Gostisbehere resurrected career with Coyotes, opening eyes around NHL
Defenseman would net significant return for Arizona if it pursued a trade
© Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
The Arizona Coyotes acquired Gostisbehere along with second-round (defenseman
Artem Duda
) and seventh-round (traded to Montreal Canadiens) picks in the 2022 NHL Draft from the Philadelphia Flyers for nothing more than future considerations on July 22, 2021.
Gostisbehere had gone from being one of the hot, young defensemen in the NHL, a runner-up for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 2015-16, a 65-point scorer in 2017-18, to a mistake-prone, confidence-lacking, occasionally scratched player in 2020-21.
Fast forward to the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline on March 3 and the Coyotes could, if they choose, land a high draft pick, a strong prospect or more by trading Gostisbehere, a pending unrestricted free agent, to a Stanley Cup contender that needs a veteran defenseman and power-play quarterback.
From future considerations to maybe future impact deadline acquisition, that's how Gostisbehere's value has skyrocketed in his two seasons with the Coyotes.
"Adversity happened, the League got better and now he needed to find his way," Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. "A fresh start helped him. He arrived with us a more mature individual and he's been just great."
Gostisbehere is a cautionary tale and redemption story all packed into a 29-year-old, 5-foot-11, 180-pound defenseman who has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 19 games.
He was among the first of the young, fast, puck-moving defensemen to make an instant splash in the NHL in the past decade, preceding Adam Fox of the New York Rangers and Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, the past two winners of the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the League's best defenseman.
But after his initial impact with the Flyers, Gostisbehere's game tailed off. His offensive instincts weren't enough to make up for his defensive deficiencies.
"I'm not going to lie, I was a guy without a lot of confidence," Gostisbehere said. "I'm thankful they gave me an opportunity and traded me to a place where I could get my game right. I'm forever thankful to them for that. It was tough times there at the end, but you've got to roll with the punches. I got an opportunity to resurrect my career. I'm having fun playing hockey again."
It clicked instantly for him in Arizona.
Gostisbehere had 51 points (14 goals, 37 assists) in 82 games last season, and averaged 22:11 of ice time per game. The Coyotes didn't hide him or shield him from hard matchups. They didn't stifle him when his creativity with the puck led to a turnover.
"A lot of it is opportunity from the coaching staff," Gostisbehere said. "They'll give you every opportunity. But when you fall back a little, they'll let you know. I think it keeps you in place to realize you're lucky to get this opportunity again. That's something I lost a little bit in Philly. The coaches and staff trust me."
That trust has been earned.
"One thing I did not know about 'Ghost' is how competitive he is," Tourigny said. "I thought point producer, offensive 'D,' but I wasn't sure how competitive he was defensively. He is really competitive. He cares a lot about both sides of the puck. He's not just a guy who tries to make points. He's really a new-age defenseman who cares about his defense and he's a really good teammate as well. He cares. He wants to get better. He's fun to coach."
Mario Duhamel, Arizona's assistant in charge of the defense, said Gostisbehere's growth has been away from the puck, in his hockey IQ and instincts.
"All the details of owning the middle, understanding what's the next play," Duhamel said. "He has that feel offensively so we take advantage of that feel offensively to understand the defensive side of it. He can read what the opponent will do offensively so we take advantage of that in order to help him to, for example, have a better gap, all those little details that makes you kill a play earlier than later."
When Gostisbehere has the puck, he's allowed to be himself, a freedom that has unlocked his confidence.
"When I think of Shayne Gostisbehere it's him doing the spin-o-ramas at the blue line, making the skilled plays, saucing pucks over sticks," Coyotes forward Christian Fischer said. "I don't know if something switched in his head mentally, but the very simple thing is he got a lot of opportunity here. It's a big credit to [Tourigny]. He would rather have us make that mistake than chip the puck in the corner. He'll tell you that; not too many coaches in the NHL will. The freedom to not be scared is big. If he was in and out of the lineup in Philly and tried the spin-o-rama at the blue line and turned it over, he's probably not playing the next game."
Gostisbehere's experience also thrust him into a leadership role, which is important since he's a veteran on a team trying to build through draft picks and allowing young players to make mistakes before they thrive.
"I've been through quite a few coaches and unique situations, dealing with a six-week long [Stanley Cup Playoffs] bubble, going to playoffs," Gostisbehere said. "I've had ups and downs. I've been through injuries. For me, it's just being that guy anyone can come and talk to."
Tourigny said he's heard those conversations.
"Sometimes we have guys who struggle and he's been there, he's vocal with it," Tourigny said. "He talks about it, saying, 'I've been the guy who had a big role, had success, been scratched after and struggled to get my game back.' He's talked with a few guys about it."
His time to have those conversations with his teammates in Arizona could be limited. Gostisbehere should be sought by contending teams prior to the trade deadline.
If he's moved this time, it won't be for future considerations.
"If I had the choice, I would sign Shayne Gostisbehere to a seven-year contract to stay with our team," Fischer said. "You can see he's hungry. Fifty points? He wants more. I know every team that scouts us, they're talking about Shayne Gostisbehere."
