Coyotes Prospects Relish New Relationships, Lessons Learned

Some of the prospects at the Arizona Coyotes’ rookie development camp this week were just drafted a little over a week ago, and others already had NHL appearances under their belts.

Once the dust settled after the annual Black and White scrimmage, though, it was clear all the prospects were united by a common bond.

The scoreboard in front of the standing-room-only crowd at the Ice Den in Scottsdale on Friday showed the White Team with a 3-2 win at the final horn, but the scrimmage was really a culmination of an entire week’s worth of work.
 

Players like No. 3 overall pick Logan Cooley, who was just drafted by the club a week ago, were competing just as hard as players like Jack McBain, who played 10 games for the Coyotes in the NHL last season.

No matter the background, they were all there for the same reason.

“It’s really about learning,” Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong said. “They think they know what it’s like to work hard and to eat right, and to train properly, and all that stuff, but actually when they get in here, their eyes get open, and you have a little bit of a chance to open their eyes a little bit and get them a little bit of knowledge.

“It’s a great place for them to learn.”

Miko Matikka, who the Coyotes drafted 67th overall in this past year’s draft, went through his first rookie development camp this week. It was the Finnish winger’s first taste of North American hockey, and he said he learned a lot while skating with his fellow Coyotes prospects this week.

The adjustment to the Arizona heat – compared to the Finnish rain – was the least of his worries. He said he learned that he needs to develop his skating even more, something he’ll focus on as he heads to play at the University of Denver this fall.

“It’s hard competition to get to the top,” Matikka said. “I knew it was going to be hard, but this hard was a surprise. I like the challenge, I enjoyed it a lot.”

Cooley, meanwhile, generated the most buzz heading into Friday’s scrimmage, and the 18-year-old didn’t disappoint. He said he relished the opportunity to meet and bond with his teammates throughout the week, and also took the opportunity to gauge where his skills are vs. what still needs to be developed.

Though there were plenty of surprises along the way, Cooley said he was happy with how camp went – even if a few exercises, such as the dreaded “bike test,” were so difficult his legs were still sore days later. Most importantly, though, the time he had to bond with his fellow…