VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
The Recently Acquired Youth of the Coyotes of Arizona
Training Camp will see a squad of newly acquired players against the youth already in the organization
Training Camp will see a squad of newly acquired players against the youth already in the organization
Leading the youth will be veteran Saku Koivu, whose leadership-by-example work ethic and competitiveness will serve him well as captain of the longterm re-building Phoenix Coyotes, a franchise poised to be a top candidate for superstar phenom Connor McDavid in 2015. There are two dmen and three forwards that have cleared waivers and may be called up to provide additional veteran leadership or role play from time to time: Sami Salo, Francis Bouillon, Darroll Powe, Jordin Tootoo, Taylor Pyatt.The top line will feature three NHL experienced youngsters. Mikka Zibanejad will surely be a 'Yotes alternate captain and center a pair of 2nd round picks who've scored at the NHL level, 21-year-old Devante Smith-Pelly, a power forward who scored 13 points a year ago and Richard Panik who had 9 points in 25 games as an NHL rookie last season.
The second line will feature 1st round pick J.T. Miller who scored 4 NHL points in his abbreviated rookie campaign, 1st round pick Peter Holland who scored 5 points in 21 games his NHL rookie season and right winger Brandon Kozun, the previous CHL top scorer who at age 23 is overdue to make his NHL debut after excelling on the Kings' AHL club.
The third line will have Saku Koivu with a pair of NHL 25-year-olds in Jesse Joensuu and Nick Bonino, who scored a hat trick and 13 points in 27 NHL games last season.
The fourth line will feature left winger Matthew Peca, who scored the NCAA's fastest ever hat trick in the Frozen Four a few months ago, Andreas Athanasiou, a darling at Detroit's prospect camp this summer with Helm-like speed and great hands, the previous all-star at the World Under17 tourney is only 19 years old and turning heads, and the fourth line right wing slot is for Toni Rajala. who broke Ovechkin's World Under-19 tourney scoring record but who was waived by an NHL club this summer.
Competing for a spot: A pair of 2013 2nd round picks at right wing in Zach Nastasiuk and Nick Sorensen; a pair of 2nd round pick Swedish star centers in Oscar Lindberg, the 7th highest rated European skater by Central Scouting who was MVP in the Swedish playoffs this year and William Karlsson, who won the World Junoirs last year and was Swedish rookie of year this year. 19-year-old left winger Anton Slepyshev is in the KHL for the coming year, barring a last-minute transfer agreement. Likewise, 1st round pick 19-year-old Teuvo Teravainen is expected to play the season in Finland.
The defense will feature NHLer Alec Martinez with 2011 1st rounder Oscar Klefbom. The second pairing will feature 2012 1st rounder Cody Ceci with the 2013 OHL 1st team all-star Ryan Sproul. The third pairing will have a pair of 2nd round picks in Martin Marincin and David Musil, both from the Oilers organization.
Competing for a spot: 20-year-old Artem Sergeev is KHL experienced and has scored in Tampa's prospect camp this summer. Nikita Nesterov is also 20 and under contract for the coming season in the KHL.
Goaltending is pretty much a lock with NHLers Anders Lindback and Robin Lehner.
Competing for a spot: Antti Raanta was the best goalie in Finland last season and has signed with an NHL club this summer. Mac Carruth at age 21 was the WHL all-star goalie this year. A longshot candidate to start this year is Frederik Anderson, the 23 year old who re-entered the draft and was drafted in the 3rd round this summer. Martin Jones, a previous AHL all-star is also 23 and has languished in a deep Kings farm system. Jaroslav Janus is under contract in the KHL.
Acquired picks: OTT 2nd, ANA 2nd, LA 3rd, TB 3rd, ANA 1st 2015.
Note: In addition to all the above acquired players and picks are those of the Phoenix Coyotes, an organization deep in prospects (except for the only two traded away, Domi and Rundblad): Brandon Gormley and Connor Murphy on defense, Henrik Samuelsson, Lucas Lessio and Chris Brown on wing, Laurent Dauphin and Yan-Pavel LaPlante at center, and Mark Visentin in net, among others.
NHLers remaining with the Coyotes: 23-year-old defenseman Michael Stone alongside veteran Derek Morris, Fourth liners Brandon Yip, Rob Klinkhammer and Paul Bissonnette. The Coyotes expect to trade for a pick or waive some of these midseason once the youth establish themselves.
