‘Yotes Notes: Jamie McGinn shows promise in debut at New Jersey
Oct 26, 2016, 3:25 PM
(Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
PHILADELPHIA — Jamie McGinn was hoping to join the Coyotes’ lineup on Sunday against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, but coach Dave Tippett wanted the team’s top free-agent forward signing to get a little more practice time, forcing him to miss his fifth straight game to start the season.
“I’ve been through it before,” said McGinn, who missed 63 days in 2014-15 after back surgery. “That was probably the toughest thing in my career, (but) the five games felt like an eternity and I was glad to get back out there.”
McGinn had an assist and logged 14:22 of ice time in a 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday at Prudential Center. He also had a big hit on New Jersey’s Ben Lovejoy and he nearly had a goal off the rush when Devils goalie Cory Schneider moved post to post to rob him.
In spite of those building blocks, McGinn said there is a long way to go.
“When it’s your first game you just try and keep it simple,” he said. “You’ve got to keep the legs going and show your energy and try and make an impact on the game. I always could have done more.
“There was a couple pucks out there that I bobbled that I wasn’t too happy with but as long as I was engaged I’ll take it from there.”
McGinn signed a three-year, $10 million contract this summer. The Coyotes hoped he would bring a more physical brand of hockey and scorer’s touch around the net, but McGinn was injured in the team’s final preseason game in Calgary and had been skating on his own. He finally joined the team on Saturday in New York after missing the first three stops on the trip.
“I never like watching hockey games,” he said. “I’m paid to play and I want to be a big part of this team so the first five games were pretty frustrating, not being on the road trip. It’s not fun being at home by yourself. I enjoy being around the guys so it’s good to be back.”
Coach Dave Tippett liked what he saw.
“He’s a good pro,” Tippett said. “He had a good chance early in the game, brought lots of life on the bench. He’s a good addition to our team.”
SCHENN, WHITE RETURN TO PHILLY
Coyotes defenseman Luke Schenn and forward Ryan White already had their Philly reunions when the Flyers came to Gila River Arena for the season opener on Oct. 15, but both were back in Philadelphia for the first time since signing free-agents contracts in the offseason.
White, who signed a one-year, $1 million deal, spent two seasons in Philadelphia from 2014-16. Schenn, who signed a two-year, $2.5 million deal, spent three-plus seasons in Philadelphia, beginning with the 2011-12 season and ending when he was traded to Los Angeles last January.
In 213 games with the Flyers, Schenn had 12 goals, 42 points and 140 penalty minutes. In 107 games with the Flyers, White had 17 goals, 28 points and 131 penalty minutes.
LOOSE PUCKS
— Louis Domingue will start the final game of the road trip on Thursday in Philadelphia.
— The Coyotes had an optional practice with only four skaters taking part on Wednesday in Philadelphia.
— Defenseman Jamie McBain cleared waivers on Tuesday and was assigned to Tucson of the AHL, bringing the Coyotes’ 23-man roster to a normal complement of two goalies, seven defensemen and 14 forwards.
— Through six games, the Coyotes ranked 30th (out of 30 teams) in the NHL in goals against per game at 4.33, 18th in goals per game (2.83), 20th in power-play percentage (14.3) and 26th in penalty killing percentage (72.2).
Coyotes at Flyers
When: 4 p.m., Thursday
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
TV: FOX Sports Arizona
Radio: ESPN 620 AM
Records: Coyotes 1-5. Flyers 3-3-1.
Injury report: Coyotes — G Mike Smith (left leg) is week to week. Flyers — F Michael Raffl (abdominal), F Scott Laughton (knee) and D Michael Del Zotto (knee) are all out.
Scouting the Flyers: The Flyers rallied from a three-goal deficit to defeat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 in a shootout on Tuesday. Philadelphia scored three, third-period goals and C Claude Giroux and RW Jakub Voracek scored in the shootout. … Former Coyote Boyd Gordon signed a one-year, $950,000 deal with the Flyers in the summer. … Voracek and Giroux are tied for ninth in the NHL in points with eight. … G Steve Mason is just 26th in the NHL in save percentage at .901. … F Dale Weise has served his three-game suspension and is eligible to return against the Coyotes.
Follow Craig Morgan on Twitter