Arizona Coyotes Top 20 Prospects

The dog days of summer are finally here for hockey fans. All the excitement of the draft has finally evaporated and Free Agent Frenzy has passed. As of now, NHL teams are holding their prospect development camps to get an idea of how their new shiny toys stack up versus their other prospects.

October appears to be a light-year away. Fortunately for you, Frozen Futures has you covered. Each day we will be going over the Top 20 Prospects for a team in the NHL. From Anaheim to Winnipeg, we have you covered. This post is the Arizona Coyotes Top 20 Prospects

We will consider all players who have played in 65 NHL games or less before the age of 24 as prospects.

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Up until recently, the Arizona Coyotes have been negligent of trying to properly rebuild. Often considered a bubble team in the Western Conference, the Coyotes were never shoe-ins for a lottery pick. This led to the Coyotes possessing a rather underwhelming array of prospects until the 2013 NHL Draft, no offense to Connor Murphy, Brandon Gormley and Lucas Lessio.

Even after taking Dylan Strome third overall at the 2015 NHL Draft, Max Domi remains as the Coyotes’ top prospect. Domi is a super exciting player to watch and captivates defenders with his shiftiness. His high-end offensive talents cannot be ignored and propel him to the top of the Coyotes prospect rankings.

Jun 26, 2015; Sunrise, FL, USA; Dylan Strome poses for a photo after being selected as the number three overall pick to the Arizona Coyotes in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The second best prospect in the Arizona Coyotes system is obviously Dylan Strome. Strome has the potential to be the Coyotes’ top center for many years to come. He could possibly form a filthy offensive tandem with Max Domi in the future.

Coming in at third is Anthony Duclair who was acquired in the trade that sent Keith Yandle to the New York Rangers. Duclair is famously known as Max Domi’s linemate from the 2015 World Junior Championships and helped Team Canada win a gold medal. Duclair adds to the high-end offensive talent that the Coyotes have drafted in recent years.

Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Brendan Perlini smiles as he puts on a team sweater after being selected as the number twelve overall pick to the Arizona Coyotes in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Brendan Perlini, the Coyotes 12th overall pick from the 2014 NHL Draft, finds himself at fourth in the top 20 Arizona Coyotes prospects. Perlini is a leader for the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL and brings a package of size, speed and on-ice intelligence. He’s a dynamic winger, who could find himself playing in a top 6 role.

Perhaps a controversial pick, Nick Merkley slids in as the 5th best prospect in the Arizona Coyotes system. Don’t let his small stature fool you, he has tantalizing vision and is a superb passer. He will have to work hard to make the jump to the NHL, but I think he will be able to tailor his game to make it at the next level.

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Who do you think is the #1 prospect in the Arizona Coyotes system? Vote in the poll below!

Next: Top 20 Prospects: Anaheim Ducks