2008–09 Phoenix Coyotes season

The 2008–09 Phoenix Coyotes season was the team's 36th season, 29th season in the National Hockey League, and 11th season as the Phoenix Coyotes. It saw the Coyotes attempt to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2002. However, during the month of March, they were eliminated from the playoffs, and ended up 13th in the NHL's Western Conference.
==Pre-season==
The Phoenix Coyotes played eight pre-season exhibition games to prepare for the regular season. Three games were at home, and the other five were on the road, including the franchise's first game back in Winnipeg since the team moved from there to Phoenix in 1996. The Coyotes finished the pre-season with a 2–5–1 record.
2008 Pre-season Game Log: 2–5–1 (Home: 2–2–0 ; Road: 0–3–1)	2008 Pre-season Game Log: 2–5–1 (Home: 2–2–0 ; Road: 0–3–1)	2008 Pre-season Game Log: 2–5–1 (Home: 2–2–0 ; Road: 0–3–1)	2008 Pre-season Game Log: 2–5–1 (Home: 2–2–0 ; Road: 0–3–1)	2008 Pre-season Game Log: 2–5–1 (Home: 2–2–0 ; Road: 0–3–1)	2008 Pre-season Game Log: 2–5–1 (Home: 2–2–0 ; Road: 0–3–1)	2008 Pre-season Game Log: 2–5–1 (Home: 2–2–0 ; Road: 0–3–1)	2008 Pre-season Game Log: 2–5–1 (Home: 2–2–0 ; Road: 0–3–1)	2008 Pre-season Game Log: 2–5–1 (Home: 2–2–0 ; Road: 0–3–1)	2008 Pre-season Game Log: 2–5–1 (Home: 2–2–0 ; Road: 0–3–1)	2008 Pre-season Game Log: 2–5–1 (Home: 2–2–0 ; Road: 0–3–1)
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	OT 	Decision 	Attendance 	Record 	Recap 	
1 	September 22 	Phoenix 	4–6 	Los Angeles 	 	Montoya 	8,221 	0–1–0 	 	
2 	September 24 	Calgary 	3–2 	Phoenix 	 	? 	15,015 (Winnipeg) 	0–2–0 	 	
3 	September 25 	Phoenix 	1–3 	Calgary 	 	Tellqvist 	19,289 	0–3–0 	 	
4 	September 27 	Anaheim 	3–1 	Phoenix 	 	Bryzgalov 	8,417 	0–4–0 	 	
5 	September 29 	San Jose 	1–5 	Phoenix 	 	Bryzgalov 	7,305 	1–4–0 	 	
6 	September 30 	Phoenix 	3–4 	San Jose 	OT 	Montoya 	15,843 	1–4–1 	 	
7 	October 3 	Phoenix 	1–4 	Anaheim 	 	Tellqvist 	16,371 	1–5–1 	 	
8 	October 4 	Los Angeles 	2–5 	Phoenix 	 	Bryzgalov 	8,621 	2–5–1 	 	
==Regular season==
On December 23, the Toronto Globe and Mail reported that the Phoenix Coyotes team is receiving financial assistance from the league in the form of advances on league revenues. The Coyotes have pledged all of their assets to New York company SOF Investments LP to cover an estimated debt of $80 million. The team has lost an estimated $200 million since 2001 and may lose $30 million this season. One of the team's owners, Jerry Moyes' principal source of revenue, Swift Transportation is also in financial difficulty. ESPN reported that the league has become involved with the operations of the Coyotes and their revenues. The NHL apparently wants to work with the city of Glendale which owns the arena and receives revenues from the team. If no investers are interested in keeping the team in Phoenix, Kansas City, Winnipeg or Hamilton will likely be healthier destinations for the franchise to relocate. ESPN also reported that Moyes wants to sell his share of the team and that Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer is a possible interested purchaser.
===Divisional standings===
===Conference standings===
===Game log===
2008–09 Game Log 	2008–09 Game Log 	2008–09 Game Log 	2008–09 Game Log 	2008–09 Game Log 	2008–09 Game Log 	2008–09 Game Log 	2008–09 Game Log 	2008–09 Game Log 	2008–09 Game Log 	2008–09 Game Log
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October: 4–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	October: 4–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	October: 4–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	October: 4–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	October: 4–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	October: 4–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	October: 4–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	October: 4–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	October: 4–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	October: 4–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)	October: 4–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 1–3–0)
# 	Date 	Visitor 	Score 	Home 	OT 	Decision 	Attendance 	Record 	Pts 	Recap
1 	October 11 	Columbus 	1–3 	Phoenix 	 	Bryzgalov 	17,125 	1–0–0 	2 	
2 	October 12 	Phoenix 	4–2 	Anaheim 	 	Bryzgalov 	17,174 	2–0–0 	4 	
3 	October 15 	Phoenix 	1–4 	Chicago 	 	Bryzgalov 	20,522 	2–1–0 	4 	
4 	October 17 	Phoenix 	3–6 	Ottawa 	 	Bryzgalov 	20,179 	2–2–0 	4 	
5 	October 18 	Phoenix 	1–4 	Montreal 	 	Bryzgalov 	21,273 	2–3–0 	4 	
6 	October 23 	Washington 	1–2 	Phoenix 	 	Tellqvist 	14,722 	3–3–0 	6 	
7 	October 25 	Calgary 	4–1 	Phoenix 	 	Tellqvist 	15,038 	3–4–0 	6 	
8 	October 30 	Pittsburgh 	1–4 	Phoenix 	 	Bryzgalov 	15,178 	4–4–0 	8 	
==Playoffs==
The Coyotes failed to make the playoffs for the sixth straight season. They last made the playoffs in 2002. This season, they were officially eliminated from playoff contention in mid-March.
