Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller deserves All-Star nod

Clayton Keller of the Arizona Coyotes has been named to the NHL All-Star Game and the 20-year-old American fully deserves this accolade.

The Arizona Coyotes first round (7th overall) selection in 2016 has been formidable since entering the league, having one of the best rookie seasons in recent history.

In a full 82-game season in 2017/18, Keller registered 23 goals and 65 total points – earning himself a place as Calder Cup finalist.

This season has seen him continue to score just over 0.75 points per game, an impressive rate for a 20-year-old.

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In 40 games this season, Keller has 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) and leads the Coyotes in total points scored, seven more than second-placed Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Keller has 96 total points since making his debut with the Coyotes back in the 2016/17 season, where he earned two assists in a three-game stint.

Per Arizona Sports 98.7FM, Keller’s current points total is the most by any Arizona Coyotes player before the age of 21 – which the American won’t turn until July this year.

Since the franchise relocated to Arizona ahead of the 1996/97 season, there have only been 24 total All-Stars, with Keller being the latest.

The young forward’s strong performances since becoming a professional has been one of the brightest sparks on the team, along with some sturdy defensive statistics.

With the team not finding much in the way of offensive production, Keller has remained steady and continues to produce at a high rate – something the team could certainly do with more of.

Keller has arguably been the franchise’s best draft pick in recent years, with Barrett Hayton and Pierre-Oliver Joseph still currently developing in juniors while 2015 first-rounder Dylan Strome was traded away to the Chicago Blackhawks earlier in the season.

Defenceman Jakob Chychrun, who was selected not long after Keller in 2016, has the potential to develop into a Top-2 defenceman, but injuries have so far hampered his progress with the NHL organisation.

With the team once again having a difficult season with little to celebrate, seeing Keller recognised for his rapid development is something that everyone associated with the organisation can be pleased to see.

The All-Star Game is set to take place at the SAP Center in San Jose on January 26th.

What do you think of Keller’s All-Star selection? Are you pleased to see him recognised for his performances? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!