Arizona Coyotes goalie Adin Hill will get more minutes in Tucson

The Arizona Coyotes have sent goaltender Adin Hill back down to the AHL and the move could help continue his strong development.

With Calvin Pickard returning from his conditioning stint with the Roadrunners, the Arizona Coyotes had a busy goalie room.

Pickard has not yet made any appearances for the Coyotes since being claimed by the organisation of waivers, after a disappointing spell with the Philadelphia Flyers.

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Now that he has had a spell in the minors to build up his fitness and game readiness, Pickard looks poised to play out the season as the team’s backup behind incumbent starter Darcy Kuemper.

In his spell with the Roadrunners, Pickard earned an impressive 3-0-0 record, though he had a 3.47 goals against average and a save percentage of just .889 – less than stellar numbers for a player set to be a regular NHL backup.

With the Coyotes, Pickard will need to ensure that he performs as well as, if not better, than Hill did during his brief spell with the team.

Apart from the appalling 7-1 demolishing at the hands of the Calgary Flames, Hill has looked impressive in limited minutes with the Arizona Coyotes.

His development, however, is better served as a regular starter in the AHL – with the Roadrunners currently sitting second in the Pacific Division – just four points behind the San Jose Barracuda.

In the minors, Hill will get to build up his body of work, while helping the Coyotes’ affiliates during their run during the playoffs – valuable minutes for a goaltender that has a bright future ahead of him.

This is also not the end for Hill’s NHL career, with the 22-year-old Canadian having the potential to compete for the team’s backup role as early as next season – depending on how things work out with Kuemper and Antti Raanta’s continuing injury concerns.

While it is a shame to see Hill no longer suit up for the Arizona Coyotes, the move could see him continue to develop in a positive way and the organisation will benefit more from it in the long term.

What do you think of the move Coyotes fans? Are you pleased to see Pickard return or are you disappointed that Hill has been sent down? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!