Arizona Coyotes: Intense Competition Will Drive Roster Of Young Players

Arizona Coyotes General Manager John Chayka’s latest move to grab left winger Lawson Crouse from the Florida Panthers adds yet another young prospect to a team brimming with possibilities.

The Arizona Coyotes announced they have pulled off a trade with the Florida Panthers.

This trade resulted in the team adding center Dave Bolland and left wing prospect Lawson Crouse to the franchise.  In return, the Panthers will receive a 2017 third-round draft pick and a conditional 2018 second-rounder.

The catch: Bolland is injured, has been for quite some time, and likely will not see the ice this season if ever again.

Sound familiar?

Coyotes GM John Chayka is at it again.

He continues to identify potential value and trade that one commodity the team has had in abundance: cap space.

Chayka made a play to grab Crouse, trading away future draft picks and allowing the Panthers the ability to free up some much-needed cap space.

With the deal came Bolland’s three-year contract paying him $5.5 million in annual salary, or did it?

The Coyotes will apparently only be on the hook for the cap hit while only paying $1.1 million of his salary per year over the next three years. This comes according to a report suggesting Bolland will go to Long Term Injured Reserve.

And eating salary is the one thing the Arizona Coyotes can do that most other teams cannot.

This is a strength of Chayka’s analytical approach to the game.

Identifying value.

Chayka’s latest move adds Crouse, the number 11 overall pick by the Panthers in last year’s draft, to a pool of young players brimming with talent and future potential.

So much talent that no matter who makes the team after training camp, nobody’s job will be secure.

The Coyotes have no more room for cap space trades. Barring any surprises the likely roster for this season is going to make Oliver Ekman-Larsson look like an old-timer at the age of 25.

There will be an abundance of talent just waiting in the wings.

If a player goes down with an injury or isn’t meeting expectations, there’s someone willing and able to step up, or be called up, to take his place.

That’s going to make Arizona Coyotes players the hungriest in the league.

And that may be the driving force the team needs to excel and climb its way back to the post-season.

In short, nobody get comfortable.

With prospects like Dylan Strome, 19, and Christian Dvorak, 20, likely to make the team, the Coyotes will be adding at least two rookies to the roster.

Young goaltender Louie Domingue, 24, in his first full season, will be constantly challenging Mike Smith for time in front of the net.

Crouse, 19, may be starting the season at Gila River Arena as well.

Already on the roster are Max Domi, 21, and similarly-aged Anthony Duclair, who will both be entering their sophomore seasons.

Anthony DeAngelo will be turning 21 just after opening night. Meanwhile, Jordan Martinook, entering his second full season with the club, is 24.

It won’t be long before newly drafted players Jakob Chychrun and Clayton Keller make the roster.

Christian Fischer, Nick Merkley, and Brendan Perlini, just to name a few, are also making waves.

And there’s more, too many to mention.

Next: What To Expect From Strome & Dvorak In Their Rookie Seasons

Everyone’s angling for a spot. Loads of hungry young talent.

This makes the Arizona Coyotes one of the most dangerous teams in the NHL.

The Coyotes should pin the word “hungry” on their uniforms. This season’s pack of desert dogs will be feasting on their opponents every chance they get.