Phoenix Coyotes Training Camp Report

[Parker]

While most Coyotes roster spots are expected to be occupied by players returning from last year's team, several spots have opened up due to offseason moves made by the club. The Mike Richards trade netted the loss of one top-six forward (and one defenseman if the team believes Ricard Blidstrand isn't ready for a full-time role) and trades of Chris Higgins and part-time player Boyd Gordon create a couple of vacancies at centre on the 3rd and 4th lines. As well, the team was forced to let Ed Jovanovski depart as a free agent, but the return of veteran Kurt Sauer to full-time duty should somewhat mitigate this loss.

Most of the team's regulars have been dressing for preseason games, due to the coaching staff's wishes to rekindle team chemistry and allow certain players to get back into game shape. However with some veterans sitting out, the team has allowed certain prospects to showcase their skills, possibly giving rise to the idea that the team doesn't yet have its 2013-14 roster finalized. This reporter was allowed to share with readers some of the team's scouting reports of players on the bubble:

C/LW Vladislav Namestnikov
Acquired: 2011 Entry Draft, 30th overall
Projection: 2nd line centre
Scouting: Born leader. Outstanding puck control and lightning-quick on his skates. Good shooter, solid playmaker, solid defensively with chippy physical game. Above-average in faceoff circle. Needs to add bulk and strength. Some concerns over inconsistency. Smaller than a prototypical power forward; durability may be an issue.
Synopsis: 2011 1st round pick Namestnikov put up great numbers for London of the OHL, and while he struggled initially at the AHL level, he found his groove in 2012-13 with 65 points in 77 games for Portland. Impressive so far in the preseason, Namestnikov appears to be competing with Tomas Hertl and Joseph Labate for Chris Higgins' former job at 3rd line centre, though so far in preseason play Namestnikov has been playing on the wing, leading to speculation he may see time on the 2nd line.

C/L Tomas Hertl
Acquired: 2012 Entry Draft, 22nd overall
Projection: 3rd line centre
Scouting: Very mature for his age. Outstanding faceoff man. Very quick and balanced on his skates. Scrappy and physical defensive game, solid all-around defensively. Decent offensively, solid shooting but mediocre playmaking.
Synopsis: 2012 1st round pick Hertl has moved quickly through the system, putting up big numbers for Slavia Praha before signing with the Coyotes and being assigned to Portland late in the 2012-13 season. Hertl impressed the front office in his 20-game stint with the Pirates, showing strong two-way play and holding his own offensively. Hertl has been playing between Ryan Stone and 2010 draftee Gal Koren on the 3rd line in preseason play.

C/L Joseph Labate
Acquired: 2011 Entry Draft, 46th overall
Projection: 2nd line centre/winger
Scouting: Very hard worker. Strong accurate shot. Very good checker with strong physical game. Solid in faceoff circle. Tough and intense. Decent puck control and playmaking. Needs to bulk up as well as work on his defensive positioning.
Synopsis: The Coyotes' second pick in 2011 was a force in the WCHA, averaging almost a goal per game over two seasons at the University of Minnesota. Labate signed for the 2012-13 season where he scored 20 goals and 40 points in his rookie season for Portland, with strong play on both sides of the puck. With some concerns over his positioning and only average faceoff ability, Labate may see more time on the wing than at centre over his career, but for now, at least during preseason games, the team has reunited the Portland line of Labate centering fellow 2011 2nd rounder Logan Shaw and 2009 pick Chris Brown.

G Matt McNeely
Acquired: 2011 Entry Draft, 50th overall
Projection: Tandem/1B Starter
Scouting: Talented and atheletic netminder. Unfazed by pressure. Sometimes inconsistent, but loves to play in big games. Continues to improve; could challenge for starting duties.
Synopsis: The second of Phoenix's 2011 2nd rounders, McNeely continues to succeed everywhere he plays. With a GAA of 2.10, save percentage of .922, and 11 shutouts across two seasons at the University of Minnesota, McNeely also adds backstopping Team USA to silver at the World Juniors in 2012 and gold in 2013 to his resume. Though he has yet to make his professional debut, his future appears bright and some expect him to challenge Thomas Greiss for the Coyotes backup role in 2013-14.

