‘Yotes Notes: Burmistrov providing a creative boost

Five games into his Arizona Coyotes tenure, center Alex Burmistrov has shown little downside.

Jan 24, 2017, 3:33 PM

Arizona Coyotes' Jakob Chychrun (6) and Alexander Burmistrov (91) celebrate Chychrun's goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. (John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

(John Woods/The Canadian Press via AP)

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Five games into his Coyotes tenure, center Alex Burmistrov has shown little downside. He has five assists, he is improving in the faceoff circle (he won nine of 14 draws on Monday) and he has given the Coyotes a creative presence in the middle they desperately needed.

“He’s just creating plays that are making a difference in the game,” coach Dave Tippett said after Burmistrov’s two-assist night in a 3-2 overtime win over Florida on Monday at Gila River Arena. “He’s good with the puck; he can distribute the puck. He has good skill; good vision.

“[With] special teams, we’re still working him in to that. We tried him a couple different places; he’s played both sides of special teams. He’s coming but it’s still a work in progress.”

It’s hard to argue with a player’s performance when he is averaging a point per game, but Tippett said they have also been meaningful points.

“The two last night are big points for us,” Tippett said, highlighting Burmistrov’s assist on Tobias Rieder’s game-winning goal. “The play he made in overtime is a great play; not just the pass but the ability to hold the puck, beat a guy one-on-one. Those are things we’re looking for more people to do.”

Burmistrov acknowledged that he is still trying to grasp the nuances of a new system and new personnel.

“It’s worked out well but still, a lot of things are missing in my game,” he said. “In the offensive part of the game, I’ve got to be more consistent, just finding my linemates and making plays.”

In four of the five games he has played with Arizona, Burmistrov has logged more ice time than in any of the 23 games he played with Winnipeg before he was waived and claimed by the Coyotes on Jan. 2.

“That’s the way I grew up playing: in the key situations all the way around. Penalty kill, power play,” he said. “The big thing is coaching trust so I have to keep doing well and don’t let him down. This is a big opportunity for me.”

THE BETTING GAME

The Coyotes had a shootout drill late in practice Tuesday where all the players had to bet on the shooter scoring or the goalie making the save.

Tippett called it a tricky way of making the players skate more without the coach being tagged with any of the blame.

“It’s their bet; they decide it,” Tippett said, smiling. “If they bet with the guy and he misses, they skate less than if they bet against him and he scores. There’s a consequence for betting against your teammate when he does well.”

The consequence was skating additional sideboards (from one side of the rink to the other).

ANOTHER BREAK

After Thursday’s game against Vancouver, the Coyotes will get a four-day break for the All-Star game (Mike Smith is the only Coyote attending the game in Los Angeles on Jan. 29).

The All-Star break begins just two weeks after the Coyotes’ CBA-mandated, five-day bye week ended. After that one ended, Arizona played five games in seven days. When this break ends, the Coyotes will play three games in five days, take another four-day break, and then play seven games in the next 12 days.

“With the NHL schedule, you have lots of breaks these days. They’re just part of the norm now,” Tippett said, tongue in cheek. “They give you a break and then they just hammer you.”

LOOSE PUCKS

— Smith and right wing Shane Doan took maintenance days on Tuesday are but are expected to play Thursday against Vancouver.

— Center Peter Holland was fined $3,611.11, the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement, for a punch to an unsuspecting opponent, Tampa Bay’s Ondrej Palat, on Saturday at Gila River Arena. Here is a look at that play.