Toronto Maple Leafs coach, Sheldon Keefe, warned André Tourigny about Alexander Kerfoot's positive impact prior to the start of the season.
The Arizona Coyotes increased their forward depth this summer by adding Alexander Kerfoot.
Kerfoot played with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the past four seasons prior to his arrival to the Valley. Last year he had 10 goals, 22 assists and 32 points.
Through the first 22 games, Kerfoot has produced one goal, eight assists and nine points, but his impact goes far beyond just the statsheet.
The 29-year-old forward does it all, playing on both sides of special teams while using his extremely scrappy and quick game to make an impact for his team.
Kerfoot is a player that all teams would love to have which is why his former coach, Sheldon Keefe, had such high regard for him.
“Before the start of the season, we had a coaches and GM meeting in Chicago and Sheldon Keefe told me and said ‘you will like him’ and I said ‘ya I think we will like him’ and he said ‘no, no no, you don’t understand, you will love him.’ He said, he is really good in every situation, in every game, he competes, he is such a brain. Everything he said I can copy and paste. System, structure, awareness, urgency, leadership, maturity, he has it all.”
The best way to describe Kerfoot is a jack of all traits. He is a player that coaches dream to have on their roster as he puts 100 percent effort into anything he does on the ice.
Since Hayton went down with an upper-body injury, Kefoot has stepped up on the first wave of the power play. He also still serves as one of the Coyotes most effective penalty killers.
It took a little bit of time for Kerfoot to adjust to his new team but now he is certainly thriving and has made a name for himself here in Arizona.
Keefe told Tourigny he would ‘love’ Kerfoot and that seems to be the case 22 games into the season.