The Arizona Coyotes were almost written off when Niklas Hjalmarsson fell to an injury during the first few weeks of the season. Yet they have found a way to play some great hockey in his absence and so many different players have stepped up.
If you told me that Jakob Chychrun and Alex Goligoski were going to make up the Coyotes top shut down pair at the begging of the season I would have been very confused, and yet that is exactly what happened. Arizona’s defensive line consists of some great defenders, a lot of guys that have stepped up in the absence of Niklas Hjalmarsson.