'Yotes Notes: Pickard Might Make Debut Before Break

OTTAWA-- Darcy Kuemper is thriving in 2019.
Since the calendar flipped three weeks ago, Kuemper has produced a 5-0-2 record in seven starts and is one of only four NHL goaltenders without a regulation loss, along with Tuukka Rask, David Rittich, and Jordan Binnington.

"I feel good," said Kuemper, who made his 25th start of the season on Tuesday in Toronto. "I'm just trying to get some treatment when I can and keep my body ready. I always try to prepare like I'm playing every game even when I'm not, so it doesn't really make any difference how many games I play (in that regard)."
Kuemper's career-high for starts in one NHL season is 28, which he set in 2014-15 with Minnesota. With 34 games left on the schedule, Kuemper is on path to smash that personal record.

With Kuemper in net, the Coyotes have not allowed an opponent to score more than three goals in a game since Dec. 30.
"The defensemen, they've been doing a great job all year," Kuemper said. "I think why we're having so much success now, it's five guys working together out there. It's the forwards helping out and tracking back, being responsible in the 'O' zone and not giving rushes back, and that's huge for our success. We've got to keep it going."
• At some point, likely this week before the NHL All-Star break, the Coyotes will turn to Calvin Pickard to lighten Kuemper's workload. Pickard has been waiting patiently to tend net for Arizona since it claimed him off waivers on Nov. 29. He recently returned to the team after a two-week conditioning stint in the American Hockey League, and is now Kuemper's sole backup with Adin Hill back in the AHL.
Pickard, who last played in an NHL game on Nov. 24, is eager to get his first start for his new team.
"I don't want to put too much pressure on myself because I've played at this level before and I know I can play at this level," Pickard said. "When the time comes, I'll be ready."
Pickard, who's played 98 NHL games, said not playing on NHL ice for nearly two months has been challenging.
"You've got to manage your mind and manage your emotions, and you have to know that as a goalie there are going to be times like this," Pickard said. "My goals have been to look after myself, be ready for practice and try to get better every day. If you do that, then, when that chance comes, you're ready for it."
Pickard has enjoyed being with the Coyotes and wants to contribute.
"It's a lot of fun to be around this team," Pickard said. "It's a young bunch and I've been impressed by what I've seen. We've beaten some good teams by working hard all over the ice. And it's a good crew in the locker room, too. We definitely have a good thing going right now and I'm excited I might get to help out soon."
Meanwhile, Pickard on Sunday received a championship ring from the Toronto Marlies, the AHL team for whom he played last season. The Marlies, the top affiliate of the Maple Leafs, won the Calder Cup championship. Pickard won 21 games for the Marlies, plus one in the playoffs.

• Head Coach Rick Tocchet has praised Derek Stepan for his defense the past few games as he fills in for injured Brad Richardson as the team's shutdown center. Stepan has held players such as Connor McDavid, Joe Pavelski and Mitch Marner in check in recent games.
"With 'Richie' being gone, it's obviously a big loss for us and the role switches over to me a little bit to defend against top lines," Stepan said. "I'm no different than guys that are filling in different roles (for injured players) throughout the lineup. I have to step up. It's part of pulling the same rope as a group."

Stepan told reporters he's done this before for other teams and that he embraces the challenge. Tocchet said he senses that, and he likes how Stepan thinks the game through; it's not simply a matter of playing man-to-man defense on the other team's best center. There's much more to it than that, Tocchet said.
"You have to have a very high hockey IQ and that's why 'Step' has done a good job in that role," Tocchet said. "It's a big challenge, and over the last two, three weeks he's really accepted it."
Stepan ranks fourth on the team with 22 points and fifth with nine goals.
"When we defend the right way, that's when we create our offense," Stepan said. "As a group, when we're defending, we actually get more offense out of it if we defend the right way. That's the system that's set up. We're allowed to defend and make it stingy on guys, but when we do get a turnover or an opportunity we're able to play fast and take advantage of it."

• With his first NHL All-Star Game appearance approaching this weekend, Clayton Keller has scored a goal in each of the past two games. Now with 11, he co-leads the team with Richardson and Christian Fischer.
Tocchet said Keller's all-around game has been much better lately.
"He's backchecking harder, he's practicing harder, he's doing the little things," Tocchet said. "... He's shooting a lot of pucks before practice. That was a hell of a shot (vs. Toronto). That's from a lot of reps and a lot of hard work."