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Arizona Coyotes: A Domi-Duclair-Hanzal Line Could Be Great

By William Grigsby

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A Potential Arizona Coyotes Line Combination Can Really Work

It seems that Max Domi and Anthony “Tony D” Duclair are going to be on the starting roster when this upcoming season gets underway. All they need is line assignments to get their NHL careers blossoming. I started to think how well the line of Domi, Hanzal, and Samuelsson worked last season in a pre-season game versus the L.A. Kings. They collected nine points between them, and that makes me feel you gotta keep Domi and Duclair on the same line, and adding the big Czech center Martin Hanzal to that line to give it some veteran presence is a logical solution.

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While I watched in awe how well Domi and Duclair played at the rookie project camp at the Ice Den in Scottsdale last week, I started to think who could center these two young guns? Hanzal, who missed most of last season while undergoing back surgery to fix a herniated disc, will be ready to go come training camp, which is more than good news for the Arizona Coyotes. With both him and Mikkel Boedker sidelined with season-ending injuries, the team faltered quickly like an ice cube on the driveway in the middle of a HOT Phoenix summer day.

Both Domi and Duclair possess amazing speed and agility with the puck. I didn’t get to witness the two on the same team or line at the rookie camp, since they were on opposite teams, but as I tuned into their individual play I began smiling at the possibilities.

Duclair, whom I saw in person for the first time, was just gliding out there, and his speed is cloned in a way, as if he isn’t skating at top speed. But then you notice him zooming by defenders as if they weren’t there. The kid is going to be an excellent NHL player. He has all the tools to go a long way.

Domi is built low to the ice, much like the build of a Tyson Nash. That makes it next to impossible to knock him down, and you must catch him first to do so. He has over the top puck handling skills, which will entertain many an Arizona Coyotes fan this coming season. Pairing him up with Duclair will only help these two young budding stars succeed faster.

Putting Hanzal in front of the opposing goalie while the “DYNAMIC DUO” attack the net will be a thing of beauty. I certainly hope Arizona Coyotes’ Coach Tippett sees this possibility and will experiment with this line combination to see how effective it will be. I think most everyone realizes that after the chemistry displayed by the duo in the World Juniors, they can be a dangerous line for the opposition to defend against. I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough of watching these two attack the net with scoring possibilities. They are going to be special for sure… DOMI, DOMI, DOMI… DUCLAIR, DUCLAIR, DUCLAIR… I can hear the chants from the crowd.

Now, the other possibility may be to add a Brendan Perlini, or Christian Dvorak to the Arizona Coyotes “young guns”, and see how well each of them do in the NHL. I’m very high on Perlini, after seeing his puck pursuit, and all around solid play at the rookie prospect camp. Christain Dvorak was also very impressive, and seemed to have an endless supply of energy, and competitive fight in his play. He is an NHL size body, and that may help him develop even faster than expected.

Now, we sit back and wait to see how all this plays out in training camp in September.

I’m going on record to predict that Domi will have in the range of 35-40 points this season, with Duclair very close to those numbers. The scoring potential for both of them increases if they are on the same line, since they really seem to click together.

Any offense they can contribute will be an exceptional turnaround from last season’s dismal 170 goals scored. I think the “DYNAMIC DUO” will have something to say about increasing that number significantly.

Next: Arizona Coyotes: Looking Forward To Opening Day Lineups

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