one! Can’t wait!

Click to hear Wayne’s comments from earlier today:

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The question: will San Jose let down against a team that doesn’t quite have the weapons that they do? Or, will they be ready to rock having already lost once to Phoenix?? And, will the Coyotes respond like they have virtually all season????

Watch them all unfold on AZ TV tonight!

JUST ADDED – Click to hear our feature highlighting the amazing comeback of Claude Lemieux. This will air during tonight’s broadcast:

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- Todd

Last night’s victory started with an off day after the 4 nothing loss to LA. I believe that this team was spent mentally and physically after a grueling stretch of 4 games in 6 days. Then, after two spirited days of practice and a concerted effort to set the pace early, the Coyotes took the play to Colorado on the very first shift of the game. That continued even after falling behind one to nothing.

Hear Coach Gretzky’s post-game:

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Thanks to Peter Mueller, the Coyotes ended 2008 in 7th place in the Western Conference……I haven’t said this in years: IF THE PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY……

It’s ok to dream, right?  Happy New Year’s!

Catch us on the Coyotes Radio Network Friday and Sunday against the Islanders and the Ducks….Then we will see you on Tuesday night…..on Fox Sports Arizona for a date with the Chicago Blackhawks!

- Todd

Hanzal will win the Selke Award, just a matter of time.  NHL.com recently did a “Coyote Ugly” story, highlighting the struggles of 2nd year players Martin Hanzal and Peter Mueller. I like to think when I watch a player game in and game out, practice in and practice out, that I have a pretty good feel as to whether that player is playing well or not playing well.

The Coyotes went into the season with a plan. They committed to 4 fresh faced rookies, to go along with 5 key sophomore players, with Mueller and Hanzal the centerpieces on their roster, as far as sophomores are concerned. That is more responsibility than any other team.

There have been definite stretches where Mueller has struggled. He worked hard in the off season, adding muscle and bulk, going from 206 lbs to 216 lbs. As a team, they determined that was too much so he has worked his tail off , getting his weight down and moving his feet quicker. As a result, he has created far more energy and increased his scoring chances per game. He has to continue to do that consistently, and the goals are certain to come. He is that good with the puck. Last season he came on and scored 22 goals. He spent lots of time on the point on the PP, scoring 7 PPG’s in the process. He also had 3 ROAD hattricks, pretty good stuff.

Last season, he could also be hidden by his coach, Wayne Gretzky, especially on the road , where Gretzky has been a master with his younger players. This season? Different story for a few reasons. Teams know who he is. He can’t hide. He gets to see the other teams best defenseman and best defensive forward. He has 5-10-15 pts at this point, below expectations by both Peter and the team. This season, the 1st 27 games, will add a few layers of skin to Peter for the future and all for the good. He is a difference maker in the best league in the world. He will score in bunches and when they start, it will take a long time for them to stop. I see it in practice and in games. I talk to the other teams goalies about the Coyotes players they have their eye on. Peter is at the top of the list.

In my conversations with Peter, I remember quickly how it went for me in my 2nd full season as an NHL’er. The criticism is far more stinging from the coaches, the expectations are higher, and the responsibilities to your “younger” teammates changes you for the better. So, while Mueller’s season is going to have to improve for this team to get in the play-offs, it hasn’t been as “ugly” as the headline puts it.Not even close.

For Martin Hanzal to be included in this column is baffling.

I know the “Western” National Hockey League doesn’t get as many eye balls as our friends to the East…but come on.  Hanzal will win the Frank J Selke Award. It may not be this season, but he will garner attention. I say here, he wins it next season.

As a 2nd season NHL player that played only 1 season of WHL hockey and then to the NHL, he will only get better and stronger on his 6’5 220 lb frame.  He is as good in his own zone as any centerman in the NHL. What position is the hardeset to break in at? Many say it is on the blueline. Hard to argue.

I for one, believe it is at center ice. The responsibilities are far greater than that of a defenseman. There is more confusion in your own zone, especially with so many cycles down low. A centerman has to win face offs, not lose his man, be down low in his own zone, often spending the whole shift from the hash marks to the boards. Then , if you get out of your zone, you are the guy that gets the puck through the middle of the ice and makes a play for your wingers.you need to create offense as well. Go for a line change, and do it all again.

Then there is Hanzal. He doesn’t get to do that against the other teams sophomores, or 18, 19, and 20 year old players.  No, he does that against the NHL’s BEST players. Every night.

If you are going to suggest a player is struggling and making it a headline, you better do some homework, watch some games and then ask some players he plays against.

In the West, he faces Joe Thornton, and did so all of last year as well, as a rookie. The Coyotes have a winning record vs the Sharks in the last 2 years.While Big Joe remains a very top player in this league, I can assure you he has had all he can handle in the 2 games this season against the Coyotes. The series so far is a 3-2 win and a 3-2 loss. We highlighted the two the entire game and could see that Hanzal was in his kitchen.

He does it the old fashioned way. He rarely takes penalties. He has a great reach and stick. He separates great players from the puck, not an easy thing to do.He brings a great attitude to the rink, he wants to win. He plays that way.

I mentioned Thornton. Lets continue with Ryan Getzlaf, Anze Kopitar and any one of the 3 headed monsters at center ice for the Dallas Stars. All in the Pacific Division. 6 games a season against them.
Last season, Hanzal had 8 goals and 35 points.

2 weeks ago he scored 3 goals against the Leafs and has 6 goals and 10 assists on the season, while defensively, is minus 1.

