October 8, 2026
October 8, 2026
2009-2010 Phoenix Coyotes: Desert of Bankruptcy
Going into the Phoenix Coyotes 2009-2010 season, the team was experiencing an abundance of financial problems that couldn’t be solved overnight. Team owner Jerry Moyes filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and proposed to the Arizona court that control of the Coyotes franchise be given to a group led by Jim Balsillie for more than $200 million, with the team to be relocated to Hamilton, Ontario. The NHL stepped in with its own offer, and after a long legal battle the league emerged triumphant, keeping the Coyotes in Phoenix while it searched for a new ownership group committed to the Phoenix market.
The Phoenix Coyotes 2009-2010 season produced a 50-25-7 record (including overtime losses) for 107 points, finishing just six points behind the San Jose Sharks in the Pacific Division. The Coyotes went 29-10-2 on home ice at Jobing.com Arena and 21-15-4 on the road. They played solid hockey through most months of the regular season, going 9-4 in October, 10-2-3 in December, 8-5-1 in January, 4-3 in February, 10-4-1 in March, and 3-0-1 in April.
In head-to-head play, the Coyotes went 4-0 against the Minnesota Wild; 4-2 against the Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars; 3-0 against the Nashville Predators; 3-1 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, and Edmonton Oilers; 3-2 against the Los Angeles Kings; 2-1 against the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues; and 2-2 against the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, and Vancouver Canucks.
Right winger Radim Vrbata had 24 goals and 19 assists for 43 points, with 7 power play goals, 7 power play assists, and 4 game-winning goals off 266 shots. Center Matthew Lombardi had 19 goals and 34 assists for 53 points, with 12 power play assists off 174 shots. Right winger and team captain Shane Doan had 18 goals and 37 assists for 55 points, with 11 power play assists and 4 game-winning goals off 234 shots.
Right winger Scottie Upshall had 18 goals and 14 assists off 119 shots. Right winger Lee Stempniak had 14 goals and 4 assists off 48 shots. Center Petr Prucha had 13 goals and 9 assists off 128 shots. Defenseman Keith Yandle had 12 goals and 29 assists for 41 points, with 11 power play assists off 145 shots. Left winger Taylor Pyatt had 12 goals and 11 assists off 121 shots. Center Martin Hanzal had 11 goals and 22 assists off 147 shots. Defenseman Ed Jovanovski had 10 goals and 24 assists, with 9 power play assists off 117 shots.
Goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov went 42-20-6, allowing 156 goals on 1,961 shots across 4,084 minutes, recording 1,805 saves, a .920 save percentage, a 2.29 goals-against average, and 8 shutouts. Backing up Bryzgalov was Jason LaBarbera, who went 8-5-1, allowing 33 goals on 459 shots across 928 minutes, recording 426 saves, a .928 save percentage, and a 2.13 goals-against average.
Two winning streaks made a big difference for the Phoenix Coyotes, starting with a 6-game winning streak that began on January 26 with a 5-4 overtime win over the Detroit Red Wings and ended on February 5 with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The second was a 9-game winning streak that made the rest of the NHL take notice of Phoenix. It began on March 4 with a 3-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche and ended on March 21 with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars.
The Western Conference Quarterfinals between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Detroit Red Wings was a battle to the bitter end, going the full seven-game distance. Unfortunately for the Coyotes, the Red Wings emerged triumphant, 4 games to 3.
In Game 1 on April 14 at Jobing.com Arena, the Coyotes started the series with a 3-2 win. Left winger Tomas Holmstrom put Detroit on the board first with a goal 12:17 into the 1st period. Phoenix answered with a power play goal from Keith Yandle at 14:13, and Detroit responded with a power play goal from defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom at 16:27. In the 2nd period, left winger Wojtek Wolski scored a power play goal at 6:15. In the 3rd period, defenseman Derek Morris came through in the clutch for Phoenix, scoring a power play goal at 2:19.
In Game 3 on April 18 at Joe Louis Arena, the Coyotes beat the Red Wings 4-2. In the 1st period, defenseman Sami Lepisto scored for Phoenix just 0:29 into the game. At 14:42, center Valtteri Filppula scored a power play goal for Detroit. At 19:28 into the 2nd period, Wolski scored a goal. At 8:16 into the 3rd period, Petr Prucha scored, and Detroit answered with a goal from left winger Johan Franzen at 9:59. Radim Vrbata then scored for Phoenix at 11:38.
In Game 6 on April 25 at Joe Louis Arena, the Coyotes avoided elimination with a 5-2 victory. Left winger Lauri Korpikoski scored a short-handed goal for the Coyotes 4:10 into the 1st period. Defenseman Mathieu Schneider scored a power play goal for Phoenix 2:27 into the 2nd period, and just seconds later, at 2:51, defenseman Brad Stuart answered for Detroit. Vrbata scored another power play goal for Phoenix at 10:09, and Wolski added another goal at 14:01. Taylor Pyatt scored a power play goal for Phoenix 5:25 into the 3rd period, and Detroit’s other goal proved inconsequential as center and left winger Darren Helm scored at 16:29.
While they were ousted from Stanley Cup contention early, the Phoenix Coyotes had much to look back on, as players and staff received awards for their season accomplishments. Ilya Bryzgalov was named NHL Third Star of the Month in October 2009, Second Star of the Month in December 2009, and First Star of the Month in March 2010.
Acknowledged for assembling this team, General Manager Don Maloney was named NHL General Manager of the Year. Head Coach Dave Tippett was awarded the Jack Adams Award for his steady guidance of the team from behind the bench. Shane Doan won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, given to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice while making a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community.
Despite the turmoil, the Phoenix Coyotes 2009-2010 season ended with the franchise still standing in the desert, its future in Phoenix secured for the foreseeable future.
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