Top Players to Follow in Arizona Coyotes Training Camp

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Apr. 2, 2013; Glendale, AZ, USA; members of the Phoenix Coyotes celebrate after a goal by defenseman Keith Yandle (3) during the first period against the Los Angeles Kings at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Starting September 12th, the Arizona Coyotes have announced that the rookies will be taking the ice.

The vets follow shortly after- by September 19th, the whole team will be out there, getting ready for the 2014-2015 season.

This year is looking to be an exciting one for the Arizona Coyotes. The West is absolutely stacked, but the ‘Yotes look prepped to compete. They’ve gotten rid of the locker room problems, they’ve got a full year of solid ownership under their belt, and they’ve got two of the league’s top defenseman lacing up their skates in the home team locker room at the newly-renamed Gila River Arena.

Training Camp is a great place to keep an eye out for changes, improvements, and roster placements. These are the players you should keep your eye out for- we’ll keep you updated on what training camp is looking like for each of these guys, as the season grows closer by the day.

1. Max Domi

Sep 27, 2013; Glendale, AZ, USA; Phoenix Coyotes center Max Domi (15) dives for the puck as San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) defends during the third period at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Max Domi. I can’t stress enough how important September is going to be for the 19-year-old forward. He’s coming off a 93-point season in the OHL, but doesn’t have any experience with the big guys yet.

He’s going to have to give it his all, though- because if he doesn’t crack the Coyotes’ roster this upcoming season, it’s back to the OHL for him. Players are ineligible to compete in the AHL until they’ve either played for three seasons in the major juniors, or will turn twenty during the calendar year of the season’s start. With his twentieth birthday not coming around until spring, Domi has two options- go big, or go home.

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When he was drafted, the legacy forward was criticized for his selfishness on the ice. Scouts were unanimous in their agreement that Domi was talented, but also agreed that he wouldn’t reach his full potential until he learned to play as a teammate rather than a superstar. He also has trouble keeping his head during a tense game, taking retaliatory penalties that could be costly for Arizona.

His omission from last year’s World Juniors Canadian National Team seems to have woken the center-turned-winger up, though. At the World Juniors development camp this summer, he seemed more receptive to coaching direction, and handled the previous season’s snub the way an adult would, rather than a hot-headed teenager. Should this be the Max Domi out on the ice during training camp and preseason, it’s likely that the third line wing is his for the taking.

Of course, Domi will need more than just a positive attitude to earn a permanent spot in the locker room in Glendale. Training camp for Domi should be about learning to work together with his future teammates. He needs to have a good sense for how to play the game at the NHL level before the season starts in order to gain the favor of Head Coach Dave Tippett- not known for looking fondly upon playing the young guys, Tippett would have no problem with giving the Toronto native an extra year to develop before offering him a spot on the team.

2. Connor Murphy

Feb 8, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Connor Murphy (5) defends against Dallas Stars left wing Antoine Roussel (21) during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeated the Coyotes 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Morris is out, and… well, someone is in. Keith Yandle now sits in a top-four pairing defenseman role, without his fourth pair.

This job is Connor Murphy‘s if he plays his cards right. The 21-year-old defensive prospect from Dublin, Ohio has the natural charisma with Yandle; while Murphy has traditionally excelled as an offensive blue liner, he seamlessly transitioned into a more stay-at-home role when playing alongside the team’s alternate captain. He proved his ability to handle heavy ice time, and isn’t afraid to be physical, despite observations that he may not have fully grown into his size yet.

“This job is Connor Murphy‘s if he plays his cards right. The 21-year-old defensive prospect from Dublin, Ohio has the natural charisma with Yandle; while Murphy has traditionally excelled as an offensive blue liner, he seamlessly transitioned into a more stay-at-home role when playing alongside the team’s alternate captain.”

As mentioned earlier, though, Tippett isn’t a fan of bringing in the younger blood where someone with more experience could provide a more reliable option. Even if Murphy is a seemingly reasonable choice to pair with Yandle, he will need to really prove himself during September to earn the spot.

Training camp for Murphy should focus less on being flashy, and more on being an on-and-off-ice leader. Players like Oliver Ekman-Larsson earned their roster spots at an early age through talent and confidence, and it will be up to Murphy to prove to the team’s management team that he deserves to skate out in Glendale come August. He doesn’t have the threat of another year in the juniors hanging over his head- at 21, he has already spent time with the Portland Pirates- but on a team stacked with talent, it will be important to see whether he can make himself stand out among the crowd.

