The Arizona Coyotes are facing tough odds to secure a spot in the NHL playoffs this season.
The Arizona Coyotes returned to the ice on Thursday following a five-month break, facing slim odds of qualifying for the NHL postseason for the second time in three years.
The Coyotes finished last year’s abbreviated NHL regular season with a 24-26-6 record, accumulating 56 points. Consequently, the NHL betting odds are expected to be against them.
The Coyotes’ 2021-22 season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets will take place at 4 p.m. Arizona time on Thursday. Fans can catch the game on ESPN+ and Bally Sports Arizona.
Since sports betting was introduced in Arizona on September 9, the team will be participating in their first season. The state’s enthusiasm for Arizona NFL betting sites has driven a strong start for the sportsbooks.
The St. Louis Blues are scheduled to play against Arizona in their first home game on October 18th at Gila River Arena in Glendale. The game will begin at 7 p.m.
Slim Chances for Coyotes
There are only a limited number of sportsbook operators who are providing extremely low odds for the Coyotes to make it to the 2022 NHL Playoffs, much less win the Western Conference or Stanley Cup championships.
As of Monday afternoon, BetMGM Arizona has set the Coyotes’ odds at +15000 to win the Stanley Cup, +6600 to win the Western Conference, and +15000 to win the Central Division in 2022.
The Coyotes are not expected to perform well according to Caesars Sportsbook, with odds of +15000 to win the Stanley Cup in 2022. They also have +15000 odds to win the Central Division, +8000 odds to win the Western Conference, +1300 odds to make the NHL Playoffs, and an over/under of 68.5 points for the year.
DraftKings Sportsbook Arizona has the Arizona Coyotes as the least likely team to win the Stanley Cup (+20000), President’s Trophy (+100000), and Central Division (+30000). FanDuel has set the Coyotes’ points over/under at 67.5 and gives them +1700 odds to make the 2022 NHL Playoffs.
FanDuel Sportsbook Arizona lists the Coyotes with odds of +10000 to win the Stanley Cup and +25000 to win the 2022 President’s Trophy. They also have +2500 odds of scoring 100 points this season, placing them tied for 31st among the 32 teams in the league.
The Coyotes are considered long shots at TwinSpires Sportsbook, with odds of +25000 to win the 2022 Stanley Cup, +12500 to win the Western Conference, +25000 to win the Central Division, and an over/under of 67.5 points.
What are the latest updates for the Coyotes on the ice?
Andre Tourigny, who previously served as an assistant coach for the Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche, will be stepping into the head coaching role for the Coyotes. He will be taking over from Rick Tocchet, who has been the team’s head coach since 2016.
From 2002 to 2020, Tourigny held the position of head coach in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Canadian Hockey League, winning the coach of the year award four times collectively.
After a season where the Coyotes placed fifth in the NHL’s temporary Western Division, trailing Colorado, Las Vegas, Minnesota, and St. Louis, he has been tasked with leading the team into the future.
Tourigny will look to seasoned forward Phil Kessel, who led all Coyotes players with 20 goals and 43 points in 2021, to propel Arizona towards a surprising NHL playoff spot.
Be sure to watch out for Jakob Chychrun, the fourth-year defenseman who made a strong comeback to the team in 2020. He had an outstanding season, scoring 18 goals and 23 assists while playing a crucial role on the Coyotes’ defense.
The pair will try to replace forward Conor Garland, who left the team in the offseason to join the Vancouver Canucks, in an effort to fill the void he left behind in the desert.
Garland, who honed his skills with the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate in Tucson, finished 2020 strong with 12 goals and 27 assists, playing a vital role on the team’s top line. He ended the year as the team’s third-highest scorer, tallying a total of 39 points.
What new developments are happening off the ice in Arizona?
The public was captivated during the offseason by the team’s arena location saga, with a potential arena near Tempe Town Lake edging closer to becoming a reality, according to The Arizona Republic.
The estimated cost of the proposed Tempe arena, located on a former scrapyard at the intersection of Priest Road and Rio Salado Parkway, is $1.7 billion. The arena is expected to have a seating capacity for 16,000 people.
The construction of the unnamed arena will be a vital component in the growth of the Tempe Entertainment District, which is planned to include hotels, shops, residential buildings, and a theater.
The proposed facility, currently in negotiations, was suggested after Glendale city officials announced in August that they would not renew the club’s lease. This choice has cast doubt on the team’s future home in the years ahead.
The Coyotes will play their home games at Gila River Arena for the 2021-22 season, but what lies ahead for them beyond that remains uncertain.
Oddsmakers predict that the Coyotes will likely be one of the lowest-ranking teams in the upcoming NHL season.
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Author
Peterson Christopher has dedicated over seven years to covering sports and sports betting in Arizona, gaining experience at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly, and the Green Valley News. Currently, he holds the position of lead writer at yengols.com.
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