Mario Kempe returns to the Coyotes after stint in Tucson
Dec 28, 2017, 1:15 PM
Arizona Coyotes right wing Mario Kempe (29) battles Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) during a face off in the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Coyotes announced on Thursday that right winger Mario Kempe was recalled from the Tucson Roadrunners ahead of their scheduled faceoff against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Kempe was sent down to Tucson in mid-November after a seven-game scoreless streak, but after a two-assist performance against San Diego on Wednesday, the NHL club decided to give the right winger another shot.
The 29-year-old Kempe has spent most of his career in Sweden where he was born. He has scored four points in 18 games this season for the Coyotes, his first year in the NHL.
Whether he gets playing time right off the bat remains to be seen.
Kempe will be the extra forward tonight, per coach Rick Tocchet. https://t.co/W0t9uGWjbv
— Craig Morgan (@craigsmorgan) December 28, 2017
The Coyotes have won two of their last three games beating the Washington Capitals and splitting a home-and-home series against the Avalanche.
Despite recent success, having Kempe on the roster should put some extra emphasis on the play of their wingers hoping to earn extra minutes.
Anthony Duclair, Josh Archibald and the suspended Zac Rinaldo have all been healthy scratches at one point in the season. Kempe, who plays the same position, is in a spot to potentially steal more minutes from those players.