L/R Logan Shaw
Acquired: 2011 Entry Draft, 60th overall
Projection: 3rd line winger
Scouting: Hard-hitting winger with some offensive skills. Intense and tough but clean player. Good shot, but somewhat limited making plays or controlling the puck. Average skater, needs to work on positioning, needs to bulk up; shows potential to be a physical force. Very durable. Drives hard to the puck but lacks the finishing skills to be an elite scorer.
Synopsis: The last of three 2011 2nd picks for Phoenix, Shaw plays a hard-nosed game, taking no quarter in the corners and wowing fans with impressive hits. Though he scored 56 goals for Cape Breton in the Q, scouts believe his NHL future lies in more of a checking/enforcing role. He started slowly in his rookie AHL season last year but finished strong, scoring more than half his season's total goals in the final month and impressing in the playoffs. He's been playing preseason games with his Portland linemates Labate and Brown, and is expected to compete for a spot on the Coyotes' 3rd or 4th line.

L/R Chris Brown
Acquired: 2009 Entry Draft, 36th overall
Projection: 4th line winger
Scouting: Gritty and physical. Never takes a shift off. Willing to drop the gloves, even when outclassed. Needs to work on his skating.
Synopsis: Brown shows some talent, with 14 goals in his AHL rookie season and 19 in 60 games last season. As well, he scored 4 points in 15 NHL games on the Coyotes' 4th line, showing he can at least compete at the highest level. His wanton physical game fits the Coyotes team philosophy well, and he should get a long look for full-time job this year.

L/R Gal Koren
Acquired: 2010 Entry Draft, 110th overall
Projection: 3rd/4th line winger
Scouting: Tough as nails. A ferocious fighter who picks his battles. Surprisingly solid all-around. No real weaknesses in game, other than occasional inconsistency. Not an elite talent, but shows flashes of brilliance. Could bulk up more.
Synopsis: German prospect Gal Koren is another product of the Coyotes' successful 2010 draft, showing a strong two-way game at Portland (28 goals, +/- +30) and earning a chance to compete for a spot in Phoenix's lineup.

D Ricard Blidstrand
Acquired: Trade with Detroit
Projection: 5th defenseman
Scouting: Very good checker, consistently solid defender overall. Finishes his checks. Shows some talent for moving the puck. Needs to build his strength.
Synopsis: Acquired in the Mike Richards trade (after being traded to Detroit for Alex Grant and after being acquired from Detroit for a package including Jared Staal and Jonas Ahnelov) Blidstrand is a consistent force on the blueline. Not especially flashy, but not prone to mistakes. Blidstrand held his own in 22 games for Detroit last season and is expected to compete for the 6th defenseman role this season.

D Bryan Allen
Acquired: Signed as a free agent
Projection: 6th defenseman
Scouting: Solid defensive defenseman. Doesn't show much flair on offense. Plays a gritty physical game but sometimes takes bad penalties. Good dressing room presence. Leads by example with hard work.
Synopsis: After a solid season split between Nashville and Columbus in 2011-12, Allen's contract demands were unrealistic and he found himself without a job for 2012-13. Eager to get back into the game, Allen will do his best to earn a place on the Coyotes roster.

D Sam Grist
Acquired: Trade with Toronto
Projection: 6th defenseman/enforcer
Scouting: As tough as they come, and willing to fight anyone. Delivers bone-jarring hits, yet shows surprising technical checking ability. Needs to work on defensive positioning. Often takes bad penalties, but leaves it all on the ice every shift.
Synopsis: Not much to talk about on offense, but a monster defensively if he can work on his positioning. Not afraid to mix it up, Grist tallied 149 PIM in 51 AHL games last year and even potted a couple goals. He's being given a look this year, but is likely a dark horse candidate to crack the lineup.

D Mattias Backman
Acquired: 2011 Entry Draft, 120th overall
Projection: 6th defenseman
Scouting: Very good skater, shows some playmaking smarts. Plays a gritty physical game. Needs to work on his checking and build some strength. Has good potential but lacks consistency.
Synopsis: Backman adapted well to North American hockey, putting up a plus/minus of +21 in 62 AHL games last season. He also added 11 points. While he's still a work in progress, he's showing enough promise to get at least an outside shot at the big club this year.


With most of the team's cap space committed to players returning from last year's team, Phoenix will have to be judicious in who they promote. This means players earning the minimum (Brown, Blidstrand) have the inside track over players with higher salaries such as 1st and 2nd rounders Namestnikov, Hertl, Labate, and Shaw. The Coyotes can't afford to commit too much cap allotment to depth players, but if any of the above show they can hold their own in a top-six role, the team will find a way to keep them in the lineup.