If there was any question at the start of this season for the Coyotes about who the rebuild is building around or the face of the team those questions have been answered these last couple of weeks.
Clayton Keller is playing like a man possessed. He is second in the entire NHL in points since the All-Star break and FIRST in even-strength points in that span.
Clayton Keller's 30 points since the All-Star break rank 2nd in the #NHL, trailing only Connor McDavid (37).
Keller's 22 even-strength points since the All-Star break rank 1st in the NHL.#Yotes pic.twitter.com/pnBkZRFFXU
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) March 16, 2023
His line holds its own against the top lines in the league and dominates lines that aren’t. He’s the first Coyote to score 30 goals and the first Coyote to score 70 points since 2012. He makes things happen almost anytime he’s on the ice.
When Nick Schmaltz went down with injury there was some concern that the line wouldn’t click as well but it has missed zero beats with Brett Ritchie, a career 4th liner, on it. If his season ended now he’d already have one of the best single-season performances in Coyotes history so by the time it does end I’d be shocked if he’s not in the top 3 all-time Coyotes seasons.
He is the centerpiece, face of the franchise, and the best cornerstone of a rebuild the Yotes have had yet.
What Keller means for the future
Keller gives us the start of the core but what does that mean going forward? Well for one thing that’s one less piece of a first line we need to find in the draft.
For another, it adds an incredibly interesting wrinkle to any future FA coming available in the next couple of seasons. Keller and Scottsdale native Austin Matthews are very close friends, Keller lives in AMs house during the season and they train together frequently in the offseason. Adding the fact that one of his close friends has blossomed into a superstar in his home state and favorite childhood team adds another key factor to consider when Matthew’s contract comes up at the end of the 23-24 season.
There are plenty of other reasons for him to sign here that have all been written about plenty by others but make no mistake if Keller doesn’t take this leap and make us appear that much closer to being that team. AM more than likely doesn’t even consider signing here when there will be plenty of suitors that are more ready to win. Keller gives us that key piece in negotiations with him in the future and makes it that much more likely that should he leave the Leafs, it would be to come to Arizona.
On top of that, even if Matthews doesn’t sign here it provides plenty of hope and reason to believe that much more in this rebuild. Keller is the first legitimate superstar this team has had outside of Doan since the Tkachuk/Roenick days and that should not be taken for granted.
As a longtime defender of Keller going back years, it does my heart good to see him take this leap and has me so excited for the future with him. Looking forward to the day when Keller’s name and number are going to the rafters in the TED as the first guy of many to be introduced that played in it.
Don’t worry about the tank, don’t worry about draft position, let GMBA do his job.
Just enjoy this fantastic season Keller is giving us and continue to watch him dominate these other teams as they keep sleeping on him and us.
