Coyotes rookie Christian Fischer tries to recapture power forward strength, success

Coyotes winger Christian Fischer plays such a unique brand of hockey that it’s easy to forget that he is just a 20-year-old rookie playing in his first full NHL season.

Fischer is part of a dying breed of hockey player that many dub a “power forward,” or someone with a willingness to assert themselves physically and do the dirty work in the offensive and defensive zones to create scoring chances.

But recently, Fischer has gotten away from the style of play that rewarded him with seven goals and four assists in the first 25 games of the season. Despite the Coyotes' struggles during that time — a 6-18-4 combined record in October and November — Fischer was one of the Coyotes’ top offensive producers in the early part of the season.

Now, entering Monday's game vs. Calgary, in his most recent 25-game stretch dating to Jan. 16, Fischer had just one goal. And it's been weighing on him.

“Obviously I’m having a little bit of a scoring drought right now,” Fischer said. “As much as it creeps in your head, lately I’ve just been trying to keep things simple. Earlier in the year and starting out, things were really simple for me.

“(Now) I’m playing a little lower in the lineup, but I still have a power-play opportunity here and there.”

Unlike in the Coyotes’ current special-teams rotation, Fischer was a fixture on the team’s power play in the early part of the season. Over that first 25-game stretch, three of his seven goals came on the power play.

Back then, Fischer was playing on the second line with center Christian Dvorak and winger Max Domi. Now, he’s relegated to the fourth line with Josh Archibald and Zac Rinaldo. Still, despite the scoring drought, he can sense a small uptick.

“I think the last three or four games have been really good for me and it’s all a matter of chances,” Fischer said. “As long as I’m getting chances, it’s just whether they’re going in or not. But overall it’s just about playing a simple game. If I’m not scoring, I’m doing something else — whether that’s being physical, playing good in the (defensive) zone.”

Coyotes forwards coach John MacLean agreed that Fischer has started to get back to the player he had been in the fall.

“Because (Fischer) is a big, strong guy,” MacLean said. “We forget that he is a rookie as well and he’s going to hit a wall in different situations within his early career. This is his first full season in the NHL. He has some ups and downs in his game, but what I like about his last three of four games is that he’s started to get physical again.

“He’s started to get involved — and for a big guy like him, that’s what you have to do.”

For his age, Fischer (6-2, 214 pounds) fits the billing of an NHL power forward. But t play in a top-six role, the rookie knows he also has to produce on offense.

From the start of the season until Jan. 20 — the date Fischer last scored a goal — he was averaging 2.09 shots per game and more than 15 minutes of ice time. Since then, a stretch of 22 games entering Monday, Fischer is averaging 1.68 shots and fewer than 13 minutes per contest.

“I could tell (I’ve been shooting less),” Fischer said. “I think earlier in the year I was taking like three or four a game and now it’s like one or two. I think that’s just — not a choice — but something for sure moving forward where I need to get more shots. … I think that a couple things play into that. Opportunity is one and the extra five minutes a night kind of helps. That could mean one or two more shots.”

Regardless, Fischer knows the ball is in his court when it comes to digging himself out of his slump.

“It’s really on me,” Fischer said. “I think there might be some opportunities where I might want to pass now. When you’re in a drought, you’ve just got to shoot. You see some of these goals around the league, some people are scoring from the red line. … In this type of situation that I’m in, you never know. It could get you out of it.”

Fischer said that when you look at the goals he has scored this season, you’d be hard-pressed to find more than a couple that weren’t within 10 feet of the net. The rookie said he is starting to understand his identity as a hockey player.

“That’s definitely focus of mine,” Fischer said. “And I’ve talked to (head coach Rick Tocchet) about that — just imitating guys like Wayne Simmonds and Charlie Coyle. Those are guys that go to the net and are power forwards. That’s where most goals are coming from unless you’re Patrik Laine with an unbelievable wrist shot.

“I know it’s kind of a rare breed and there’s not too many guys are like that. One, you have to be built like that; and two, you have to do a lot of things that other guys don’t want to do — whether that’s grinding in the corners of being in front of the net.”

MacLean said it takes even more time for a power forward to develop than it would an average winger, due to the physical requirements of playing the type of style that Fischer is striving for.

“It takes time and it’s hard to do,” MacLean said. “Especially in this league. He is a big, strong kid but he’s also just 20 years old. A strong 25-year-old is stronger than a strong 20-year-old, and that’s something that he’s learning His offseason conditioning and conditioning throughout the year will just grow and I think he understands that’s where he’s going to make his money.”

Fischer said that with 11 games left in the season entering play Monday, he’s focused on simplifying his workflow and getting back to the player he was in the first few months of the season.

“Earlier I just had one focus and that was to go out there, work hard and just do my job,” Fischer said. “I think (the drought) kind of creeps into your mind. Now with 11 games left, I know I’ve just got to keep it simple. One thing is for sure and I’m always doing to work hard. Maybe I went on a little stretch there just worrying in my own head about goals and point totals.

“I just need to work hard because that’s what got me here and got me my success. It’s just a matter of time before it starts happening again.”

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