Arizona Coyotes: Eight Questions About The Trade Deadline And Youth

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Mar 31, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Arizona Coyotes goalie Mike Smith (41) looks on from the ice prior to the game against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

The Arizona Coyotes are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline, so Howlin’ Hockey is breaking down some of the big questions surrounding a few players and the team’s youth.

2016-17 hasn’t gone as expected for the Arizona Coyotes.

Goals for are few and far between. Goals against are plentiful.

Injuries have hurt the franchise, as has inconsistency.

We’ve seen young stars demoted to the AHL and veteran free agents left in the lineup to work out their issues.

The team lost it’s offensive spark to a dumb injury from fighting and regained it’s franchise goaltender after a few years in the wilderness.

It hasn’t been pretty, but lots has happened.

With the trade deadline approaching, Howlin’ Hockey is taking stock of the team and it’s youth moving forward.

Who should stay and go at the deadline? Which prospects should be called up? Which prospects have performed well and which have disappointed? We’ll break it all down here.

Oct 15, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes center Martin Hanzal (11) stares down Minnesota Wild center Mikko Koivu (9) prior to a face off in the second period at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /

Martin Hanzal, Michael Stone, and Radim Vrbata have all came up in trade rumors. Should the Coyotes be a seller in all three cases?

Drew Walters — With Dylan Strome, Clayton Keller, Christian Dvorak, and potentially another strong center in the draft, Martin Hanzal’s time has come. When healthy, he is an excellent two-way center and is good in the faceoff circle. That is very attractive to contenders.

While I like Michael Stone a lot, he hasn’t looked quite the same since his knee injury at the end of last season. If a team has interest in him I would cash in on that value now.

Shockingly, Radim Vrbata is the Coyotes’ leader in goals, assists, and points. However, he does not factor into the team’s future much at age 35. All of this plus the fact that he’s on a one-year contract make him a perfect deadline acquisition. He should be moved.

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Marcus Velasco — At this point it seems like they are all going to be dealt. Martin Hanzal has some serious value and would be a good addition for any cup contending team. Personally I think he should stay with the Coyotes but he is the most valuable deadline asset the team has.

Arizona is looking for assets so they will most likely move him. Michael Stone has underachieved after a career year in points last season and could use a change of scenery.

Lastly Radim Vrbata has been productive and would be a scoring third line winger for a team with championship aspirations. He could be worth a few picks and that’s what the team wants.

Alex Temes — In the case of Stone, absolutely. He hasn’t been great all season and it’d be better for rookies to get NHL ice time since we are tanking.

With Hanzal, it’d be nice to keep him but I think he wants out so why not get something for him.

Personally, I would love to keep Vrbata but trading him to a Cup contender might be good for him considering his career may be ending soon.

If you were John Chayka and could pursue a trade for one player whom we know to be available, which player do you see benefiting the Arizona Coyotes the most moving forward? What would you give up to get them?

Alex Temes — The Arizona Coyotes need a number 1 center. Badly.

And I think partnering with a contender would do the Coyotes wonders in that department.

I would heavily pursue Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for a few reasons, most prominently in that he is a true #1 center playing 2nd/3rd line in Edmonton due to all of that talent.

He will never pass McDavid, so give him a shot at leading a team in Arizona and move what you have to in order to get him.

Drew Walters — Kevin Shattenkirk, for sure.

What are your thoughts on Shane Doan possibly opting to pursue a Stanley Cup with another team?

Marcus Velasco — Playing with one team for your entire career is a remarkable achievement, however if Shane Doan were to be traded to a team that eventually won the Stanley Cup how can we be mad as Coyote fans.

He has done everything for this franchise and has earned the right to be traded if he pleases.

There are several kids left in Tucson who are performing well. Are there any you’d like to see or expect to see called up before season’s end?

Jason Harrison — Christian Fischer. Kyle Wood.

They’ve dominated in Tucson. Time to see if they can make some noise in Glendale.

There’s no real reason not to give them at least a few games to earn some extra money and get a taste of NHL life. If they can hang, they stay, and if they can’t, Chayka and Tipp can run it back in training camp next season.

In the meantime, both players will know a little more about what to expect and prepare for.

Alex Temes — I would love to see both Kyle Wood and Christian Fischer get a shot at playing in the big leagues.

Wood has been Tucson’s best defenseman so far this season with 30 points so far just 32 games. Fischer has also been an impact player, earning AHL Player of the Week honors recently as well as posting a hat trick.

Both have been a driving force in Tucson’s success this season.

Drew Walters — My first instinct would be to say Henrik Samuelsson. Part of me still really wants to believe that he can pan out and become a solid third line option in the NHL.

That being said, we have seen him with the Coyotes a couple times now, so I would love to see Kyle Wood. Acquired as part of the Mikkel Boedker trade with Colorado last season, his 30 points (8G, 22A) in 33 games is impressive.

Can he translate that to the NHL? Only one way to find out.

