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The first half of the season is completed and has been highly entertaining for fans of the Arizona Coyotes. With a record of 24-20-5, the Coyotes are 3rd in the Pacific Division with 53 points, trailing behind the San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings. While many Coyotes are having terrific seasons, some are performing better than others.
So with the Coyotes conspicuously absent from this weekend's All-Star festivities, let's take a look at each of the Coyotes' best players by position in the first half.
Forward
At forward the hottest performer would have to be Mikkel Boedker. The veteran Boedker is leading the team in points with 12 goals and 22 assists. Boedker is coming off a huge season in 2014-15 that was ended early with a spleen injury. He has bounced back in emphatic fashion through the first half of the season but it will be interesting to see what the Coyotes do as Boedker approaches free agency.
Also playing well is the 20-year-old Max Domi. From the beginning Domi clicked well here in Arizona as he scored his first goal and assist in his NHL debut. The rookie is 3rd on the team with 32 points, which includes 13 goals. Max Domi is something special and he'll be interesting to watch for years to come.
Defense
It's easy to say the best player on the Coyotes defense is Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Not only is he leading all the Coyotes' defenders in goals and assists, but he’s tied for the most points on the team with 34. Coming off a great season last year, the young Ekman-Larsson has kept it rolling in the first half thus far. It would not be surprising to hear his name in talks with the Norris Trophy.
Goalie
Louis Domingue is playing a huge role between the pipes this year. With the aging Mike Smith recovering from a serious core muscle injury, a younger Domingue has been a huge impact for the Coyotes. With a 9-5-3 record between the pipes this season, Domingue has an impressive 2.31 GAA and a SV% of .924. It’s safe to say Domingue has played a huge role in keeping the Coyotes playoff hopes alive.
Final Thoughts
There likely isn't much debate as to the best defenseman and goalie for the Coyotes this season. But for the first time in a long time, the Coyotes have several qualified candidates leading the way at forward. That can only be good for the Coyotes heading into the second half of the regular season.