The Arizona Coyotes feature a roster loaded with young pups this season. All the news out of training camp was about hotshot rookie, Dylan Guenther making the Arizona Coyotes roster. Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny however is giving several other young prospects a chance to play up with the big club early in this NHL season too.
Jack McBain
The Canadian center was drafted 63rd overall by the Minnesota Wild in 2018. He played for four years at Boston College where he had 86 points in 117 college games. The Coyotes acquired his rights from the Wild last March for a 2nd round draft pick.
McBain then played in 10 games for the Coyotes before the regular season concluded. In this small sample size, he managed to scored 2 goals and 1 assist in those 10 games. McBain is only 22 years old and stands at 6’3”. He should be able to play a solid bottom-6 role for the Coyotes this season.
Matias Maccelli
The Finnish Winger was drafted 98th overall by the Coyotes at the 2019 NHL Draft. He spent most of last season playing for the Coyotes farm team, Tucson Roadrunners. He scored 14 goals and 57 points in 47 games with the Roadrunners last season.
Once he was called up by the Coyotes he did not fare as well and only managed 1 goal and 6 points in 23 NHL games. He also showed some flashes of brilliance while playing for Finland at the 2020 World Juniors Tournament. The recently turned 22-year-old Maccelli will play on the wing in Arizona’s bottom-6.
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Janis “J.J.” Moser
The Swiss Defenseman was drafted 60th overall by Arizona at the 2021 NHL Draft. Out of the players already mentioned he has the most NHL experience with 43 games last season. He managed 15 points with the Coyotes last year.
Like Maccelli he was more effective playing for the Tucson Roadrunners where he scored 5 goals and 12 points in only 18 AHL games. The 22-year-old Moser will play as a top-4 defensemen this season in Arizona. He has started this season off by playing on the top defensive pairing alongside veteran, Troy Stetcher.
All three of these prospects come from elite levels of developmental hockey and all three should be able to become NHL regulars. Moser has taken on the largest role of the three and clearly has the trust of Coyotes head coach Andre Tourigny.