Here are the three most underrated players on the Coyotes to start this season.
To start the season, the Arizona Coyotes have had a number of players that continue to play impressive hockey.
Here are the most underrated Coyotes players up to this point.
Liam O'Brien:
While Liam O’Brien’s stats may not shock anyone, he provides traits that are not necessarily seen on the stat sheet.
The Coyotes are a young team that need to learn how to play a physical brand of hockey and that’s exactly what O’Brien brings to the table.
Through the first seven games of the season, O’Brien has made it a priority to play the role of enforcer which is a valuable one for any team.
Each and every time O’Brien is on the ice, he plays with aggression and passion, really helping set the tone for the rest of the Coyotes.
Michael Carcone:
Michael Carcone is a player who was outstanding in the AHL for the Tucson Roadrunners tallying 31 goals, 54 assists and 84 points. Through the start of this season for Arizona, Carcone has proved why he was so great for the Roadrunners.
Carcone has one goal and one assist through his first six games.
Standing at 5’9’’, Carcone is not the biggest guy but he makes up for it as he plays with a ton of heart. Carcone’s underrated speed along with his work ethic when on the ice has been really impressive to watch.
Being undrafted, Carcone has been doubted all of his life and should continue to prove everyone wrong.
Juuso Välimäki:
On October 9, 2022, the Coyotes picked defenceman Juuso Välimäki off of waivers. He is turning out to be one of Arizona’s best waiver pickups in recent memory.
After stepping in becoming a top defenceman for the Coyotes last year, Välimäki has carried that into this season.
He currently has a total of three assists and is playing 18:17 minutes a game which ranks him eighth amongst all players on the team.
Välimäki also serves a valuable role as the quarterback and lone defenceman on the Coyotes second wave of the power play which should not be overlooked.