3. Lauri Korpikoski

Mar 13, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Phoenix Coyotes left wing Lauri Korpikoski (28) celebrates after a goal during the third period against the Boston Bruins at TD Banknorth Garden. The Boston Bruins won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Korpikoski has had good seasons, and he’s had okay seasons. He’s hit the 40-point mark, and he’s fallen significantly short. Lauri Korpikoski is, in short, a solid third line left wing for any team.

With the departure of Radim Vrbata, though, and the uncertainty surrounding where Max Domi will land this fall, the Finnish forward needs to do better than that. Unless something changes drastically in the next couple of weeks, it’s looking like the 28-year-old will be filling out the top-six forward roster at Gila River Arena come October.

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  • For newcomers to the team, his nine goal 2013-2014 season is cause for alarm- but for those who remember, Korpikoski’s first two seasons with the Coyotes saw him come close to hitting the 20 goal mark. In addition, he walked away from the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics with 2 goals and 2 assists, on a team that was good for the bronze medal overall.

    The team doesn’t need Korpikoski to become the next Sid Crosby, but he does need to step it up until Max Domi is ready to fill out the top-six role he was drafted for. Training Camp for the left winger needs to be about amping up his offense and pushing himself to come through for his team. His position has plenty of future depth (after all, Brendan Perlini‘s natural position is the left wing, as well), but he needs to be ready and available for the here and now. Watch him throughout September to see how well he prepares himself to step up and fill in the hole left behind by Vrbata in the offseason.

    4. Devan Dubnyk

    Jan 24, 2014; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Nashville Predators goalie Devan Dubnyk (40) makes a save as Calgary Flames center Matt Stajan (18) looks for the puck during the first period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

    A team is really only as good as who guards the net, which puts Devan Dubnyk in an interesting position.

    The former Oilers backup netminder has never been categorized for his consistency; he put up some impressive numbers during his time in Edmonton, but has nights where he looks like he’s playing in the wrong league altogether. He could still step up and have the year of his life, but with Mike Smith aging, the 28-year-old Canadian needs to be better than he has.

    Watch in Training Camp to see what Sean Burke does with Dubnyk. With the right direction, it’s possible that he could become a consistent backup for the team. Watch to see how he begins to interact and develop with the club as a whole, as well- as one of the few new additions to the roster this season, it should be interesting to see what kind of presence he will bring to the locker room.

    5. Sam Gagner

    Mar 28, 2014; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Sam Gagner (89) looks to make a pass in front of Anaheim Ducks defensemen Sami Vatanen (45) during the second period at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

    There seem to be two theories floating around about Sam Gagner.

    The first is that he wasn’t happy in Edmonton, never really hitting his stride due to his dissent with the organization he was playing for. This theory is supported by the center’s hot streaks- his natural talent level is much higher than his numbers would indicate, meaning that it’s possible that the change of scenery is exactly what the 25-year-old needs.

    The second, of course, is that he’s a lazy, inconsistent player who can’t hold on to a hot streak for long enough to put up the kind of numbers that matter. This theory is more concerning for Coyotes fans, although the imminent demotion of Gagner from the second line in Edmonton to the third line in Arizona means that his numbers will be more than acceptable for his position, consistent or no.

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    Of course, Gagner is coming in to purportedly replace the recently bought out Mike Ribeiro, and it’s unlikely that he’ll be putting up the kinds of numbers to make him a suitable replacement. Unless he finds his rhythm on a line with Rob Klinkhammer and (potentially) Max Domi, this acquisition could end up being the dud that keeps the desert dogs out of playoff contention for yet another season.

    Keep an eye out during Training Camp to see what kind of progress Gagner seems to make. Fans should watch for interactions between Gagner and Tippett as well as Gagner and his new teammates, and should look to see what sort of effort he seems to put in.

    Other Coyotes You Should Keep Your Eye Out For:

    Apr 12, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Phoenix Coyotes right wing Shane Doan (19) celebrates with left wing Brandon McMillan (38), center Kyle Chipchura (24) and defenseman Michael Stone (26) after scoring a goal in the third period against the San Jose Sharks at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

    • Shane Doanwho is coming off of a season that saw him plagued by Rocky Mountain Fever
    • Keith Yandle has been attending informal practices in Boston rather than Arizona, and it should be interesting to see if he learned anything new
    • Mikkel Boedker is just beginning to hit his stride; keep an eye out for any improvements he makes during the offseason
    • Brendan Perlini probably won’t make the final roster this year, but it should be interesting to see how he plays with his new teammates
    • Michael Stone is yet another blue liner who is competing for the fourth top-four defenseman role alongside Yandle
    • Mark Visentin has been looking better and better- look to see if he does anything out of this world at Training Camp
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