The Coyotes have been circling the rebuilding loop for years. As soon as we approach the playoffs, we make sure to trade players who will be expensive soon after.
At some point, you will have to look forward. Clayton Keller’s good years are passing by in a vacuum right now. Who knows if the next one will leave? No, but more seriously, the current nucleus should not be too far removed from the nucleus of young people who will eventually come. Keller will be UFA at 29 and it would be a shame to have wasted all that time rebuilding during his ‘prime’.
A future shock duo?
Recently Craig Button was discussing the Coyotes on a podcast and I definitely agreed with what he was saying. Last year, the Coyotes were able to secure a first-round pick despite theirs being sanctioned. Thus, Dylan Guenther was the prospect chosen in 9th place by the Coyotes thanks to the choice of the Canucks.
According to Button, you absolutely need an elite center player to accompany Guenther on an offensive line. The striker is a sniper capable of being dangerous no matter where he is in the offensive zone. On the other hand, I agree with Button. He is not a player who will create his space and who will build his scoring opportunities.
Button offers the Coyotes to choose Logan Cooley to create an elite quality shock duo for many years to come.
A fair choice
I agree again with the specialist in hopes at TSN. Logan Cooley has a knack for drawing attention to himself in puck possession. Often, this allows his wingers to stand out. The way he plays, I think he would be doing Guenther a big favor. The latter is very good at scoring goals, especially up close. Cooley is great at controlling the disc in the offensive zone, whether it’s high end or low end. The American is inspired by the game of Keller elsewhere. The marriage with the Coyotes would therefore be perfect.
Certainly, it would not make a big center line with Keller and Cooley, two similar templates. In numerical advantage that said, a unit composed of Keller, Cooley and Guenther, it would be impressive to see!
Guenther’s assessment in 2021:
I talk about Sillinger having one of the best shots in this draft, but Dylan Guenther is really not far behind. In fact, the closer the winger is to the net, the more dangerous he is. And the goals are scored where in the NHL? Close to the net! The Edmonton Oil Kings forward is a dangerous forward who would benefit from getting more involved. He is still a player who can beat any goalkeeper in front of him. – Mathieu (TSLH Hopes)
Cooley’s assessment in 2022:
Logan Cooley is a center player who stands out in all directions of the ice. He has a very good fluid skate that allows him to attack through the center, through defenders. It excels as much in the periphery as in close spaces. He is a player of finesse, but who can sometimes try to do too much. At the end of the season, I noted sequences where he executed unnecessary fakes that created turnovers. He is a player who nevertheless has above-average intelligence on the ice. He can be dangerous with his shooting and passing skills. Despite his unusual size for an NHL center, Cooley often stands out in his battles down the ramp. His offensive ceiling is quite high and his floor of potential remains quite high in my eyes as well. – Mathieu (TSLH Hopes)
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