That includes a recent game in Chicago that was a team embarrassment, losing 7-1 and giving up an astonishing 6 goals at even strength.  There are going to be nights like that for every player and team, as bad as it seemed at the time. Young and old go through it. We all have.

I can assure you that sophomore players Peter Mueller and Martin Hanzal will be at the other end of that score more than they will be at the losing end, in their NHL careers.

They are both special players that take pride in winning and care about their jobs on the ice.  To say they have been “Coyote Ugly” is extremely misleading and disrespectful to what they and the team are accomplishing.

- Panger

If you ever wanted to get a sense of what a coach might be thinking about before the dawn of a new season, check this out.  It is just another reminder of why we take a moment after each game day skate to “check in” with Wayne.

Listen carefully for what he told his rookies earlier in the week, and his insights on the evolution of his big line of Shane Doan, Peter Mueller and Olli Jokinen. There was also a great warning to his team about how they must attack the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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Did you hear it?  Did the Coyotes?

We’ll find out on AZTV tonight…

- Todd

Broadcast version:

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Wayne Gretzky has been behind the bench for the 2 game rookie tournament against the LA Kings rookies, and it was business as usual for he and his coaching staff. When you look around the NHL during the rookie camps and tournaments, you don’t always, in fact you rarely, see the head coaches behind the bench, for one reason or another.

Not with Gretzky and the Coyotes as he and Ulf Samuelsson took care of the bench, while newcomer Doug Sulliman sat in the pressbox with goalie coach Grant Fuhr to take notes and get a feel for the young players. Gretzky knows that the prospects he has will be a big part of the present and the very near future, not just players that have potential, and may be 3 or 4 years away, if at all.

He is on the bench and on the ice in practice grooming them through drills and systems that will be employed from Day 1.

Its also good for the players to be around Wayne. Its natural to be in awe of Gretzky, so the players have to get used to how he handles the bench, drills in practice and also his demeanor. He laughs a lot, observes most things that no one else even sees happening. He is serious, but knows when to lighten things up and more importantly, has been a player before and understands you will make mistakes.

There are plenty of negatives when you don’t make the playoffs. You lose that winning culture, that expectation that you will win every night. On the other hand, it allows you the opportunity to draft the best of the best in that years draft. A team like the Red Wings haven’t had top picks since Yzerman and Primeau, when they were not a very good hockey team. They have done well with later picks like Datzyuk and Zetterberg.

Pittsburgh had a rough stretch that resulted in Fleury, Staal, Crosby and Malkin to name a few.  The Coyotes have Peter Mueller, Kyle Turris, Mikkel Boedker, and Viktor Tihkonov to go along with a slew of good draft picks that have resulted in picks like Chris Summers, Nick Ross, Brett MacLean and Kevin Porter to name just a few.

Its no wonder Gretzky and Samuelsson are preparing the young players with the same intensity and attention to details as they would be doing with their regular line-up. They know they will play for them, and sooner rather than later.

The unique thing about this collection of players is they all have different games.  The puck follows Turris and he just makes smart plays. He gets plenty of chances and doesn’t need much time to make a play. He has very quick hands and can snap the puck. He is a self motivated athlete that knows what he wants. Its just a matter of time and experience for Kyle.

Boedker is a horse. He has big strong legs and has lots of jump. He checked in around 200 lbs and doesn’t mind the physical part of it. He is a left shot that plays the right side, and has a great one timer.
Tihkonov intrigued many teams. He grew up in Los Gatos CA around the Sharks as his father Vasiliev was a coach with the Sharks and also with their farm team. He only recently got his Russian passport and was asked on several occasions to play for USA Hockey. He was not going to do that as his legendary grandfather, Viktor, is the President of Red Army. Young Tikhonov is a big strong kid that loves to drive to the net, and can play all 3 forward positions. You can tell he has been around pro hockey all his life, as he just fits in, he looks and acts like he belongs in the NHL.

Porter is a well rounded, smart player. He won the Hobey Baker and I get the sense it wasn’t just the point total. He is a leader. There were several times during the rookie games vs LA that he got hit or slashed on a shift, and instead of retaliating, he took a number and made sure he got a piece of that player. He is smart with the puck on both sides of the ice. He was the most mature player in the 2 games and appears to have a real bright future.

Another piece of the line up that has to excite Gretzky is his top line. He finally has a big centerman that can go up against the big boys in the Pacific.

With Ollie Jokinen, at 6’3 220 lbs, he also has a center that wants the puck in his own zone to begin the breakout. Jokinen doesn’t have to be the captain in the desert. He just has to play his game.  This is Shane Doan’s team, and Doan will patrol the LW on the top line with Peter Mueller likely on the RW.

That brings us to Bryzgalov. He is without a doubt the key to the process for Wayne and the Coyotes. He can be an All-Star. He can win a Vezina. He can be a Hart Trophy winner.  That’s what kind of upside he has. He has that potential for sure. He is athletic, mobile and large.  He will have to handle this team the right way. He will have to deal with adversity and have the maturity to handle some of the rough nights. He has shown he can do that and now must know how massive the responsibilty is.

Every player will make mistakes, especially the young ones and its so important in this situation for the older, veteran players, like Bryzgalov, to give his teammates confidence, no matter what happens out on the ice. What a year this should be.

Gretzky is going to have the time of his life behind the bench, in the room and on the plane with these guys. I can’t wait to be a part of it, the beginning of something real special in the desert.

For gretzky.com, I’m Darren Pang.