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Arizona Coyotes’ Dylan Strome Will Make NHL Debut Against Ottawa

By Jason Harrison

Oct 5, 2016; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Arizona Coyotes center Dylan Strome (20) controls the puck against Calgary Flames during the second period during a preseason hockey game at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 5, 2016; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Arizona Coyotes center Dylan Strome (20) controls the puck against Calgary Flames during the second period during a preseason hockey game at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports /
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For Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome, the time is now as he makes his NHL debut in Ottawa.

We’re just one game into the Arizona Coyotes 2016-17 and already the lineup will look a little different.

Dylan Strome is drawing into the lineup in place of Christian Dvorak as the two vie for the same roster spot.

For fans, this will be their first real look at the 3rd overall draft pick in action against a full NHL roster.

Strome’s inclusion at the cost of Dvorak is troubling for some fans.

Dvo battled with fellow rookie Jakob Chychrun for top marks at training camp, and many would argue his consistent play has earned him the right to stay in the lineup until he proves otherwise.

John Chayka and Dave Tippett are handling the two rookies differently than expected.

Before camp, conventional wisdom suggested Dvorak would anchor a line in the bottom six and Dylan Strome would slot into the top six if both made the roster.

Instead, Tipp appears to prefer using only one of the kids in the lineup and he wants them anchoring the second line.

By rotating them in and out of the lineup on the same line, management is giving Strome and Dvo the chance to prove their worth over their counterpart in similar conditions with the same linemates.

It is an inexact science, however.

Certain matchups against certain teams are invariably harder.

The Flyers are a potential playoff team but the Senators have been leaky in net and defensively already this season and just aren’t very good.

Some nights Strome or Dvo may be on it but their linemates are not and vice versa.

While it’s as close as the coaching staff and Chayka can get to replicating conditions to observe results, it’s not foolproof. I’m sure they understand that as well and adjust their analysis accordingly.

Regardless, the pressure is now on Dylan Strome to live up to his draft slot.

He’s spent a summer being dissected and downgraded from being projected to be a guaranteed NHL starter at the end of last season to a guy who has fans questioning whether he’s a bust this fall.

If he doesn’t show out on Tuesday night, odds are the grumblings will continue to grow.

His game does need work, but if he can provide the kind of scoring he was drafted to provide those issues become a little less pressing.

Next: Concerns About Dylan Strome Are Unwarranted (For Now)

Tonight will be an exciting night for Strome and Arizona Coyotes fans.

Strome has a chance to answer his critics with his play on NHL ice.

The future is here. Win, lose, or flop, let’s try to keep things in perspective.

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