Coyotes president of hockey operations John Chayka provided an honest and unadorned appraisal when asked for his feelings on the organization’s prospect pool.
“The answer is, nobody knows, but the fact is we’ve got a volume of good players at premium positions and to have a good pipeline of defensemen and goalies is something we feel you need to have to be successful,” Chayka said. “How it shakes out, we’ll see, but we’re hopeful through development, time and the right process that we’ll have really good players that join the core of our team as time goes on.”
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We examined the possibility of Coyotes center prospect Barrett Hayton making the NHL roster next season, but let’s take a look at some of the Arizona’s other top prospects to get a sense of the possibilities. The order of the following players does not necessarily reflect their ranking in the Coyotes system. Rankings are a highly inexact science, made more for media lists than they are by organizations.
The development of prospects is rarely linear and often fluid, but the players at the top of their position depth charts are players with a high probability of playing in the NHL. The ones in the middle often have high upside, but may fall more in the project category due to needed development in key areas. The ones near the bottom may project more as depth players.
Center
Barrett Hayton
Shoots: Left
Age (birthday): 18 (June 9)
Height-weight: 6-1, 191
Draft: First round (No. 5) in 2018
Team (league): Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (Ontario Hockey League)
Stats: 39 games, 26 goals, 66 points; 11 playoff games, 6 goals, 16 points
The skinny: Hayton started the season with the Coyotes. He didn’t play any games, but the management and coaching staffs felt it would be valuable just to be around the pro game. Hayton suffered a leg contusion late in the OHL season that sidelined him for a chunk of games, but when he was in the lineup – whether it was the regular season or the playoffs — he produced. He played on the top power-play unit, he developed his skating, he developed his shot and he further honed an already strong 200-foot game. There is an excellent chance he will make the NHL roster next season.
Chayka: “He really focused on the areas of his game that would translate at the next level and I think he homed in on parts of his offensive game to make them pro ready. The center ice position is a difficult position and he does it as well anybody in juniors. He’s in the right position defensively for breakouts, making plays coming out of the breakout, supporting the puck and I thought his penalty killing and his shot improved.
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“He’s very good in tight spaces and that allows him to make his linemates better. It’s a big part of his game as well as the ability to draw people in and make a play to an open man. He’s got a great give-and-go game, too. Those are all things we think can translate really well at the next level.”
Nate Schnarr
Shoots: Right
Age (birthday): 20 (Feb. 25)
Height-weight: 6-3, 190
Draft: Third round (No. 75) in 2017
Team (league): Guelph Storm (OHL)
Stats: 65 games, 34 goals, 102 points; *15 playoff games, 5 goals 15 points
The skinny: Schnarr finished tied for sixth in the OHL in points and is currently playing in the OHL playoff semifinals. He is likely to play for Tucson of the American Hockey League (AHL) next season.
Chayka: “He had a big year. He projects to play but it’s a matter of how high up. He has a big body, high character and a good skill set. How dynamic is he is and his skating are probably the questions as he turns pro. The way he thinks the game, though gives him a chance of playing.”
*- still active
Jan Jenik
Shoots: Left
Age (birthday): 18 (Sept. 15)
Height-weight: 6-1, 180
Draft: Third round (No. 65) in 2018
Team (league): Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
Stats: 27 games, 13 goals, 30 points
The skinny: Jenik began the year with Liberec Bili Tygri in the Czech League but took off after he moved to the OHL, where he will spend next season.
Chayka: “I think he had a somewhat comparable year to a lot of first-round picks. He was good at world juniors and good at Hamilton. He’s got to fill out physically but the playmaking and puck protection and things he has are elite attributes.”
Lane Pedersen
Shoots: Right
Age (birthday): 21 (Aug. 4)
Height-weight: 6-1, 196
Draft: Undrafted free agent
Team (league): Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)
Stats: 67 games, 23 goals, 47 points
The skinny: Pederson projects as more of a depth player but he made offensive strides in his second pro season.
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Chayka: “He’s a reliable and smart 200-foot player but he was able to score at a higher pace this season. If his skating takes a step and his physicality, too, he thinks the game at the NHL level.”
Wings
Nick Merkley
Shoots: Right
Age (birthday): 21 (May 23)
Height-weight: 5-10, 194
Draft: First round (No. 30) 2015
Team (league): Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)
Stats: 45 games, 10 goals, 34 points
The skinny: Merkley took time to find his legs and game again after returning from a second ACL tear. No player in the Coyotes’ system has overcome more obstacles.
Chayka: “Nick’s biggest issue is he hasn’t played a lot of games. At the end of the season, he looked like he was back to being the old Nick Merkley. When he played on a line with (Dylan) Strome and (Lawson) Crouse down there they were one of the most productive lines in the AHL. Strome and Crouse have turned out to be good NHL players and hopefully will become better ones. Nick just had all these setbacks, but physically, he came back and then mentally he had to come back and then get his rhythm and timing. I’m excited to see him at (training) camp and he’s a right shot which is helpful. When he has played he has been a productive player for us he just hasn’t been able to stay healthy. I think we’re all hoping that is behind him.”
