Arizona’s predraft strategy raises red flags

The NHL is reportedly investigating the Arizona Coyotes organization for alleged recruiting violations regarding how the club might be handling its predraft scouting process.

According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the investgation concerns the Coyotes allegedly putting draft-eligible Canadian Junior League prospects through fitness testing ahead of the 2019 NHL draft.

Dreger initially tweeted out his report of the investigation’s existence Thursday before expanding on it Tuesday.

Dreger said the three leagues that make up the

CHL — the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League — have sent emails to their respective teams asking them to report any contact between them and the Coyotes.

While he cited only unnamed sources, Dreger said that multiple CHL franchises have alleged contact with the Coyotes regarding physical testing of their players.

Monday, The Athletic’s Craig Morgan reported that the Coyotes do not believe they’ve broken any rules and simply asked prospects questions about their eating habits, supplement use and workout regimens during interviews with draft-eligible prospects before the NHL draft combine.

Morgan’s reporting also expands the investigation to the United States’ top junior league, the USHL, after the team reportedly tested numerous players invited to the 2019 combine from that league as well.

Sabres

Buffalo captain Jack Eichel is doing everything within his power to prevent his team from falling into an all-too-familiar late-season rut. The fifth-year player is enjoying a breakout season with a career-best 31 goals (seven game-winners) as he displays on-ice consistency. There also have been signs that the 23-year-old is maturing into a well-rounded leader.

“The biggest thing I think is being able to regroup,” he said, before pausing thoughts a day after the loss to Montreal.

“It’s not like last year.”

Flyers

The Philadelphia Police Department announced Monday it will not charge the person who portrays Gritty, the Flyers’ mascot, over an incident in which a man claims the mascot punched his 13-year-old son in the back during a meetand-greet event in November.