Going into the 2023-24 season, the Arizona Coyotes' young core has the potential to make major strides.
For the longest time, hockey fans in the Valley have had to wait for the Arizona Coyotes’ young core to transition from a fantasy dream into a reality.
Now the future of what general manager Bill Armstrong has envisioned for the Coyotes is finally starting to come to fruition.
Some key pieces the Coyotes have drafted over the years are beginning to crack the surface and make a real impact in the NHL.
It all starts with Clayton Keller who at just 24-years-old, has solidified himself as a legitimate All-Star caliber player coming off a career year tallying 37 goals 49 assists and 86 points. Keller was drafted by the Coyotes with the seventh overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft and since his first full season in 2017-18, he has steadily improved his game each year.
Two years after drafting Keller, the Coyotes had the fifth overall pick in the 2018 draft where the team selected center Barrett Hayton. The young center went through a transition period in his rookie campaign in 2021-22 but this past season he really started to find his stride especially in the second half of the year. Hayton served a valuable role as a top-six forward and ended the year with 19 goals, 24 assists and 43 points.
Another player who broke out last season for the Coyotes was forward Matias Maccelli. He was picked by Arizona in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. The 22-year-old made the 2022-23 NHL All-Rookie Team after he had 11 goals, 38 assists and 49 points. He seemed to gain confidence as the year progressed and continued to prove how valuable he could be in the future.
One of the Coyotes’ promising young defenseman, J.J. Moser really showed tremendous strides as he played all 82 games where he had seven goals, 24 assists and 31 points. The 23-year-old played a big role on the power play and really was able to find his role on the team.
The Coyotes’ young core took a step in the right direction last season but have a chance to make even bigger improvements with more experience under their belt.
Arizona’s top forward prospects Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther are also expected to join the team this season. Both were selected within the top-ten of their respective drafts in 2021 and 2022. The two talented young forwards have the potential to make an immediate impact for the Coyotes.
It's an exciting time to be a Coyotes fan. While the team may not be a contender in the Western Conference just yet, they are starting to build the groundwork of what should be a very promising future.