They are also a really bad hockey team and I would bet almost anything that in two years their best player is going to walk. Bright future, okay I know Chayka is popular with some of the people around this board. But he is a far way off from actually having a good hockey team on his hands. Keller does look promising, but we will see, the idea all those kids max their potential and that OEL actually sticks around I think is very low. I think they are building the struggling version of Edmonton and that is what it will be when OEL leaves in two seasons.
I think what Chayka signaled with the trade of #7OA is that he believes the team has collected enough talent from bottoming out and believes it's time to support the upward track with a few pieces here and there.
Personally I would have kept the 7OA and given it one more year, then start making the moves next summer. In hindsight what Chayka did makes a lot of sense--Arizona got very lucky in the 2016 draft hitting two 1st round picks that are ready to be big contributors a year later. Most of the earlier year picks are established or expected to start bearing fruit this season. While the 7OA is a nice prospect, they're not in the NHL for at least a year, maybe two, and may not even be an important contributor until 2020 or later
There's a pretty big stable of young talent beyond the obvious ones like Keller and Strome. Going by draft years:
2013 1st: F Max Domi. Established, well known, did miss a chunk of 2016-17 with a broken hand.
2013 3rd: F Anthony Duclair. What to make of him? Is he the player from last season or the 20-20 guy from the year before? Tippett didnt handle him the best last year, see what happens with a new coach.
2014 1st: F Brendan Perlini. Promising rookie season between the NHL/AHL. Looks to be at least a solid 3rd liner, with top 6 potential.
2014 2nd: C Christian Dvorak. Great rookie season. At least a 3rd line center, maybe 2nd line.
2015 1st: C Dylan Strome. Waiting to see what his NHL potential turns out to be. Hope the plan is to give him a shot to win the 3rd line center job this year, if not then give him top line AHL minutes on callup. Arizona is in great shape if he can be a top 6 center by 2018-19. He's probably the lynchpin if this is just a good team or very good team exiting the rebuild based on how he turns out as an NHL player.
2015 1st: F Lawson Crouse. Uncertain where to project him. Tippett stapled him to the 4th line with almost no opportunity to show what his offensive upside could be, if any. Would have preferred he be sent back to juniors instead of that. Need to see what a new coach does with him this season before finalizing an opinion of what his offensive potential is.
2015 1st: F Nick Merkley. Jury's still out, looks like a bottom 6 guy after two post-draft junior years.
2015 2nd: F Christian Fischer. Outstanding AHL season, looks like the real deal in end of season NHL callup. Ranked top 5/top 10 on many spring prospect lists, top 6 potential.
2016 1st: Clayton Keller. Looks like a 1st line winger. Possibility could split some NHL/AHL time this season.
2016 1st: Jacob Chychrun. He earned his minutes and deserved to be in the NHL at 18 this season--the team didn't gift him minutes as frequently happens when 18 year olds stick on the NHL roster. Showed a very good hockey IQ for an 18 year NHL rookie defender. We'll see if he takes another step in his second season. Rookie season makes him look like a safe bet to be a top 4 guy.
There's a lot to be excited about for a head coach.