Arizona Coyotes recall Dylan Reese for Atlantic Coast Road Trip
The Arizona Coyotes are in short supply when it comes to players for their Atlantic Coast Road Trip — or, as I like to secretly refer to it, their Iditarod Trek.
Puck Prose
Seriously — I grew up in snow, and I don’t miss walking home from work through eight-foot drifts of the stuff.
Anyways.
The biggest announcement the team has made since arriving in New Jersey (where they play their first game of the trip Monday night) has been the announcement that veteran Dylan Reese has been recalled from the AHL.
I know – who?
Reese has never played a game for the Arizona Coyotes, although he’s been around the league since he was drafted in 2003 by the New York Rangers. Seems fitting that the American defenseman would get recalled the only time of year that the team is closer to his home than the Pirates are.
Getting to know Dylan Reese
Reese is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he played junior hockey until college.
He then went on to play for the Harvard University hockey team for all four years he attended the Ivy League school — meaning that between him and recent waiver-wire pickup Mark Arcobello (who is a graduate of Yale University), the Coyotes are now probably the smartest team in the NHL. I’m pretty sure that’s how it works, at least.
Although Reese hasn’t had much NHL experience, his 74 games with the New York Islanders and 3 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins have seen him score three goals, record fourteen assists, and average heavy enough ice time to prove that he’s a competent skater (if better suited as a depth veteran in the AHL).
With his recall, it’s likely that the Coyotes won’t be seeing veteran blue liner Zbynek Michalek at all this road trip — something head coach Dave Tippett alluded to after the game on Saturday, but still disappointing to see nonetheless.
FAQ’s
Before you all ask, here are some answers for game-day questions:
-Why was Reese recalled over Philip Samuelsson?
A: I’m not an NHL GM, so I can’t answer that with complete certainty. It’s likely, though, that Reese will be the extra skater for the majority of the time he’s up with the Coyotes — so by keeping Samuelsson in the AHL while he’s still waiver-exempt, the team is ensuring he’s quality ice time this season to develop. With the playoffs out of the picture, it makes more sense to give prospects top-pairing minutes in Portland than it does to stick them in the press box with Arizona.
-Does this mean that the Coyotes won’t trade Michalek before the deadline?
A: Technically, no. So long as the team provides full, up-to-date medical records for an injured player prior to a trade, he can still be moved to another team. Most teams that would have added Michalek prior to the deadline, though, are playoff contenders who won’t want to add an injured veteran so close to the post-season. So while it’s still *technically* possible to see Michalek leave the desert, it doesn’t look likely.
-Who’s starting in net against the Devils?
A: Mike Smith. The Devils, to supplement this, are putting in Cory Schneider. Should be a good game!
-Is this the only move the Coyotes will make this road trip?
A: Probably not, no. The team has so many injuries to veterans, though, that it’s likely they’ll try not to make any giant moves while on the road — while we could see a deal made or a recall announced, it’s less likely until they’ve finished playing the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
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