Arizona Coyotes Possible Draft Pick: Dylan Strome

By William Grigsby | Apr 20, 2015

Dylan Strome May Just Be The Arizona Coyotes First Draft Choice And Third Overall Pick

The Arizona Coyotes may be a bit dismayed that their lottery numbers didn’t come up last Saturday, but the management, coaching staff and owners are thrilled to have this draft pick.

This year’s draft has been advertised as a “generational” draft, meaning it is special in the talent it has to offer. Well, now that the first two picks are pretty well decided, what will the Arizona Coyotes do at the third pick?

One such option will be Dylan Strome of the Erie Otters. Yep, those Erie Otters where Connor McDavid played. Strome is six-foot-three, 185 pounds. He usually takes more important face-offs for the Erie Otters than his soon to be number one pick teammate, McDavid. Strome started out a 39-point scorer in his rookie season and this past season he led the OHL in scoring with 45 goals, 129 points.

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Noah Hanifin has been projected as the third overall pick, but The Independent Scouting Service, rates Strome third overall, one spot ahead of Hanifin, and calls Strome’s vision “first rate” and says he has a “lethal wrist shot.” I don’t know about you, but the Arizona Coyotes could certainly use a player with those credentials scoring for them next season.

HERE IS A SAMPLE OF STROME’S ABILITY

Strome’s one weakness may be his skating, it is not at NHL levels yet. The young prospect has had to play in the shadow of Connor McDavid, and would have been the number one center on any other team. While Mcdavid was out with his hand injury he sustained in a fight, Strome led the team. He also represented Canada at the world junior hockey tournament.

He has been compared to Joe Thornton, of the San Jose Sharks, although he is an inch shorter, and 35 pounds lighter. He’s still young and could gain weight and grow some more. Still, being compared to BIG JOE is quite the compliment.

The Erie Otters coach Kris Knoblauch describes him like this:

"“He knows where his teammates are. He knows how to expose another team’s weakness. He’s not a one-dimensional player. He can score goals or set them up. He scored a lot of goals this year. I didn’t expect that from a 17-year-old coming in. We didn’t see him as a goal-scorer but more of a playmaker.”"

He is only 18, and if the Arizona Coyotes do draft him, I doubt that he will be able to jump right in and play in the NHL next season. He does possess the potential of being a good center, and since McDavid and Eichel will be gone, I’m sure the Arizona Coyotes will consider him.

Next: Arizona Coyotes Draft Option: Mitch Marner

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