Brayden Burke
Shoots: Left
Age (birthday): 22 (Jan. 1)
Height-weight: 5-10, 170
Draft: Undrafted free agent
Team (league): Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)
Stats: 67 games, 13 goals, 33 points
The skinny: Burke finished the 2017-18 Western Hockey League (WHL) season fourth in points with 113 for Moose Jaw, leading the Coyotes to take a flier.
Chayka: “Whether it’s fair or not, we look at him like we look at Conor Garland. He’s got a lot of similarities. They have a similar stature and mindset. Conor went through a long process so Brayden’s got a long way to go but he thinks quick and he makes a lot of plays. He ran our power play a lot of times down there and he had a good first year of pro hockey.”
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Tyler Steenbergen
Shoots: Left
Age (birthday): 21 (Jan. 7)
Height-weight: 5-10, 188
Draft: Fifth round (No. 128) 2017
Team (league): Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)
Stats: 63 games, 9 goals, 22 points
The skinny: Steenbergen had 122 points in his final WHL season with Swift Current.
Chayka: “He got a lot of ice time. He’s a bit different from the others in that he’s more of that dependable, mature 200-foot, penalty killer. Coaches trust his game.”
Others: Michael Bunting (fourth round, 2014), Jens Looke (third round, 2015), Hudson Fasching (fourth, No. 118 by Los Angeles)
Defensemen
Ty Emberson
Shoots: Right
Age (birthday): 18 (May 23)
Height-weight: 6-1, 195
Draft: Third round (No. 73) 2018
Team (league): Wisconsin (Big Ten)
Stats: 37 games, 4 goals 12 points
The skinny: Emberson played two years with the U.S. National Team Development Program before his freshman season at Wisconsin under coach Tony Granato. He appeared in al 37 games for the Badgers and ranked among the top five freshman defensemen in the Big Ten in points.
Chayka: “He had a great year, played a lot of minutes as a freshman in the NCAA which is a tough thing to do. He’s a guy who skates at an NHL level and is strong and physical at an NHL level. In terms of a timeline and where’s he’s at in his progress, it’s all positive.”
Cameron Crotty
Shoots: Right
Age (birthday): 19 (May 5)
Height-weight: 6-2, 190
Draft: Third round (No. 82) 2017
Team (league): Boston University (Hockey East)
Stats: 38 games, 5 goals, 10 points
The skinny: Before the 2017 draft, multiple outlets tabbed Crotty as a sleeper pick because of his strong two-way game and excellent skating skills.
Chayka: “He had a big year at BU and got invited to Team Canada World Junior Camp. We weren’t expecting him to be in that position but his year was so good that they couldn’t ignore it. He’s not flashy or running the power play, but he’s a right-handed defenseman that moves the puck and is hard to play against and can cover a lot of ice and has great feet. He checks a lot of the pro boxes.”
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P.O. Joseph
Age (birthday): 19 (July 1)
Height-weight: 6-2, 168
Draft: First round (No. 23)
Team (league): Drummondville Voltigeurs
Stats: 62 games, 9 goals, 47 points
The skinny: Like his brother, Mathieu, a forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Joseph is waiting for his body to fill in. That is his greatest challenge as he eyes a probable first pro season with Tucson of the AHL next season. By all accounts, the Coyotes could not have selected a higher character player.
Chayka: “PO gets compared to a lot of our other first-round picks and that’s not fair to compare him to top-10 picks, top-12 picks. At that point (bottom third) of the draft you either pick a player closer to playing that has a lower ceiling or you pick a player with a higher ceiling that may take some time. PO is the latter. He has come along, slow and steady, but he is doing a lot of good things, playing at Drummondville in big minutes. He’s a guy that has the growth potential and may take more time but he has a chance to be a top-four defenseman.”
Kevin Bahl
Shoots: Left
Age (birthday): 18 (June 27)
Height-weight: 6-6, 236
Draft: Second round (No. 55) 2018
Team (league): Ottawa 67s (OHL)
Stats: 68 games, 6 goals, 34 points
The skinny: Bahl’s size and physical brand of hockey (87 penalty minutes) are a rarity. He has worked diligently on his skating game with skating coach Dawn Braid. Bahl is currently playing in the OHL playoffs where Ottawa has advanced to the championship round, going 12-0 in the first three rounds in sweeps of Hamilton, Sudbury and Oshawa. He has a chance to play for the Memorial Cup.
Chayka: “Kevin Bahl had a good year of progress,. He’s just an intriguing guy because his ceiling is so high and he’s so unique. We don’t have anyone like him in the organization.”
Kyle Capobianco
Age (birthday): 21 (Aug. 13)
Height-weight: 6-1, 196
Draft: Third round (No. 63) 2015
Team (league): Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)
Stats: 40 games, 7 goals, 32 points
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The skinny: Capobianco’s offensive game took off this season for Tucson, hinting at some potential, but he tore his ACL on a hit from Columbus’ Nick Foligno on Feb. 7 and faces a long rehab.
