It's not often that I give a team a pass when it comes to losing -- but in the case of the Arizona Coyotes, I think we all just need to be patient.
With 22 games to play, the Coyotes are six points out of the playoffs, and 15 of their final 22 games are against playoff-bound teams.
Yes, they've lost three games in a row, but look who they're losing to: They got beat on the road by one of the best teams in the league, the Washington Capitals, and the following night, they lost by a single goal at the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Coyotes GM Don Maloney is building this team with a mix of young guys and savvy veterans. Again, I don't often say this, but give them another year, and I think we'll start seeing some payoff.
It could get even uglier for the Coyotes down the stretch, but at least they're building something -- and it's a much better plan than the Phoenix Suns have right now.
