To start the 2023-24 season, Coyotes forward Nick Schmaltz is playing phenomenal hockey as he has a chance to truly breakout this year.
One player that has been impressive for the Arizona Coyotes to start the 2023-24 season is forward Nick Schmaltz.
Over the past two years Schmaltz has been a staple of this Coyotes offense, putting up back to back seasons with over 50 points.
However, it seems the 27-year-old is taking his game to a different level now. Through the first six games of the year, Schmaltz has been phenomenal, tallying two goals, five assists and seven points.
Is it possible that Schmaltz can crack 70 points this season?
He certainly has the potential to really breakout. He is playing on Arizona’s top line alongside all-star Clayton Keller who makes everyone around him better. Just being on the same line with a player like Keller will help elevate Schmaltz to a higher level as they complement each other perfectly.
Keller is a player with speed that is a scorer but also an excellent playmaker while Schmaltz has a deadly shot. Both are threats to score whenever on the ice and have great chemistry with each other.
Many may say that Keller is the Coyotes most valuable forward and they are not necessarily wrong. Schmaltz however is actually playing 20:46 minutes a game which is the most out of all Coyotes forwards and third most on the team behind Sean Durzi and Matt Dumba.
That just shows coach André Tourigny holds Schmaltz in extremely high regard and trusts him to play heavy minutes especially down the stretch.
On top of being on the team’s top line, Schmaltz is also on the first power play unit, giving him even more of an opportunity to rack up points.
It won’t be easy to get to the 70-point mark. Only a select few players are even able to do it but if there was any year Schmaltz could achieve this, it would be this one.