Dec 17, 2016; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Arizona Coyotes forward Brendan Perlini (29) against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Coyotes 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

Which Arizona Coyotes rookie has impressed you the most thus far?

Drew Walters — Brendan Perlini has really impressed me with his shot, speed, and creativity. He gives you the feeling that a goal can come at any minute, much like the Killer D’s did last year.

However, the most impressive rookie has to be Jakob Chychrun. He has been in and out of the lineup some, but he’s also the only defenseman from his draft class to stick in the NHL this year.

Not to mention his CF% is close to 50% on the worst possession team in the league.

Jason Harrison — I never thought I’d be saying this before the season began, but Brendan Perlini has to be the pick.

He’s providing offense when no one else can score. He’s exciting to watch. It’s almost a throwback to the Killer D’s of last year.

His rise from being considered a bust to budding star has been nothing short of extraordinary.

Perlini is like when a supporting character in a TV show takes over every scene they are in and eventually joins the main cast. Sometimes that character gets his own show. Maybe Perlini is Ari on Entourage. Maybe he’ll become Saul Goodman and get his own spin-off.

However far he goes, right now he’s the most exciting player wearing a Coyote head on his chest.

Marcus Velasco — Brendan Perlini is the rookie that has impressed me the most so far.

Every time he touches the puck I feel like he can make something happen. He has an elite shot and brings some energy to this stagnant offense.

I am a big believer in Brendan Perlini and to me he has been a bright spot in this dismal season.

Oct 5, 2016; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) controls the puck against Calgary Flames during the third period during a preseason hockey game at Scotiabank Saddledome. Calgary Flames won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports /

Which rookie who has spent significant time with the Coyotes has been the most disappointing?

Marcus Velasco — This one is harder for me to answer.

Christian Dvorak and Lawson Crouse haven’t had much offensive production but they have been more of bottom six forwards this season. Their defensive play have improved and they have done what coach Dave Tippett has asked of them.

Jakob Chychrun had an amazing start to the season and surprisingly earned a spot on this team. Since then he hasn’t been the same player we saw at the beginning of the year.

Personally, I was against him making the team at the beginning of the year. I felt that another year of junior hockey and time at the WJC would have been better for him.

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He will be a good defenseman in this league, he just needs a little bit more time.

Alex Temes — Early on, I was the other way about this player, but Jakob Chychrun has kind of trailed off.

I don’t know if it’s just how he’s been used or how visible some of his mistakes are, but I haven’t been nearly as impressed.

Now he’s young and learning, so I’m not upset or frustrated but it is noticeable that’s he’s made less of an impact since that series of games where he was scratched in December.

He’s scored in two consecutive nights but it was a long dry spell in the interim, so the point stands.

Jason Harrison — To some degree I believe you could say they have all been disappointing.

None, save this short time where Brendan Perlini has been on fire, have had anywhere near the impact Anthony Duclair or Max Domi had last season.

That’s a high bar, for sure, but these are kids who came in with high expectations.

Part of their lack of production is team related. Part of it is the system Dave Tippett chooses to employ and the way he doles out minutes.

Regardless, I’d like to have seen more from all of them.

Jun 24, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Clayton Keller poses for a photo after being selected as the number seven overall draft pick by the Arizona Coyotes in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft at the First Niagra Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /

The Yotes appear to be on the outside looking in at the first overall pick, but have a decent shot at second overall. If Nolan Patrick is off the board, which player should the Coyotes select if they pick second?

Alex Temes — I think it’s hard to read what Chayka will do.

Nobody saw him taking Clayton Keller last draft (albeit a fantastic pick), so my bet is he will pick whomever has the best stats come the end of the season.

My gut tells me it will be Liljegren because the Coyotes really need to put a defense in front of Mike Smith before he goes insane and Liljegren will help expedite that rebuild.

Jason Harrison — After watching him in the WJC, I’d take Nico Hischier unless they are 100% convinced Timothy Liljegren can jump into the NHL and have some sort of impact next season.

Hischier was mighty impressive, particularly in nearly dismantling Team USA, and the Arizona Coyotes are in dire need of a center who can play immediately. If he’s that guy, they should take him.

On the flip side, if the consensus first pick is Nolan Patrick, I wouldn’t be awfully concerned if the Yotes miss out. Patrick has a bit of an injury history that is a tad reminiscent of a certain 6’6 Czech center currently on the roster, and it seems to be a recurring thing each season.

That could turn out to be a bullet dodged.

Marcus Velasco — I think Dave Tippett is in win now mode.

Now that he has some control over the player personal he may not want another young kid on the team.

If the Coyotes happen to miss out on the first or second overall pick I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Coyotes move that pick for an established star player.

Next: Shane Doan Should Stay In The Desert

A lot can happen between now and the draft and if the opportunity presents itself, why not? The draft is considered weaker this year and the Coyotes still have Clayton Keller and Dylan Strome coming through the system.

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