The time for talk is over.
After years of accumulating high draft picks and developing those talents in the minors, Arizona Coyotes owner Andrew Barroway is ready for his team to step up.
"We think we have the best young talent, and it's time to stop talking about how great our young talent is and see them produce," Barroway - the new sole owner of the Coyotes - told "NHL Tonight" on Monday. "I think they're ready. Certainly, I can tell you're they're really excited to play for (new head coach Rick) Tocchet. They're thrilled."
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It's been a tough go in the desert in recent seasons, with the Coyotes sitting out the playoffs for five years running. The team's last postseason appearance came in 2012, as a veteran-laden club led by Shane Doan, Mike Smith, and Ray Whitney, among others.
But that success didn't carry through to recent campaigns, as the Coyotes haven't cracked the 80-point plateau in any of the past three seasons. The low point came in 2014-15, when the team missed out on generational talents in Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, but still landed Dylan Strome with the third selection.
Strome, a top center with the OHL's Erie Otters, could be among the young players set to break in with the NHL club next season. As many as nine players under 23 could be part of the Coyotes' roster in 2017-18:
| Player | Position | Age | 2016-17 Team | 2016-17 Stats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton Keller | F/W | 18 | Boston U/NCAA | 21-24-45 Pts in 31 GP |
| Jakob Chychrun | D | 19 | Arizona/NHL | 7-13-20 Pts in 68 GP |
| Dylan Strome | C | 20 | Erie/OHL | 22-53-75 Pts in 35 GP |
| Christian Fischer | RW | 20 | Tucson/AHL | 20-27-47 Pts in 57 GP |
| Lawson Crouse | LW | 20 | Arizona/NHL | 5-7-12 Pts in 72 GP |
| Christian Dvorak | C | 21 | Arizona/NHL | 15-18-33 Pts in 78 GP |
| Brendan Perlini | LW | 21 | Arizona/NHL | 14-7-21 Pts in 57 GP |
| Anthony Duclair | RW | 21 | Arizona/NHL | 5-10-15 Pts in 58 GP |
| Max Domi | LW | 22 | Arizona/NHL | 9-29-38 Pts in 59 GP |
While it's unknown if the young mix - coupled with new acquisitions Derek Stepan, Niklas Hjalmarsson, and Antti Raanta, plus a new bench boss in Tocchet - will be enough to guide the Coyotes back to the postseason, it's certainly the goal.
"It's hard to win the Cup when you don't get into the playoffs," Barroway said. "We've just got to get in first. We'd like to try to get in this year."
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