Upon being named an All-Star for the fourth time, Bill Armstrong opened up on why Clayton Keller has been so impactful for the organization.
Clayton Keller has been through a lot over the course of his tenure with the Arizona Coyotes where many aspects about the organization have changed.
One thing that seems to remain consistent over the past few years is Keller’s All-Star status as he was named an All-Star Thursday night which marks his fourth time, surpassing Keith Tkachuk and Teppo Numminen for the most in Coyotes franchise history.
The 25-year-old does more than just perform on the ice. He truly embraces and represents what it means to be a member of the Coyotes.
“He has been a big part since the day that I have arrived and someone that said that I want to be apart of the rebuild, I want to be apart of the solution and not only has he talked about it, but he has stepped up with it in performance,” Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong said. “A huge year last year, he was able to come off of a major injury and put up huge numbers for us and a huge driving force to give us a little bit of momentum in the summer to sign players.”
“People want to go and play with him. He is a great leader for us. He has to put it out there every single night for us to have a chance to win. So far this season he has put us in a spot where we have a chance to make the playoffs.”
Through 37 games, Keller has 13 goals, 18 assists and 31 points while playing on the team’s first line and power play unit.
For fans that watch Keller on the ice, it’s easy to think that he has reached his peak due to outstanding play. However, Keller is not the kind of man to just be satisfied about where he is at.
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“I think because of his due diligence to improve,” Armstrong said of Keller's success. “He is never happy, he is always pushing. He got a drive inside of him and he wants to help this franchise achieve and get to the next level. You can see that every time he gets on the ice, in the weight room, around the guys, he is pushing. He is unique with his drive, he is a very competitive individual.”
Starting off as a real quiet guy, Keller has blossomed out of his shell, becoming a leader for this Coyotes team. He may not be the most vocal leader, but through his hard work and resilience, Keller is someone that every young player should strive to be.
“He has taken steps inside of the lockeroom to become that leader,” Armstrong said. “When you come into the league, you're heralded, you have a couple good years with points, and all of the sudden you step up and become a leader of your team. A lot of times what he does is by example, the way he practices, the way he works out in the summer. It’s his due diligence to improve. Everybody can see that in the organization. He is a driving force for us.”
Keller is accomplishing all of this and he is only 25-years-old, so it’s just the start of the many great things Keller will continue to do through the rest of his career.