==Player stats==
===Skaters===
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/− = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes
Regular season	 	 	 	 	 	
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable sortable" width="100%"	 	 	 	 	 	
Player 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	+/−	PIM
 	82	31	42	73 	+5 	72
 	57	21	21	42 	-5 	49
 	73	14	27	41 	0 	20
 	82	9 	27	36 	-15	106
 	72	13	23	36 	-7 	24
 	74	11	20	31 	-4 	40
 	69	4 	26	30 	-4 	37
 	78	11	17	28 	-6 	18
 	82	6 	21	27 	-13	28
 	48	13	8 	21 	-13	24
 	44	9 	11	20 	-6 	28
 	63	8 	12	20 	-15	21
 	19	5 	11	16 	+2 	14
 	61	8 	8 	16 	-3 	20
 	72	6 	7 	13 	-9 	72
 	19	8 	5 	13 	+2 	26
 	57	5 	7 	12 	-13	24
 	68	1 	10	11 	+9 	24
 	19	2 	8 	10 	+1 	6
 	54	3 	7 	10 	-13	174
 	34	5 	5 	10 	-2 	4
 	48	3 	6 	9 	-11	36
 	68	1 	6 	7 	-1 	36
 	49	3 	4 	7 	+1 	63
 	15	1 	3 	4 	-2 	6
 	16	2 	2 	4 	-2 	24
 	7 	2 	1 	3 	+2 	4
 	12	0 	2 	2 	-4 	0
 	11	0 	1 	1 	-4 	29
 	4 	0 	1 	1 	-1 	7
 	3 	0 	1 	1 	-2 	0
 	5 	0 	0 	0 	-2 	22
 	10	0 	0 	0 	-2 	12
 	1 	0 	0 	0 	-1 	0
===Goaltenders===
Note: GP = Games Played; TOI = Time On Ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime Losses; GA = Goals Against; GAA= Goals Against Average; SA= Shots Against; SV= Saves; Sv% = Save Percentage; SO= Shutouts
Regular season	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable sortable" width="100%"	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Player 	GP	TOI 	W 	L 	OT	GA 	GAA 	SA 	SV 	Sv% 	SO
 	65	3759	26	31	6 	187	2.98	1994	1807	.906	3
 	15	797 	9 	6 	1 	38 	2.86	408 	370 	.907	0
 	5 	259 	3 	1 	0 	9 	2.08	120 	111 	.925	1
 	2 	117 	0 	2 	0 	8 	4.08	62 	54 	.871	0
†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Coyotes. Stats reflect time with the Coyotes only.
‡Traded mid-season.
Bold/italics denotes franchise record.
==Awards and records==
===Records===
===Milestones===
Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season
Player 	Milestone 	Reached 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Transactions==
===Trades===
June 20, 2008 	To Phoenix Coyotes Olli Jokinen 	To Florida Panthers Nick BoyntonKeith Ballard2nd round pick in 2008
June 20, 2008 	To Phoenix Coyotes 28th pick in 2008 	To Anaheim Ducks Two 2nd round picks in 2008
October 9, 2008 	To Phoenix Coyotes Future Considerations 	To Pittsburgh Penguins Mike Zigomanis
November 3, 2008 	To Phoenix Coyotes Alexander Nikulin 	To Ottawa Senators Drew Fata
November 25, 2008	To Phoenix Coyotes Wyatt Smith 	To Tampa Bay Lightning Future Considerations
December 3, 2008 	To Phoenix Coyotes Joakim Lindstrom 	To Dallas Stars Logan Stephenson
March 4, 2009 	To Phoenix Coyotes Matthew LombardiBrandon Prust1st round pick in 2009 or 2010	To Calgary Flames Olli Jokinen3rd round pick in 2009
March 4, 2009 	To Phoenix Coyotes 4th round pick in 2009 	To Buffalo Sabres Mikael Tellqvist
March 4, 2009 	To Phoenix Coyotes Scottie Upshall2nd round pick in 2009 	To Philadelphia Flyers Daniel Carcillo
March 4, 2009 	To Phoenix Coyotes Nigel DawesPetr PruchaDmitri Kalinin 	To New York Rangers Derek Morris
===Free agents===
{|class="wikitable"	 	
Player	Former team	Contract terms
===Claimed from waivers===
{|class="wikitable"	 	
Player	Former team	Date claimed off waivers
==Draft picks==
Phoenix's picks at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa, Ontario. 
Round	# 	Player 	Position	Nationality	College/junior/club team (league)
1 	8 	Mikkel Boedker 	(LW) 	 	Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
1 	28 (from Dallas via Los Angeles via Anaheim)	Viktor Tikhonov	(RW) 	 	Severstal Cherepovets (RSL)
2 	49 (from Ottawa via Phoenix and Florida) 	Jared Staal 	(RW) 	 	Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
3 	69 	Michael Stone 	(D) 	 	Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
3 	76 (from Nashville) 	Mathieu Brodeur	(D) 	 	Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)
4 	99 	Colin Long 	(C) 	 	Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
6 	159 	Brett Hextall 	(C) 	 	Penticton Vees (BCHL)
7 	189 	Tim Billingsley	(D) 	 	Mississauga St. Michael's Majors (OHL)
==Roster==
Updated April 13, 2009.
|}
==See also==
*2008–09 NHL season
==Farm teams==
;San Antonio Rampage
The San Antonio Rampage are the Coyotes American Hockey League affiliate in 2008–09.
;Arizona Sundogs
The Arizona Sundogs are the Coyotes affiliate in the CHL.
==References==
Category:Phoenix Coyotes seasons
Category:2008 in hockey
Category:2009 in hockey