ARIZONA COYOTES

Coyotes’ Keller, Strome top ESPN’s list of hockey prospects

Jan 19, 2017, 7:00 PM | Updated: Jan 20, 2017, 11:50 am

Any Arizona Coyotes fan who trusts the word of ESPN NHL Draft analyst Corey Pronman will be extremely happy to see three familiar faces among his prospect rankings for ESPN Insider following the World Junior Championships.

Of his 50 best prospects, three in the Coyotes’ system made the list and two made the top three. Center Clayton Keller, Arizona’s choice with the 7th pick in the 2016 Entry Draft, topped the list. He put up 11 points in seven games at the WJC and has eight points and 10 assist for Boston University this season.

There isn’t a clear No. 1 prospect right now, but Keller has made as good a case as anyone.

Keller was injured and had to miss a substantial part of the season, but when he has been healthy, he has been electric, including a dominant performance at the World Junior Championship. An elite playmaker with great feet and hands, Keller makes some of the more unique plays you’ll see outside the NHL ranks. Although he is small and slight, his IQ and skating allow him to be OK defensively too.

Coming in third is 2015 first-round pick center Dylan Strome. While he struggled in the NHL this year, at minus-5 with only one point in seven games, he has lit up the OHL, posting 24 points and a plus-9 this season.

Arizona sent Strome back to the OHL (a league he has dominated the past two years) after not being convinced he was ready for scoring-line minutes in the NHL. He has unique hockey sense as a playmaker, combined with a big shot and great hands. His development hasn’t gone as well as hoped, and improving his speed and strength are keys to his game going forward, but he remains a top prospect.

Down the list at No. 32 is right winger Christian Fischer, a standout for the AHL Tucson Roadrunners. Fischer has 15 goals and 16 assists this season, and has made progress toward becoming NHL-ready.

He has taken massive steps forward in his development this season, becoming a top player as a teenager for his AHL team in Tucson. He’s a highly skilled playmaker and scorer, though he never blew me away at the under-20 camps or early on in the season. He really started to elevate his game when the weather got colder this season, and now looks like a future NHL scorer. What’s also been impressive is his development off the puck, as he’s much better defensively. He still needs to bulk up a lot, as his frame is a little wiry as one would expect at his age.

None of the three Coyotes who made the list are even 20 years old yet, and all three are only in their first or second year of professional play. Having three names in the Top 50 so early opens the door for a much brighter future for hockey in the desert.

Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller...

Associated Press

Clayton Keller becomes 2nd Coyotes player with 400 points in win over Devils

Karel Vejmelka stopped 37 shots and the Arizona Coyotes beat the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

2 days ago

Arizona Coyotes center Logan Cooley, right, is greeted by defenseman Travis Dermott (33) after scor...

Associated Press

Arizona Coyotes beat struggling Detroit Red Wings again

Logan Cooley had a short-handed goal in the first period, Michael Carcone broke a tie in the second and the Coyotes beat the Red Wings 4-1.

4 days ago

Arizona Coyotes CEO and president Xavier Gutierrez...

Associated Press

Arizona Coyotes cleared to bid on north Phoenix land for new arena

The Arizona Coyotes have the green light to bid on a tract of land in north Phoenix in their yearslong bid to build a new arena.

4 days ago

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Josh Brown, left, and Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi (23) compete for...

Associated Press

Penalty kill falters again, Coyotes lose to the Minnesota Wild

Nick Bjugstad had another goal against his hometown team but the Coyotes penalty kill couldn't contain the Minnesota Wild in a road loss.

6 days ago

Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller...

Associated Press

Coyotes’ Clayton Keller scores twice in loss to Blackhawks, Colin Blackwell delivers hat trick

Colin Blackwell got his first hat trick and Connor Bedard had two goals, leading the Blackhawks to a victory over the Coyotes.

8 days ago

Dylan Guenther #11 of the Arizona Coyotes warms up before the NHL game against the Boston Bruins at...

David Veenstra

Arizona Coyotes’ Dylan Guenther has water turned off after he doesn’t pay utility bill

Arizona Coyotes' Dylan Guenther and teammate Jack McBain had their water turned off this week after they did not pay their utility bill.

9 days ago

Coyotes’ Keller, Strome top ESPN’s list of hockey prospects