With the No. 12 overall pick, the Arizona Coyotes should strongly consider selecting left winger Andrew Cristall.
With the No. 12 overall pick, the Arizona Coyotes select …Andrew Cristall from the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL.
Why pick him? The 18-year-old left winger had 39 goals, 56 assists and 95 points for the Rockets in 54 games this past season. Cristall is known for his high hockey IQ as he is an excellent playmaker and is very dynamic with the puck. He has soft hands which makes him a threat to score whenever on the ice.
Standing at 5 '10'’, size is a bit of a concern still putting into question if Cristall can translate his game to the NHL level but his upside is so high that it might be worth the Coyotes taking the gamble. Cristall has the potential to be a major asset to any team’s power play due to his magic with the puck and ability to create plays.
He fits the Coyotes young core of talented forwards that includes Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther and Matias Maccelli.
The Coyotes have two picks in the first round so while Cristall might take more time to develop, Arizona has the leverage to select him. Cristall has great potential in the NHL and if he falls into the Coyotes lap at 12th overall, they should strongly consider taking him.
What Scouts say: "Cristall is a magician with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone, deking and dangling opponents with quick and precise hands. He can rip a snap shot from the home plate area in the offensive zone or make a pass so pretty, you’d marvel at how it got to its destination," The Hockey News’ Tony Ferrari said.
Other options: If the Coyotes are in search of a different forward at the 12th pick, they could go after players such as Eduard Sale, Colby Barlow and Matthew Wood. The most notable defenseman that should be available at this selection is Axel Sandin Pellikka who is arguably the best skater out of all the defensive prospects in the draft pool.
What else is on the agenda: The Coyotes seem to be in a more competitive state which was shown when they acquired defenseman Sean Durzi from the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Don’t expect Arizona to make a huge splash this summer but the team might continue the trend of making moves that better position themselves for short-term success.