Coach Rick Tocchet: “I really feel bad for ‘Capo.’ He’s a promising young defenseman. He’s going to have to rehab and put some work in to get back to this level.”
Filip Westerlund
Shoots: Right
Age (birthday): 20 (April 17)
Height-weight: 5-11, 180
Draft: Second round (No. 44) 2017
Team (league): Timra IK (Sweden)
Stats: 23 games, 3 goals, 4 points
The skinny: Westerlund was playing for Swedish powerhouse Frolunda in more of a depth role. He started to play in the top four then lost ice time to players coming back to the team and was traded. He enjoyed more ice time with Timra and played top pairing minutes at the world juniors, then suffered a shoulder labrum injury that required surgery, ending his season. He should be ready for training camp.
Chayka: “He’s a good lesson in terms of prospect development. There’s a lot of variables. It’s not always linear. We are still considering our options, including playing him in Tucson or keeping him in the SHL; giving him one more year to play big minutes. He’s a right-shot D who is really smart with good skill set — kind of a modern defenseman in the way he plays and skates and moves the puck.”
Mike Callahan
Shoots: Left
Age (birthday): 19 (Sept. 23)
Height-weight: 6-2, 197
Draft: Fifth round (No. 142) 2018
Team (league): Providence (Hockey East)
Stats: 41 games, 2 goals, 10 points
The skinny: Callahan competed in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the semifinals where Providence lost to eventual champion Minnesota Duluth.
Others: Michael Karrow (2017, fifth round), Dean Stewart (2016, seventh round), Dennis Busby (2018, fifth round). The Coyotes probably will not re-sign 2017 fourth-round pick Noel Hoefenmayer.
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Goaltenders
Adin Hill
Age (birthday): 22 (May 11)
Height-weight: 6-6, 202
Draft: Third round (No. 76) 2015
Team (league): Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)
Stats: 36 games, 2.61 goals against average, .906 save percentage
The skinny: Hill will likely require one more year of seasoning in Tucson before the Coyotes make a decision on his NHL future. With Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper under contract, there is no rush, but he would be the first call-up in case of injuries.
Chayka: “To see his development over the years and how he’s playing is a positive sign for our organization.”
Ivan Prosvetov
Age (birthday): 20 (March 5)
Height-weight: 6-5, 175
Draft: Fourth round (No. 114) 2018
Team (league): Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Stats: 53 games, 2.94 GAA, .910 SP: 12 playoff games, 2.38 GAA, .930 SP
The skinny: Prosvetov was suspended five games for batting a puck into the stands during Saginaw’s OHL semifinal series with Guelph, which the Spirit lead, 3-1. He must sit for three more games which could cost him the start of the OHL Championship series against Ottawa. The Coyotes are extremely high on Prosvetov, who will need more time to develop but is viewed as having as high an upside as any goalie in the system.
Chayka: “The upside and the potential, minus the suspension, is immense. He was having an unbelievable playoffs.”
Merrick Madsen
Age (birthday): 23 (Aug. 22)
Height-weight: 6-5, 190
Draft: Sixth round (No. 162) 2013 (by Philadelphia)
Team (league): Norfolk Admirals (ECHL)/Tucson Roadrunners (AHL):
Stats: 11 AHL games, 2.70 GAA, .889 SP.
The skinny: Madsen had hip surgery so his future is cloudy until he proves he can return from that injury.
Chayka: “He stepped up and did some good things in Tucson. Some goalies have come back from that surgery and actually gotten more mobile and flexible so we’re anxious to see how it plays out.”
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Erik Kallgren
Age (birthday): 22 (Oct. 14)
Height-weight: 6-2, 181
Draft: Seventh round (No. 183) 2015
Team (league): AIK (Sweden)
Stats: 32 games, 2.02 GAA, .920 SP
The skinny: The Coyotes signed Kallgren to a two-year, entry-level contract in April based on scouting and his performance in Sweden this past season.
Chayka: “He’s a seventh-round pick and I didn’t get a chance to see him a lot other than video here and there, but I trust my staff. They have done a nice job of stocking our pipeline and (goaltending coaches) Corey (Schwab) and Zac (Bierk) and Clay (Adams) kind of pounded the table and said we’ve got to sign this guy. They think there is NHL ability there. He’s a little older so he’s more advanced. They tell me he has all the attributes, the size, reads the play well and has an A-plus mindset and work ethic.”
Hunter Miska
Age (birthday): 23 (July 7)
Height-weight: 6-1, 175
Draft: Undrafted
Team (league): Tucson Roadrunners (AHL)
Stats: 25 games, 3.08 GAA, .895 SP.
The skinny: Miska may be falling behind other Coyotes goaltending prospects in projections.
Others: David Tendeck (sixth round, 2018) The Coyotes will lose the rights to Marek Langhamer (seventh round, 2017) this summer and they probably won’t re-sign him.
(Photo of Nate Schnarr on Feb. 13, 2019: Tom Szczerbowski / Getty Images)