In early December, when the Arizona Coyotes defeated the Washington Capitals 6-0, it was the first time a franchise had beaten the previous five Stanley Cup champions consecutively. The growth general manager Bill Armstrong talked about at the beginning of the season was evident, and everyone was taking massive leaps forward. At this point in time, fans speculated what a playoff atmosphere would look like at Mullett Arena, which had been drawing in win after win. Fast forward to Feb. 20, and the Coyotes have lost ten straight games and have the sixth-best odds at drafting first overall or their chance at Boston University center Macklin Celebrini.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Rankings – Horn’s Top 100 for February
The draft lottery has not been friendly to the Coyotes, as they’ve never moved up a spot, only standing pat or moving down the list. Thus, Celebrini is most likely a lost man’s dream regardless of where they draft. However, it’s important to note that this draft class has been regarded as defenseman-heavy, and some options strike the naked eye. With that, let’s now take a look at some options the Coyotes could have at the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas.
Artyom Levshunov, Michigan State University (NCAA)
It’s no secret looking at analysts’ draft boards, Artyom Levshunov is on the list. The 6-foot-2 defenseman has been argued as one of the top defensemen in the 2024 class, and his offensive output with Michigan State shows that. This season, the freshman has eight goals and 28 points in 30 games, which is among the top of the NCAA leaderboard for defensemen. With the Coyotes already drafting Dmitri Simashev sixth overall during the 2023 NHL Draft, adding another top-pairing potential defenseman would make sense.
So what does Levshunov possess that makes him so good? Well, first off, it’s his smooth skating. Similar to many players in the Coyotes’ prospect pool, he is an athlete who can move, despite his large frame. With his large frame, there is power behind each hit, shot, and pass, and he is a force all over the ice, regardless of where he is.
Levshunov also has offensive instincts few possess in this upcoming draft, as he’s able to create plays with his vision out of thin air. There’s a reason he is one of the top prospects in this draft. However, at the end of the day, it’ll factor in where the Coyotes are drafting. If the season ended now and they have their pick at six, they likely wouldn’t get Levshunov because he will be a lock in the top three at least. So this skid they’ve been on could very well determine whether they get a Levshunov type of player or someone else Bill Armstrong has his eyes on.
Regardless, Levshunov is an elite prospect this upcoming draft, and if the Coyotes were able to get their hands on him, they’d add another piece to the puzzle.
Cayden Lindstrom, Medicine Hats (WHL)
When there’s a forward available who’s 6-foot-4 and has some of the better offensive instincts in the draft, he will draw a lot of attention. That’s the case this time with Cayden Lindstrom, who’s shown this season what he’s capable of despite a few injuries he’s dealt with. This season, the dynamic center has 27 goals and 46 points in 32 games and has been a threat whenever he’s on the ice.
The Coyotes have much more depth at center than in previous seasons, with Barrett Hayton, Jack McBain, Logan Cooley, and, in the pipeline, Conor Geekie and Josh Doan. That said, adding another center to provide the team with endless depth is always a good thing, and Lindstrom has the potential to be a first-line center.
We know the size he possesses, but it’s his ability to create plays all over the ice, making something happen constantly. His puck-handling is another strength of his game, which pairs exceptionally well with his size, yet he can still dangle through defenders like nothing. He is also a very talented skater; he doesn’t let his big frame get in the way of moving up and down the ice, where his 200-foot game has improved vastly this season.
Lindstrom is a toss-up; he’s third on one draft board, then 14 on the next, so his range is still being narrowed. Nonetheless, if the Coyotes could land the Medicine Hat center, they’d add another force on offense.
Coyotes Have Plenty of Draft Capital to Improve Team
The Coyotes enter the 2024 NHL Draft with some of the most draft capital throughout the entire NHL. They’re stacked with picks throughout all rounds, with three second-round picks, three third-round picks, and two fourth-round picks. Understanding that, they’ll have an excellent opportunity to add even more talent to the desert. During the 2023 NHL Draft, they made all their selections, so if they do the same this time around, expect to see lots of size, speed, and perhaps one of the listed players above. The June 28 draft couldn’t come soon enough, and it’ll be intriguing to see what direction the Coyotes go in.