ARIZONA COYOTES

ESPN.com’s Custance: Coyotes should trade up to select Auston Matthews

May 8, 2016, 2:00 PM

USA's Auston Matthews celebrates his 4-2 goal during the 2016 IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Champion...

USA's Auston Matthews celebrates his 4-2 goal during the 2016 IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship match between USA and Canada in Helsinki, Finland Saturday, Dec. 26, 2015. (Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva via AP) FINLAND OUT

(Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva via AP)

The match between likely No. 1 overall selection Auston Matthews in the 2016 NHL Draft and the Arizona Coyotes isn’t hard to see.

Matthews, born and raised in Arizona, would become the new face of the franchise for his hometown team that has only reached the conference finals once in 36 seasons.

ESPN.com’s Craig Custance sees the match.

One action can go a long way in doing both: an all-out effort to acquire the No. 1 overall pick in the draft from the Toronto Maple Leafs. It’s something the Coyotes need to seriously explore.

Trading up for the No. 1 pick might seem like fantasy talk to some, but the Coyotes do actually have the assets required for such a bold move.

Even in a deal without franchise defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson — former GM Don Maloney attempted to squash such talk in March —  the Coyotes possess some big-time value they can throw at the Maple Leafs.

That still leaves a stable full of young players for the Coyotes to include to try and pry the pick away.

Credit Maloney for stocking the cupboard at the end of his tenure. Chayka, if he decides to go down this path, has young players like Max Domi, Dylan Strome, Christian Dvorak and Christian Fischer to include in a blockbuster.

Custance doesn’t even include right winger Conor Garland and center Ryan Macinnis in the discussion, who were both rated top 50 prospects by TSN earlier this year. Strome and Dvorak were No. 2 and No. 3 on the list, respectively.

Those players, along with their draft picks (Arizona has two first rounders this year) could be enough for a team like the Maple Leafs that need multiple young players to have more of a chance at a successful rebuild.

The Coyotes themselves would have to ask if a deal like that is worth it, even though Matthews is assured as the next big potential franchise player to come out of the draft. While they are arguably top-heavy on forward prospects, giving up the farm is always a difficult proposition, especially for a brand new general manager.

Even if they were, Custance himself is unsure of what would be the right deal to get the job done.

Does a deal that includes Strome, Dvorak, Fischer and both firsts get it done? Would it at least keep Lamoriello on the line?

Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes F Logan Cooley...

Associated Press

Logan Cooley nabs 1st career hat trick as Coyotes end Predators’ points streak

Logan Cooley had his first NHL hat trick and the Arizona Coyotes snapped the Nashville Predators’ point streak.

8 hours ago

Matias Maccelli #63 of the Arizona Coyotes skates with the puck during an NHL game at Mullett Arena...

Associated Press

Josh Doan nets twice in NHL debut, Coyotes score 4 goals in 3rd and beat Blue Jackets

Josh Doan had two goals including the go-ahead score in his first NHL game and the Arizona Coyotes beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-2.

2 days ago

ASU hockey player Josh Doan and father Shane Doan wave to fans before the ceremonial first puck to ...

David Veenstra

Arizona Coyotes forward Josh Doan scores twice in NHL debut

Coyotes forward Josh Doan scored twice in his NHL debut on Tuesday. Doan had goals in the second and third period against Columbus. 

2 days ago

Josh Doan...

Damon Allred

Arizona Coyotes recall forward Josh Doan from Tucson Roadrunners

The Arizona Coyotes recalled former second-round pick Josh Doan, son of former captain Shane Doan, from the Tucson Roadrunners.

4 days ago

Miro Heiskanen #4 of the Dallas Stars skates with the puck while being defended by Alex Kerfoot #15...

Associated Press

Arizona Coyotes fall to Dallas Stars for 2nd time in last 3 games

Miro Heiskanen broke a tie with 5:28 left and the Stars won their fourth consecutive game, beating the Coyotes on Sunday night.

4 days ago

Dylan Guenther...

Associated Press

Coyotes’ Dylan Guenther scores overtime game-winner vs. Kraken

Dylan Guenther scored in overtime to give the Arizona Coyotes a win over Seattle on Friday night.

6 days ago

ESPN.com’s Custance: Coyotes should trade up to select Auston Matthews