With their 4-1 loss to the Jets last night, the Coyotes passed the 2000 Flames as the worst team ever to start an NHL season, going 20 straight games without a regulation win.
The game itself was a joke, with Raanta getting pulled and the Jets seeming to score at will on him. However, all is not lost.
John Chayka is taking some heat. This is to be expected since he's known for being an "analytics guy" and he's so young. With his team struggling, the inevitable questions have started being asked.
Some people are in such a hurry for everything to be a referendum on stats based analysis, but this is ridiculous. The Coyotes aren't doing anything - that I can see - markedly different from any other NHL team, all of which use analytics to one degree or another.
Even if he is, he deserves time to see how it plays out.
The Coyotes were a mess when he took over, and all he's done so far is augment his young core players - among the best groups in the league - with a selection of quality veterans.
So far this hasn't translated into anything good, but the Coyotes haven't even dressed their optimal lineup this season for a single game. Their starting goalie was injured and the season was basically over before he finally got back. Both Goligoski and Hjalmarsson have been injured.
Also, the schedule has been ridiculous and there has been a new coach. This isn't supposed to be a litany of excuses - there is no getting around the fact that the team hasn't performed. However, the results of 20 games are just not enough to make a definitive judgement about anything, so a change in philosophy at this time would be not only unnecessary, but also quite idiotic.
The Coyotes have a solid core of young players.
They can immediately augment their team with Dylan Strome and Jacob Chychrun.
Their group of vets - Raanta, Stepan, Goligoski, Hammer, OEL - is solid.
They have cap room, assets to trade, and an almost guaranteed top three pick next year.
Honestly, the team is in good shape, and the guy who is running it has done a good job. You might not see it now, but I remain confident that you will soon.
No team is as bad as the Coyotes have been, and once they straighten it out, they'll be fine. If anything, a stretch like this will build character.
Regardless of what does or does not happen though, it's still too early to make a judgement on Chayka's stats-based philosophy. Ironic too, since the entire foundation of analytical thinking is to not make judgements based on short-term results.
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