Follow @james_tanner123 In the upcoming draft, the Coyotes have the third selection, even though they were the second worst team in the NHL this past year.
While we are totally over losing the draft lottery, one good thing that has come of this is that pretty much no one believes the lottery is rigged anymore. It doesn't matter if the idea was insultingly preposterous, and it was, but it was out there and at least we don't have to hear about it anymore.
Silver linings.
Another positive about third is the Coyotes still get to pick a potential superstar, and after lots of deliberation and going back and forth, the answer is obvious: They should pick Dylan Strome.
Strome won the OHL scoring title with 129 points in 65 games and he has the the size (6'3 and 180, though you'd assume he'd be up over 200 eventually) that you dream about in a #1 centre.
While he isn't exactly the world's best skater, he is said to have a Joe Thornton-like ability to slow the game down to his pace and do what he wants with the puck.
What is preferred in the NHL swings back and forth like a pendulum: right now, skill and speed are in vogue, but that doesn't mean you pass up a chance to put a 6'3 centre who passes with laser precision on your roster.
Also, he's only 18 and he might end up even taller.
The Coyotes are also weak at centre.
Most everyone expects Domi to be a winger in the NHL. The team has Hanzal and when he plays he probably is a top 30 centre in the NHL, but when people say "#1 Centre" they really mean an elite, top-ten, Art Ross potential type guy.
No one on the Coyotes or their affiliates fits that description, and it's extremely difficult to win without that. That's why you pick Strome.
On the wing, where the Coyotes have Boedker, Domi, Duclair, Rieder, Dvorak, Perlini, Lessio and Letunov, they are in really good shape. (And some of those guys could end up centres).
But at centre, they have Hanzal, Gagner, Samuelsson, MacInnis, and potentially maybe Letunov and Domi.
As you can see, they are set up OK for lines two through four, but they need that absolute blue-chip centre to build around. Once again, making Dylan Strome the obvious pick.
In fact, if they don't pick Strome, I will be shocked.
From a pure-talent perspective, the Coyotes would be able to ice on of the most exciting lines in hockey if they put Boedker -Strome -Domi together.
It's actually a pretty exciting time to be a Coyotes fan.
If that doesn't bring people out to the rink, nothing will.
Also, important question: What's better, the original, or the cover?
Thanks for reading.