Arizona Coyotes' Prospects Odds at Making 2016-2017 Roster
The Arizona Coyotes have had their prospect pool consistently rated in the top-5 in the NHL each of the past several years by many NHL analysts. But will any of those prospects finally shed that title this year and play in Glendale?
The start of the NHL preseason is less than a month away and the World Cup of Hockey’s hype is somehow growing, yet none of the North American Under-23 players are Arizona Coyotes.
Despite having one of the best prospect pools in the NHL, Arizona only represented by four players. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is front lining Sweden’s defense, Zbynek Michalek and Martin Hanzal are suiting up for the Czechs, and Tobias Rieder is bolstering the Team Europe’s forward corps.
Despite their absence from the big stage, the Coyotes prospects have something more important to look forward to; training camp.
Nearly a dozen of Arizona’s top prospects are expected to compete for roster spots, despite only a small handful of positions still open for competition.
Arizona has one left-side defensive slot open to battle for between 5 different players. The Coyotes have 1-2 center roles open, depending on how often Ryan White plays and if he plays center or wing.
Moreover, 1-2 wing positions could be taken by rookies, depending on the Tobias Rieder situation and how Head Coach Dave Tippett wants to utilize his returning skaters.
But just because players don’t make the Opening Night roster doesn’t mean they won’t play for the Coyotes this year.
Keep in mind that this list doesn’t include every prospect in the Coyotes system but rather ones that seem to have viable chances of making the team this year.
For instance, Clayton Keller has already indicated he will be spending the season at Boston University. We also think a player like Nick Merkley, who suffered a significant injury last season, is guaranteed to spend another year seasoning in juniors before he’s ready to compete for a roster spot.
Another point to mention is that Arizona is at the league-max 50 contracts right now, so they wouldn’t be able to sign a player like Jens Looke unless there was a corresponding move. We left unsigned players off the list for that reason.
The Long Shots
Looking down the Arizona Coyotes’ depth chart, you see a lot of middle round draftees who have some of the skills and talents to make an NHL team someday, but just not this season.
Now that reason isn’t necessarily by their own faults, but rather the depth ahead of them.
Left wing Michael Bunting is stuck behind Brendan Perlini, who himself likely won’t get a call up unless there are injuries or Perlini really find’s his groove again in Tucson.
Center Ryan MacInnis finds the same depth issue ahead of him.
There’s defenseman Jakob Chychrun, who may have the talent to make the roster, but has nearly 4 players with NHL/AHL experience ahead of him.
Another such victim of that situation might be Anthony DeAngelo.
Acquired from Tampa Bay at the draft for a pick, DeAngelo had a great season in the AHL last year and was a first round pick by Tampa a couple years ago.
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Depth is an issue, but the main reason DeAngelo isn’t getting more hype and therefore having a higher chance of making the Arizona Coyotes’ roster this year is in his attitude and demeanor. He has a history of abusing teammates and officials.
Arizona will likely give him top-pairing minutes in Tucson this season. They will also push him to develop a more professional demeanor as he works towards a full-time roster berth next season.
The key with these players is time.
Each has something to contribute to the Arizona Coyotes, just not this season unless the injury bug really hits the team.
The ‘Ready, But Unlikely’ Crowd
Conor Garland and Lawson Crouse don’t have a lot to prove to people in junior hockey.
Garland put up more than 120 points per season during his last two junior campaigns, while Crouse has had two 50+ point campaigns in the juniors and the size to make the leap.
Both possess the talent and maturity to break into the NHL this season, but both are likely barred from that move by personnel decisions being made by Dave Tippett and company.
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In Garland’s case, it comes down to whether the Coyotes want to call Christian Fischer up to the NHL. There’s also the case of Ryan White and whether they want White to be a regular player on the wing. If the answer is no for both of those, then Garland could play in Glendale.
But if the answer is yes to one or both of those scenarios, Garland is going to play in Tucson.
The only caveat to that prediction is injuries; if a winger or two gets hurt, Garland will be on the shortlist all season to get a shot with the big boys. That’s exciting.
Jumping to Crouse, he has a lesser chance than someone like Garland because of the complications regarding junior hockey.
Crouse is under 20 so he’s limited to 9 games with Arizona before Arizona would have to keep him all season because he’s AHL ineligible.
That technicality aside, Crouse’s chances of making the team are probably strongly tied to Tobias Rieder’s contract situation. If Rieder finally signs, Crouse goes back to juniors without argument.
If Rieder gets moved or refuses to sign, then Crouse’s chances will skyrocket. But for now, he’s basically sitting at ‘C-‘ odds.
Jan 2, 2016; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Arizona Coyotes center Laurent Dauphin (76) and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Andrej Sekera (2) battle for the puck during the second period at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
The Call-Ups
Typically players who fall into this kind of role in an organization get moved up and down a lot, meaning they get called up for one game, then get sent down just as fast.
Essentially, the Coyotes prospects in this range will spend a ton of time in a van on the I-10 driving between Tucson and Phoenix.
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Tyler Gaudet and Laurent Dauphin fall in range.
Both are considered depth centers with bottom-6 NHL capabilities who are good for short NHL call ups. The only reason both of these guys aren’t given ‘A’s’ is because they are the same position and fill similar roles.
Gaudet is older and bigger, and would look to be a decent replacement for Boyd Gordon. Should Gaudet have a strong training camp, he could make the Opening Night roster as the reserve centerman while Ryan White picks up the extra wing skater role.
However, his chances of starting in Tucson and getting called up later are much higher.
The same situation goes for Dauphin.
Dauphin is smaller and could use some big minutes in the AHL to really take his game to a top-9 NHL level.
Welcome To Glendale, Boys
Dylan Strome, Christian Dvorak and Christian Fischer are arguably three of Arizona’s most prized possessions.
Each of these players is versatile, fast and highly skilled. Each can slot into a power play and a penalty kill. Each could take a shootout shot and score and each of them will finally crack the Arizona Coyotes’ roster.
Christian Fishcer would have to outperform both Conor Garland and Ryan White in training camp to make the team. He looked ready at the Coyotes’ prospect camp in July. but if White maintains a starting winger role, Fischer will likely start as Tucson’s top talent this fall.
Fisch will get called up though. Injuries happen and those situations are always opportunities to showcase talent.
Interestingly enough, Ryan White has a lot to do with Christian Dvorak’s odds of making the team.
Multiple reports have stated that Coyotes management intends to keep Dvo at center, which means Ryan White’s position and role have everything to do with Dvo’s roster spot.
If White plays wing as a starter, Fischer goes to the minors and Dvo gets to play on opening night. If White is a healthy scratch, then Dvo still plays. But, if Ryan White secures the 4th line center role, it would be a waste of time to scratch Dvo instead of sending him to Tucson.
Whether he’s there on opening night or not, Dvo will crack the roster in 2016-17 hands down.
Dylan Strome has torn the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to shreds with his talent.
He has nothing left for him in Erie, yet the highly irritating rules that go along with junior players state that he has to go back to the OHL if Arizona doesn’t select him to stay with the roster after 10 games.
Strome will make the roster. I don’t even think it will be a point of contention considering how close he came after last season’s training camp.
Welcome to the big time Fisch, Dvo, and Stromer. We’ve been expecting you.
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