Arizona Coyotes: Predicted Preseason Roster vs. Post-Deadline Roster

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Oct 24, 2015; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Arizona Coyotes right wing Brad Richardson (12) scores against Ottawa Senators goalie Craig Anderson (41) in the third period at Canadian Tire Centre. The Coyotes defeated the Senators 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports /

Third Line:

My Predictions: Perlini – Strome – Rieder

Current Line: Domi – Richardson – Doan

Take in that predicted line combo; Brendan Perlini, Dylan Strome and Tobias Rieder.

That’s an aggressive, high-speed line brimming with youth and scoring potential. In my preseason conversations with me, myself and I, I was certain that the Arizona Coyotes would begin to phase in their talented young prospects.

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I foresaw Strome, who was the third overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, having enough skill to make the team outright and I figured this season would be as good as any for Perlini to finally hit the big stage. I added Rieder in there to provide some defensive accountability and some established NHL-level playing time.

But the current lineup suggests my mindset couldn’t be more detached from reality.

Max Domi, who was recently demoted from a line with Antoine Vermette and Anthony Duclair, now is skating third line time to develop under Shane Doan’s guidance and being centered by Brad Richardson, who signed with the Coyotes in the 2015 offseason.

This line does show a degree of balance between Domi’s youth/speed and Doan’s experience/checking, but it doesn’t jump off the page to me.

Domi also recently proved he can drop the gloves, jumping on Anaheim’s Ryan Garbutt after Garbutt delivered a hard but clean hit to the Coyotes’ defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Richardson had been pretty good in the face-off circle this season, winning 51.8% of his draws, but I felt that Strome could jump right in as a competitive center as well. Furthermore, while Doan has had a resurgent 19th season campaign, his combination with Jordan Martinook this season has been a huge key to his success.

Breaking Doan up with Martinook seems like a bad idea, just as breaking up Domi and Duclair doesn’t feel right either.

Nonetheless, where I saw the Coyotes’s third line going and where it has wound up have certainly diverged; one with predictive high hopes and the other with the harsh reality of a real NHL season.

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