Coyotes Prepare for Upcoming Draft

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Even though the Stanley Cup Finals have barely started, talk around the Valley begins and ends with the NHL Draft.

After Don Maloney was hired, he started working right away addressing the needs of the organization as he left for the NHL Scouting combine earlier this week.

According to the Arizona Republic, there are two needs that the Coyotes are searching for: a number one goalie (which I'll write about later) and that gem of a player hidden deep in the draft that could solidify the offense. They do have their share of picks though, but finding the player that no one is looking at could work wonders for the team looking to rebuild.

Sometimes, the best players are those that one does not even consider. Look at some of the undrafted players that have had (or continuing to have) outstanding careers:

Ed Belfour, Dan Boyle, Ruslan Fedotenko, Patrick Fischer, Curtis Joseph, Chris Kunitz, Andy McDonald, Dustin Penner, Brian Rafalski, Steven Reinprecht, Dwayne Roloson, and Marty St. Louis. One could put Wayne Gretzky in that list because technically, he wasn't drafted by the NHL as he signed with WHA as a 17 year-old because the NHL prohibited anyone being drafted under 18 years of age. Also, by looking at the above list, you can most likely figure out why the brain trust of the Anaheim Ducks looks like geniuses.

Notable players that were drafted in late rounds (2nd round picks and beyond) include: Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Paul Stasny, Jarrett Stoll, Matt Stajan, Matt Lombardi, Derek Roy, Fedor Tyutin, Mike Zigomanis, Jason Pominville, Peter Budaj, Jordin Tootoo, and Derek Boogaard.

Therefore, even though first round picks are significant, the later rounds and the undrafted players can help a franchise become competitive – that's the beauty of the NHL; it's still a pure team sport.

Original post by PB and software by Elliott Back

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