Arizona Coyotes: Mark Kastelic worth late-round draft consideration
By James Reeve
The Arizona Coyotes are at the forefront of developing hockey in the state and one native player could be worth consideration in the 2019 draft.
With the long-term future of the Arizona Coyotes still on the minds of many, doing as much as possible to build a strong following within the Copper State is always a top priority.
So whenever a player emerges from Arizona that could have some interesting NHL potential, the organisation should certainly give them some serious consideration.
Arizona State’s Johnny Walker is one young player hailing from Phoenix that has been linked with the Coyotes once he decides to move away from college, but there is one other player from the state that could be deserving of some consideration in the upcoming draft.
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Mark Kastelic, also from Phoenix, is currently an overage player with the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League.
Kastelic turned 20 years old this month and will be entering the NHL Entry Draft for a third and final time, hoping that a team takes a swing on a player that has developed later than some.
The Hitmen’s captain has 77 points (47 goals, 30 assists) in just 66 regular season games this season, the first campaign he has averaged more than a point-per-game.
In his four-year major juniors career, Kastelic has 88 goals and 167 total points in 263 regular season games – managing just two assists in nine playoff games over that stretch.
The centreman’s large frame is something that wouldn’t look out of place in today’s NHL, with Kastelic standing at an impressive 6-foot-3 and 220lbs.
This year’s performances saw him rewarded with a place on the WHL’s Eastern Conference Second All-Star Team, the only member of the Hitmen to be represented.
Kastelic started his career playing at various levels for the Phoenix Jr Coyotes before being selected in the second round (41st overall) in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.
With Auston Matthews leading the way for players in Arizona, there is a lot of attention on the next generation of players that can help build more interest in the sport in the state.
While not likely to be a top-six forward, Kastelic could find himself developing his game with the Tucson Roadrunners before being given an opportunity with the Arizona Coyotes if the organisation believes he has something to offer.
He is currently ranked the 196th best North American skater in the 2019 draft, meaning that the team wouldn’t have to consider taking him until the very last few rounds.
Selected Kastelic in the seventh round of the draft wouldn’t cause much disappointment among fans, with such a late round selection being viewed as a low-cost gamble for any NHL team.
Having a player born and raised in the state could add to the appeal of the Arizona Coyotes/Tucson Roadrunners organisation, giving young fans and aspiring hockey players hope that one day it could be them being selected by their favourite team.
Considering the low-risk attached to selecting an overage player so late in the draft, the Arizona Coyotes should certainly give Kastelic a closer look – even if it is just a way to work on developing home-grown players within their system and work to build a stronger connection with the local area.
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What do you think Coyotes fans? Should the team give Kastelic a look in this year’s draft? What do you think about the idea of having home-grown players being developed within the team’s system and giving hope to younger, aspiring players in Arizona? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!