The Arizona Coyotes don't like to let things linger.
In the past couple years, the team has been very aggressive in locking up its young core to long-term deals well before any restricted free agent squabbles could take root. And while the rest of the league is just gearing up for trade season — the deadline is exactly three weeks away — the Coyotes jumped in early and hard, acquiring Taylor Hall from the New Jersey Devils just before Christmas to aid their playoff pursuit.
In fact, Arizona's big move was long enough ago that the club has already had time to turn into a cautionary tale about how even the most sensible and strong actions don't guarantee you a thing.
The Coyotes entered their first game with Hall on Dec. 17 as leaders of the Pacific Division. Following Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, Arizona sits in the final Western Conference wild card spot, just three points ahead of those same Blackhawks and the Winnipeg Jets — both of whom hold at least one game in hand on the Desert Dogs. The Coyotes have just one win in their past nine outings and are 7-9-3 since the 2018 Hart Trophy winner joined their ranks.
(The team is also now dealing with off-ice concerns, with reports surfacing the Coyotes are being investigated by the NHL for breaking league rules about physically testing draft-eligible players before the annual NHL Combine.)
I loved the Hall swap for Arizona. This organization hasn't seen playoff hockey since 2012 and simply qualifying for the post-season — even if it resulted in a short stay — would be a meaningful step for this young squad.
Sometimes you go out and get a guy like Hall to put you over the top in a Cup quest. Other times — as was the case last year with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Matt Duchene — you pull the trigger on a marquee rental because you know your fans are long overdue to see a playoff series win or post-season action of any kind.
As it turns out, the Coyotes' souring fortunes stand in contrast to some productive play by Hall. Overall, he's put up 17 points in 19 contests for Arizona and he's actually been a point-per-game player with four goals and five assists during the team's current nine-game rough patch.
The problem — in addition to the fact the big trade basically dovetailed with the squad losing Vezina-calibre goalie Darcy Kuemper to a lower-body injury he's still not back from — is some of the players Arizona was counting on before the Hall deal have hit the wall.
Clayton Keller has just one assist in his past nine outings and Phil Kessel — who's been a colossal disappointment in Year 1 as a Dog — has one even-strength tally in that duration and is on pace to net just 17 goals this season.
The good news for the Coyotes is they play in a Pacific that's more bunched than a rush-hour bus.
Two hot weeks and this club could be right back atop the division. That said, they're more than a month into life with Hall and things are trending the wrong way fast. If the guys they've had all season don't pick it up soon, maybe the team that got a head start on trade season should contemplate a follow-up before it's too late.
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