Alex Goligoski

Arizona Coyotes' Alex Goligoski Signing Already Paying Dividends

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The signing of defenseman Alex Goligoski is already paying dividends for Arizona Coyotes General Manager John Chayka.

When the Arizona Coyotes acquired the rights to Alex Goligoski from the Dallas Stars, few expected him to actually sign here.

John Chayka is a wizard, however, and sold the 31-year-old defender on the future of the franchise. There was probably some talk about the weather, as well.

Of all the new additions who may dress in Sedona red this winter, Goligoski may prove to be Dave Tippett’s most important new tool.

The acquisition shored up a Coyotes blue-line that was pretty dismal in 2015-16, and provides the team with the option to roll at least two quality pairings each night. Goligoski can take some of the pressure off of Oliver Ekman-Larsson to be all things, all the time.

He’s already proven to be a decent approximation of the team’s best player.

For Chayka and Tipp, the proof is in the pudding.

#33 has skated in only two games in this preseason but played more than 20 minutes per night (including 29 minutes against the Ducks on Saturday night). On top of eating up minutes, he’s chipped in four assists in those two contests creating an immediate impact.

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When you couple Goligoski’s potential offensive contributions with those of Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Michael Stone, you’ve got quite a boost to the organization’s young forward core.

All of that potential leaves Tipp with several possibilities for defensive pairings.

One can likely assume that Connor Murphy will rejoin OEL on the top pairing.

Conventional wisdom would also suggest that Michael Stone and Alex Goligoski would slot together on the second pairing, however, that would be an interesting departure for Dave Tippett after the results of last season. Stone began 2015-16 as Ekman-Larsson’s partner, but was eventually shifted to a different pair in favor of Murphy.

Both defenders were offensive-oriented and it never really clicked between them, and on the surface it would appear that Goligoski and Stone might encounter the same issue.

Goligoski and Stone may both be better served with a partner who is more stay-at-home and less involved offensively. The answer to that query is yet to be determined, however.

As players like Christian Dvorak, Dylan Strome, Lawson Crouse, and Jakob Chychrun vie for coveted NHL roster spots and a chance to secure their budding stardom, it may be that the most integral new Coyote wears #33 instead of #18 or #20.

If Chayka’s offseason moves pan out and the Arizona Coyotes defense is substantially improved, the Alex Goligoski signing will have been the catalyst.