Dylan Strome remains in camp with the Arizona Coyotes, and according to Yotes GM Don Maloney, there’s a good chance he’ll be on the opening day roster.
“It’s a daily evaluation, but there’s a very good chance he’s part of the opening night roster,” Maloney told Post Media’s Michael Traikos, adding “I did not think he would be making so hard a push but his game is getting better as we go along.”
The 3rd overall pick in 2015 has flown under the radar in Arizona with all the hype that’s followed Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, who were picked just ahead of him. Strome’s resume is impressive. On the Erie Otters squad with McDavid, he led the OHL in scoring in 2014-15, posting 129 points in 68 games. You’d think Strome’s stats would be inflated playing with the generational talent, and while that helped, he kept scoring at an absurd rate when McDavid went down with an injury. I predicted Strome would be a top candidate for the Calder Trophy.
Strome has scored once this preseason, which is more impressive when you consider the Coyotes have only scored four times total in five preseason games.
Traikos also spoke to Otters general manager Sherry Bassin, who was not shocked at all that Strome has stuck around, saying “Am I surprised that he made an impression? Not a bit. This is just the beginning for him.”
