Are People Paying Attention To The Arizona Coyotes Yet? Because You Should Be
Before I even get started here and allow any of you enough time to get your panties up in a bunch, let me just say that yes, the Arizona Coyotes are 100% finishing this season in the basement. However, that’s the most terrifying thing about this team.
Last night the Arizona Coyotes defeated the Anaheim Ducks (a favorite this year to make it to the Final) 4-0. They did so thanks to a hat trick from Anthony Duclair (20) and another goal from rookie sensation Max Domi (20).
Now as I’m sure all Rangers fans are aware of by now, the Coyotes acquired Duclair at the trade deadline last year in exchange for Keith Yandle. Truth be told, there is no “loser” in that trade. Sure, Duclair is more promising than Yandle just because he’s so young but the Rangers got who they needed if they’re gonna win in the immediate future and the Coyotes got a kid who they can build around for the long term future. It was a great trade on both ends so I’m not here to bash the Rangers for that trade. But what I will say, however, is that the Arizona Coyotes are stock piling young talent and they’re already proving that they can hang in this league.
Duclair and Domi have the potential to develop into one of the most dangerous tandems in the league. They grew up playing together and have phenomenal chemistry out on the ice together.
Vine via Pete
Once you move away from Duclair and Domi, you have the #3 overall pick from last summer’s draft Dylan Strome. Strome has been sent back to play for Eerie in the OHL, where he played alongside of Connor McDavid with last year, and probably won’t see much action with the Coyotes at all this year. Which is totally fine. Gives him another year to grow and develop as a player. But that makes 3 players right now with a shit ton of potential in Arizona’s arsenal and if the Coyotes suck as much as they’re supposed to suck this year, they could very easily get that fourth piece of the puzzle in Auston Matthews at next year’s draft. Matthews is currently playing professionally in Switzerland so I have no doubt in my mind that he’d be able to contribute a ton to whichever NHL team he ends up with next season.
Now I know what some of you may be thinking right now. Big deal, so the Coyotes have a bunch of top prospects, we’ve seen the Oilers have the first overall pick basically 10 years in a row now and they still suck. Which is true. But the thing that separates the Coyotes from the Oilers is location, location, location. Arizona is the type of place that can attract free agents. It’s warm, there are plenty of smokes down there, there’s nightlife, there’s everything you’d want if you’re a top level professional athlete. The same way that Arizona St is going to blow up now that they have a DI hockey program. It’s an attractive place to go play hockey. No free agent in their right mind would ever want to actually go play and live in Edmonton. It’s like having to go live in Bumblefuck, Montana only worse because you’re not in America. And that’s why the Oilers will always remain the Kids Bop of the NHL. They’ll always have the promising young talent around, but they just can’t really get their hands on the right veterans to come in and teach them how to win in this league. Arizona, on the other hand, may have the ability to do that. So within the next few years, while goaltender Mike Smith is still under contract, don’t be surprised to see the Coyotes end up in the playoffs.