Five prospects who could intrigue at rookie camp

The spotlight is aimed on the Coyotes’ pipeline as the team’s annual rookie camp began Thursday at Gila River Arena, giving prospects the chance to update the organization on their progress.

But in less than a week, they’ll be competing for attention with the veterans once training camp officially opens next Thursday.

While many of the established pros, both returnees and newcomers, are likely to be the focus as the team works to configure a lineup, there’s a handful of youngsters worth keeping an eye on as the Coyotes get closer to finalizing their roster.

Winger Christian Fischer

This is Fischer’s second pro season, and what he accomplished in 2016-17 certainly doesn’t hurt his bid to secure a spot with the Coyotes. He scored 20 goals in the minors and capitalized on his brief time in the NHL by scoring a goal on each of his first three shots.

Fischer has the strength to compete along the walls, and he added about three to five more pounds of muscle this summer. What’s more, the Coyotes are thin at right wing – making Fischer’s case to stick around even stronger.

Defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph

Joseph isn’t likely to make the Coyotes after getting drafted 23rd overall this summer, but it’ll be interesting to see how he stacks up against the competition to project just how far away he is from being NHL-ready.

A strong-skating, two-way defenseman, Joseph fills a niche that’s in demand across the league. The team also believes he has the potential to play in all situations and eat up minutes, other appealing attributes in today’s game.

But at 6 feet, 2 inches and 163 pounds, he needs to bulk up. And Joseph knows it, with his first thought post-draft, ‘How can I get 10 pounds, 20 pounds on?’

He loaded up on Asian food over the summer and said he feels stronger, but he also focused on adapting to the speed of the pro game. Joseph, who’s poised to return to junior, is hoping to gain as much experience as he can during camp.

“Being with these guys on the ice will help me, for sure,” he said.

Winger Clayton Keller

Keller has a legit chance to secure a roster spot, and he’s expecting to remain with the Coyotes.

“If I do what I do, I’m going to be fine,” he said.

The Coyotes are stacked at left wing, but Keller’s skill set is intriguing. Drafted seventh overall in 2016, Keller has a reputation as a goal scorer and his vision and creativity are unique.

He isn’t the largest presence on the ice at 5 feet, 11 inches and 169 pounds, but his three-game preview with the Coyotes at the end of last season after he left Boston University to turn pro reinforced his belief that he could compete in the NHL and live up to his potential – which has included comparisons to Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane.

“That’s the goal,” Keller said. “Everyone has someone that they look up to. That definitely pushes me to see smaller guys in the NHL having success.”

Center Dylan Strome

Although he cracked the team’s initial 23-man roster last season, Strome was eventually returned to junior after a seven-game stint. He’s turning pro this season so he’s eligible to play in the American Hockey League, but Strome’s goal is to be in the NHL.

What’s changed since he made a run at a job a year ago? Plenty. Strome has added about five pounds, spent the summer working on his skating – which included getting lower in his stride to gain more power and ward off fatigue – and he’s more experienced. Not only did he enjoy a successful season after going back to junior that ended with a berth in the Memorial Cup, but he saw firsthand last year what it takes to make the Coyotes – and to ultimately get cut.

Showcasing those strides, in addition to the offensive talent the Coyotes coveted when they drafted him third overall in 2015, will be key.

“(Former Coyotes coach) Dave Tippett told me last year I was good enough to play in the NHL, but I wasn’t good enough to play every day yet,” Strome said. “So it was about working to get a little better and a little stronger every day in practice. Hopefully this year I can show that I’m ready to play every day.”

Defenseman Kyle Wood

How the Coyotes’ blue line debuts is a mystery.

Jakob Chychrun is recovering from offseason knee surgery, and the team is exploring right-shot options. It’s also bringing in veteran Tyson Strachan in on a professional tryout, but Arizona could find depth in-house.

Wood had a solid 2016-17 with the Tucson Roadrunners, scoring 14 goals and finishing with 43 points with 11 of those goals coming on the power play. He has a booming shot and at 6 feet, 5 inches, he has the size to compete. His skating has needed to improve, but he worked on it during the summer and feels he’s ready for the NHL.