Is Devan Dubnyk “the answer” for the Arizona Coyotes? That’s tough to say, but it’s getting tougher and tougher to watch Mike Smith melt down.
The 32-year-old barely made it into the second period of Monday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks before he was mercifully pulled from the Coyotes’ net. He allowed four goals on just 11 shots in yet another demoralizing effort.
At this point, you wonder what the Coyotes should do.
Should they send him to the AHL for a “conditioning stint”? Perhaps a sports psychologist needs to come on the scene?
It’s becoming difficult to trust Smith to fight through these issues. Then again, Arizona has so much invested in him that they’ll just need to stick it out (at least this season).
Just look at his distressing game log even before today’s game (via NHL.com):
Yeah, that’s not too hot.
Update: Dubnyk’s night wasn’t that much more pleasant, as Vancouver eventually won 7-1. Yikes.