The Arizona Coyotes have made a few more roster cuts ahead of next week's season opener.
Along with Nick Merkley , the Coyotes cut Dyson Mayo , Beau Bennett, Andy Miele and Robby Russo.
Garland and Hayton appear to have made the team, as the Coyotes held a 22 man practice yesterday that appeared to be their final roster.
Keller-Stapan-Kessel Hayton - Schmaltz - Dvorak Hinostroza -Richardson - Grabner Soderberg - Fischer - Crouse
Garland
On defense there aren't really any mysteries either
OEL - Demers Chychrun - Hjalmarson Lyubushkin - Goligoski Oesterle
Interesting, the Coyotes did not cut recent #1 selection Victor Soderstrom.
It is thought the Coyotes will keep him around in the same way they kept Hayton around last year, and that he won't actually dress in any games.
They've still got eight or so guys in camp who won't be on the team, but image they're just extra bodies for the remaining preseason schedule.
Worth noting: Kyle Capobianco hasn't got into any preseason games after having surgery last winter. He'll thus not make the team, but should have no problem eventually cracking the lineup.
With Hayton, Garland, Soderstrom and Capobianco the Coyotes have a nice selection of nearly NHL ready players to augment the current roster.
The Coyotes haven't had any luck grabbing a franchise altering stud at the top of the draft, but there's always hope that one of their players emerges as a late bloomer in the Nikita Kucherov style.
Here's hoping anyways!