Arizona Coyotes: Domi, Duclair Miss Out On World Cup Of Hockey
Despite their strong rookie seasons, Arizona Coyotes stars Max Domi and Anthony Duclair were not selected to represent Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey.
The Arizona Coyotes have a few representatives at the World Cup of Hockey.
Martin Hanzal and Zbynek Michalek will play for the Czech Republic. Tobias Rieder is skating for Team Europe fresh off a return from injury.
And franchise centerpiece Oliver Ekman-Larsson will be patrolling the blue-line for Team Sweden.
Not participating are youngsters Max Domi and Anthony Duclair.
The dynamic duo was deemed surplus to requirements for Team North America, while names like J.T. Miller and Jonathan Drouin were chosen ahead of them.
The other names ahead of Domi and Duke are bigger and honestly better or more experienced. Miller and Drouin are interesting inclusions, however.
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J.T. Miller produced 22 goals and 21 assists for 43 points — basically a mirror of Duclair’s season (20 goals, 24 assists) — and was chosen ahead of his Arizona counterpart. Max Domi scored four less goals than Miller, but contributed nine more points and was arguably among the top three among rookies when it comes to overall play in 2015-16.
Miller does play for the New York Rangers, so perhaps the increased visibility has a bit to do with his selection. At best, size aside he’s a like-for-like for the Arizona Coyotes’ youth who lost out to him.
The inclusion of Jonathan Drouin is a sincere head scratcher for me, however.
Drouin played just 21 games last season thanks to a standoff with Tampa Bay Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman. The kindest way to describe the talented youngster would be “driven”, but “malcontent” also comes to mind.
He did have a stellar playoff campaign once he made nice with the boss, but it strikes me as odd that you would include a player who has shown he believes he is bigger than the team over a player like Domi or Duclair or another roster hopeful.
Talent wins out, as they say, but at this very minute I’m not certain Drouin is appreciably more capable of acting on his talent than Max Domi is his.
Regardless, Drouin and Miller will suit up in those curious North America jerseys while Domi and Duke will arrive on time to Arizona Coyotes training camp.
It could be worse, for sure.
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This season will be huge for the Killer D’s and a full camp with all of the incoming prospects and acquisitions will help them come October.
The snub smarts a bit considering a few of the names chosen before them, but entering the season fully integrated and refreshed is not a bad consolation.