DDB: Arnold to join Coyotes on Monday

GLENDALE — Forward Scott Arnold will join the Coyotes on
Monday as they continue to scratch and claw their way
toward a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He will
provide depth at the forward position, if needed, at a
crucial time in the regular season.

“Playing for an NHL team has always been my dream and the
dream of every kid who grows up playing hockey,” Arnold
told me on Friday. “When I got the opportunity to join the
Coyotes I felt it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
Hockey is my passion, and I’m really looking forward to
joining the team.”

Arnold, who recently finished his sophomore season at
Niagara University, signed an entry-level contract with
the Coyotes on Friday. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound native of
Pointe-Claire, Quebec, notched 26 goals and 14 assists in
67 games at Niagara.

“Scott is a guy that is a little different than some of
the young players we have in our system right now,”
Coyotes Assistant General Manager Brad Treliving said. “We
wanted to add a little bit of size and competitiveness to
our forward mix and he brings that. If you look at his
stat line, it’s probably not one that jumps out at you in
terms of goals and assists, but teams need different types
of players to win.”

After spending the next few days with his parents in the
Toronto area, Arnold, 21, will fly to Phoenix on Sunday
and then report to the team on Monday morning. He is
expected to practice with the Coyotes for the first time
on Tuesday. He will wear sweater No. 38.

Arnold is very eager to show Head Coach Dave Tippett and
his staff what he can bring to the team.

“I play the game as a power forward,” Arnold said. “I’m
not afraid to go down in the corners and battle for the
puck, and I definitely like to use my size and speed to my
advantage and get pucks on net and create opportunities
off that.”

He added, “I think I’m a great fit for the Coyotes because
of the type of player that I am.”

Arnold doesn’t battle hard solely against opposing
defensemen. Last summer he faced a much more serious
challenge when he was diagnosed with/treated for
testicular cancer. Early detection, a concept he now helps
promote, played a key role in his successful fight.

“It was a pretty scary situation but we caught it early
enough and it didn’t spread,” said Arnold, who played in
33 of Niagara’s 37 games last season, including the season
opener just a few months after his treatment.

Arnold has never been to Phoenix or Glendale, but he has
spent a few Christmases at the home his maternal
grandparents rent in nearby Lake Havasu.

“I’m really excited to get to Phoenix,” Arnold said. “This
is all so surreal right now, but it’s extremely exciting
for me and I hope I can contribute to the team.”

Treliving likes Arnold’s potential.

“There’s still a lot of growth in his game, but he’s a
big, strong, right-handed shot who can play either wing
and who skates well,” Treliving said. “He’s a physical
player who is hard to play against. He can be a dynamic
hitter because he likes to be physical and he’s good at
it.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Contact Dave Vest at
thedesertdogblog@phoenixcoyotes.com and follow him on
Twitter @davest4yotes.
For information on upcoming Phoenix Coyotes games, please
visit http://coyotes.nhl.com

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