Will a Coyotes Prospect Make the Team This Year?
As the Arizona Coyotes are gearing up for the 2014-2015 season many questions remain unanswered. One such question is “How will the Coyotes fill the hole left by the departure of Radim Vrbata?” While the buyout of Mike Ribeiro brought in talent such as Sam Gagner, the Coyotes organization has yet to make a replacement for Vrbata. Yes, the team reeled in Joe Vitale and B.J. Crombeen this summer but they will never put up the numbers Radim did. With a few roster spots open on the offensive side of the puck, could this be the year that a prospect cracks the lineup? Will Brendan Perlini make a trip to the desert after being drafted just last June? What about Max Domi who is ready to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a name in this league? You can’t forget about Henrik Samuelsson who led his Edmonton Oil Kings to win the Memorial Cup this past year either. With a spark of young talent, who do you think will make the team and play in Glendale this season?
THE CANDIDATES:
Henrik Samuelsson (RW):
With the 27th pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, the Coyotes selected Henrik Samuelsson from the Edmonton Oil Kings. This 6 foot, 2 inch right winger has yet to play a regular game in a Coyotes sweater; so could this be his year? Henrik has been playing with the Oil Kings the past few seasons as he is preparing for his long awaited NHL debut. Through 162 games with the team, he has accumulated 75 goals and 123 assists for a total of 198 points. His incredible numbers carry over to his playoff performance as well as he totaled 56 points in 60 games. As the son of two-time Stanley Cup winner and current New York Rangers assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson, greatness is in his blood. Hoisting the Memorial Cup with his teammates was a highlight for Henrik this past season, but this 20 year old has his sights on raising a slightly different trophy. Will Henrik Samuelsson make his NHL debut in 2014?
Max Domi (C/LW): The Coyotes knew exactly what they were getting in to when drafting Max Domi with the 12th overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft. The 19 year old is ready to add more NHL points to the Domi name rather than penalty minutes. In 187 games with the OHL’s London Knights, Max Domi tallied 94 goals and 135 assists for an extraordinary 229 points. His dynamic scoring habits and quick hands are what the Coyotes essentially need in order to become Stanley Cup contenders. Can Max Domi’s numbers for the London Knights transfer over to the Arizona Coyotes this year?
Brendan Perlini (LW): The Arizona Coyotes went with a physical threat with the 12th overall pick in 2014 that is certain to turn heads on the ice. At 6 foot, 2 inches and 205 pounds; Brendan Perlini will become a force to be reckoned with on each shift. The 18 year old has two years of experience in the OHL with 42 goals and 41 assists through 117 games. Brendan has room to grow, but with an impressive performance at the Coyotes prospect camp, he may see the ice of Jobing.com Arena. Will Don Maloney and Dave Tippett ship Brendan Perlini straight to Arizona?
The Howlin’ Hockey Team wants to hear from you! Which prospect do you think has what it takes to bring their game to the next level in 2014?