Coyotes' Stepan Could Be Done

Well, it sounds like the 2019 regular season has come to a premature ending for Arizona Coyotes forward Derek Stepan, assuming the worst-case scenario hits.  Stepan was hurt Thursday night against the Canucks, suffering a lower-body injury, believed to be to his leg and the team has confirmed that he will miss the next 4-to-6 weeks with the injury.  Since we're down to 5+ weeks until the end of the regular season, the odds of him coming back or the need for him to come back are really thin.

It wasn't a dynamite season for Stepan and the Coyotes, as he has only posted 13 goals and 32 points in 64 games, registering half a point-per-game.  After Friday night's games, he currently ranks 199th in hockey pool scoring and may still finish the year within the top 200 forwards, where he currently sits 140th.  The injury shouldn't really hit his overall value for next season, it would rather put him in one of those bargain pick scenarios, since he'll be farther down many lists with this year's scoring on it.

Of course, next season won't help this season at all and that's what Ryan is most worried about.  His team sits in 9th place, 11 points from 6th, but 8 points from 14th.  With Stepan now on the shelf, one direction seems more likely than the other at the moment.  This is a tough break for the Coyotes and for Ryan's pool team, especially at the end of the year.