Arizona Coyotes Recall Tyler Gaudet From AHL Tucson

Nov 8, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Arizona Coyotes center Tyler Gaudet (32) skates during the second period against the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 8, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Arizona Coyotes center Tyler Gaudet (32) skates during the second period against the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Coyotes have again recalled Tyler Gaudet from the Tucson Roadrunners.

Tyler Gaudet is wearing a path between the Tucson Roadrunners and Arizona Coyotes.

He may have made more trips back and forth in recent weeks than general manager John Chayka and his staff.

The Coyotes again recalled Gaudet, which is a puzzling move given how poorly he played in his first outing with the team this season and the myriad of other options at head coach Dave Tippett’s disposal.

The move puts the team at the 23-man roster limit.

Here’s the press release from the Yotes:

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – Arizona Coyotes General Manager John Chayka announced today that the Coyotes have recalled center Tyler Gaudet from the Tucson Roadrunners, the club’s American Hockey League affiliate (AHL).The 23-year-old native of Hamilton, Ontario has skated in one game with the Coyotes this season. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Gaudet has also registered 2-5-7, a plus-two rating and nine penalty minutes (PIM) in 12 games with the Roadrunners.Gaudet has recorded 1-2-3 in 17 career NHL games.

While Gaudet has been effective in Tucson, there’s a few names ahead of him in the scoring department who probably deserve a look.

Considering the team’s offensive troubles, Gaudet’s addition is a strange one.

If they brought him up for center depth, that’s one thing, but even after Brad Richardson‘s injury and Dylan Strome‘s demotion, the Arizona Coyotes have five centers on the NHL roster currently.

They may not be the five that Tipp wants to use, but any of those five options seems preferable to Gaudet at this point in time.

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On the other hand, players like Brendan Perlini have been producing at an impressive clip and could slot in on the wing and provide some scoring punch if so desired. A call-up for Perlini would also reward him for his hot start and encourage him to re-double his efforts.

Instead, we get Boyd Gordon-lite in Tyler Gaudet.

Will he see this ice this time?

Gaudet got the call recently when Laurent Dauphin was banged up, but he never saw the ice due to Dauphin’s recovery.

That may be his fate this time; the odd forward out.

We’ve seen Dave Tippett sit and rotate a ton of defensemen this season. It would be nice to see the same thing happen in the forward corps, only without any of the veterans being untouchable in the way Alex Goligoski appears to be.

Next: Brendan Perlini Lighting Up The AHL With The Roadrunners

Several forwards, Anthony Duclair chief among them, could use a seat in the press box.

If that gets Gaudet in, that’s fine. It would be nice to see Christian Fischer or Perlini get that call as well, though.