The Coyotes offer some sneaky-good fantasy options, if you care to take a look. So, take a look.
Outlook
Last season:
28-40-14, 7th Central, 27th overall.
2.74 GF/GP (27th), 3.60 GA/GP (24th), 18.9 PP% (24th), 74.6 PK% (27th)
45.13 5v5 CF% (29th), 45.62 5v5 GF% (26th), 44.45 5v5 xGF% (28th)
The Coyotes are an eternally moribund franchise constantly facing an uncertain future. Yet, there’s something endearing about an ice hockey team in the desert, and it’s not like the franchise is bereft of beloved players or memorable playoff runs. Under GM Bill Armstrong, this is a franchise on an upward trajectory and the “nobody believes in us” factor is off the charts.
When all the young talent they’ve accumulated come together, the Coyotes are going to be good. Some of the key pieces are already there. There’s Clayton Keller, the elite scorer who came back stronger than ever from a broken leg, and ranks 41st in the fantasy rankings coming off an 86-point season. Right winger Nick Schmaltz, ranked 108th, has scored almost at a point per game pace (0.93) for two seasons now. Barrett Hayton, the fifth overall pick in 2018 who was supposed to be their two-way lynchpin down the middle, broke out with 43 points and, for the first time, registers on the fantasy radar. Together, they formed one of the better lines in the league last season.
The prize this season, however, is the Coyotes’ self-proclaimed “best prospect in the world” Logan Cooley, who spurned the University of Minnesota late in the summer and forewent his sophomore season to turn pro. While his talent dictates he should be the No. 1 pivot, it won’t happen right away, and Hayton had worked so well between Keller and Schmaltz. Cooley is in contention for the Calder behind Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli, and he cracks the fantasy rankings at No. 189 – no small feat for a rookie when most tend to get overhyped and disappoint in their first season. Cooley's ability to generate offense off the rush will be incredibly exciting to see.
The Coyotes were smart to surround their young players with veterans, including Jason Zucker and Alex Kerfoot. Both are solid middle-six players, and Zucker’s 197 hits last season – which was more than double his previous career-high of 87 – gives him fantastic banger league value.
The fantasy options don’t end there. There’s Matias Maccelli, who scored at a 62-point pace last season and finished fourth in Calder voting. Lawson Crouse has now scored 20 goals in back-to-back seasons and inching ever closer to 200 hits per season. Like Zucker, Crouse possesses sneaky banger league value. Want more? There’s Jack McBain, who finished second in the league with 304 hits, and at one point scored six points and made 21 hits in six games in a performance that could’ve turned the tide in any head-to-head matchup.
Defense is a little harder to figure out, but adding Matt Dumba should stabilize a group that does not have a standout player. The most intriguing fantasy option is Sean Durzi, acquired via trade and expected to quarterback their power play after doing a fine job for the Kings’ second unit last season. Durzi is the only Coyotes defenseman to be ranked, and at least 15 power-play points and over 20 minutes of ice time per game are all but guaranteed.
Seriously, don’t sleep on the Coyotes. There’s awesome value in the middle rounds.
Projected Lineup
Clayton Keller – Barrett Hayton – Nick Schmaltz
Jason Zucker – Logan Cooley – Alex Kerfoot
Matias Maccelli – Nick Bjugstad – Lawson Crouse
Liam O’Brien – Jack McBain – Travis Boyd
Matt Dumba – Sean Durzi
J.J. Moser – Troy Stecher
Juuso Valimaki – Victor Söderström
Karel Vejmelka – Connor Ingram
PP1
Keller – Hayton – Schmaltz – Cooley – Durzi
PP2
Maccelli – Boyd – Zucker – Crouse – Moser
Player Rankings
The Hockey News Fantasy Guide Top 3 Point Projections:
Clayton Keller, 93 points
Nick Schmaltz, 68 points
Barrett Hayton, 64 points
(Point projections for all players are available in The Hockey News NHL Fantasy Guide 2023-24. Get the Fantasy Guide for FREE when you subscribe today.)
Top 300 Ranked Coyotes (Full List, including individual player write-ups):
41. Clayton Keller, LW/RW
108. Nick Schmaltz, C/RW
137. Karel Vejmelka, G
189. Logan Cooley, C
201. Jason Zucker, LW
211. Barrett Hayton, C
222. Lawson Crouse, LW
224. Matias Maccelli, LW
277. Sean Durzi, D
Top 300 Ranked Coyotes (Banger League) (Full List):
51. Clayton Keller, LW/RW
131. Lawson Crouse, LW
135. Nick Schmaltz, C/RW
162. Jason Zucker, LW
201. Sean Durzi, D
202. Barrett Hayton, C
224. Karel Vejmelka, G
227. Logan Cooley, C
250. Jack McBain, C
286. Matias Maccelli, LW
298. Juuso Valimaki, D
All positions courtesy Yahoo Fantasy.
Breakout Star
It has to be Logan Cooley. Obviously, playing time will dictate how Cooley will be in fantasy. Top-line minutes and a role on the top power play unit makes Cooley worthy of drafting, not to mention he’s already ranked 86th in my dynasty rankings that projects forward three years. To do so, however, he’ll have to unseat Hayton from the top line, and also contend with other players who have played between Keller and Schmaltz in the past, including Travis Boyd.
The good news is that the Coyotes’ beefed-up depth on the wings means Cooley won’t be without any quality linemates, and that’s not including top prospect Dylan Guenther, who was not included in the projected lineup but could win a role on the second or third lines.
Regression Candidate
Matias Maccelli was surprisingly effective in his rookie season but don’t get too enamored by his point production. He averaged less than one shot per game, doesn’t provide a lot of hits or blocks, and shot an elite 18 percent last season. Considering the Coyotes also added Kerfoot and Zucker, Maccelli’s minutes at even strength and on the power play will surely be challenged. He’s ranked outside the top 200 in my fantasy rankings for this reason.
Goalies
If the Coyotes really end up at the bottom of the standings again, we can point to goaltending as their biggest fault. Karel Vejmelka has a really tough job, but for the second straight season he had a sub-.900 SP and a GAA above 3.00.
He was able to shut out his opponents three times, which was mighty impressive, but that’s just further proof that he’s little more than a quality streaming option when most goalies on mediocre teams aren’t even worth considering. The Coyotes still aren’t reliable enough to ensure that Vejmelka won’t get shelled every night, and while he can rack up the saves, that may not be the case this season with a deeper blueline that’s highlighted by the acquisitions of Dumba (116 blocks) and Durzi (142 blocks).
