Arizona Coyotes: Brendan Perlini Lighting Up AHL With Tucson Roadrunners
Arizona Coyotes former first round pick Brendan Perlini has been scoring at will recently with the Tucson Roadrunners.
Brendan Perlini was meant to be part of the Arizona Coyotes’ renaissance.
Then he was more or less labeled a bust.
Now he’s the leading goal-scorer in the American Hockey League.
Channeling Kirk Cousins, I bet Perlini would love to phone up former GM Don Maloney and current GM John Chayka and say, “How you like me now?!”
He’s got 11 goals in 13 games played. He leads the team with 16 points scored, which is also 12th in the entire AHL.
The question now is more of “when” not “if” the youngster will get at least a one or two game audition in Glendale. He deserves it after his torrid start.
With the team struggling for goals and the offense firing on about one cylinder, Chayka and head coach Dave Tippett will give him a look…right?
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One would assume so, but Perlini’s numbers do come with a few precautions.
The main one is the fact that he’s scored those 11 goals on 35 shots.
That equates out to a 31.4% shooting percentage.
That’s right folks, the regression monster is coming and he’s going to be hungry.
In the meantime, however, the Arizona Coyotes should capitalize on Perlini’s newfound confidence.
If there was ever a time when the 20-year-old thought he could put it past the Lundqvist’s, Holtby’s, Schneider’s, and Price’s of the world, it’d have to be right now.
Confidence may have been a question for Perlini during the past two seasons in Niagara.
Not anymore. Now he’s feeling it, and he said as much to Craig Morgan.
“More than anything, I’ve had a lot more fun this year which has been the main thing behind my play.”
Tucson Roadrunners’ head coach Mark Lamb was glowing in comments about #11.
“His two biggest assets are that he has unbelievable speed and he’s got an unbelievable shot and we’re seeing both of those pretty much every night in all areas,” Lamb said.
He showcased the speed and the shot in Saturday night’s loss to the Stockton Heat. And then he cleaned up a rebound in Sunday’s win in the rematch.
It’s too early to say Brendan Perlini has turned his career around.
Once his shooting percentage regresses to a normal level, we’ll see how he copes in his first season in professional play.
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His work ethic and early production at mighty encouraging, however.
We may yet see him patrolling the wing and putting up 20+ goals per season with the Arizona Coyotes.