The Arizona Coyotes‘ season has taken plenty of twists and turns. Some for the better and some for the worse. Earlier this season, they saw plenty of success, even maintaining a wild card spot for months at a time, and all seemed to be going well. However, there have also been some rough patches throughout the season. More recently, the team went on one of their longest losing skids in franchise history, falling in 14 straight.
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However, that’s not the topic of discussion for this piece as we dive into three prospects, all of which are in their own situation. The three that’ll be highlighted today are Tanner Ludtke, Jérémy Langlois, and Jan Jeník.
Tanner Ludtke Making Immediate Impact in NCAA
During the 2023 NHL Draft, the Coyotes held four third-round picks. They had several different options when approaching this number of draft selections: they could bundle them up to trade up for a higher pick or stand pat and make all four. General manager Bill Armstrong opted to keep all of them and, with one of them, took forward Ludtke, the University of Nebraska Omaha commit. This season, he has been quite the surprise in his first season in the NCAA, registering ten goals and 25 points in 34 games.
“Every time I watch him, I just find myself impressed by his offensive instincts,” Lee Stempniak said. “Pucks just seem to find this guy somehow. He’s got a good shot, he scores and he makes plays all the time with the puck, but he’s just one of those guys that seems to have a knack for being in the right areas so the puck finds him.”
From a points perspective, it’s nothing eye-opening, but as a freshman in college, he’s making an immediate impact. Recently, Ludtke was named to the 2023-24 National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) All-Rookie team. He has all the tools necessary to become a bottom-six forward in the NHL, and these traits are certainly being showcased with the Mavericks this season.
Ludtke will likely be back with the Mavericks next season, and the young forward has a bright future ahead of him.
Langlois Looking To Earn Opportunity Beyond Juniors
Defense has been one of the Coyotes’ biggest struggles throughout the season. Their record backs it up, and their performance in each game also does. With that, they need to start adding a plethora of prospects to the system in hopes of shoring up the blue line. So far in his development path, Langlois has been a pleasant surprise as he’s been doing everything he’s been asked of in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). So far, the young defenseman has 15 goals and 57 points in 57 games.
“He was playing top-four minutes when he got there, probably 20 minutes a night, and now he’s playing 25, 26 minutes a night in all the key offensive situations while also playing penalty kill and playing against top lines basically every game,” Coyotes defenseman development coach Kurtis Foster said. “The situation has gone very well for him where now he’s playing with a lot of NHL drafted players, strong players, and his offensive abilities are really coming out while his defensive game is improving.”
As a third-round pick, there aren’t a whole lot of expectations to come to the NHL and tear things up because, generally, that rarely happens. However, with his play in the QMJHL, it’s possible he could make a big impact with the Coyotes down the road, especially with his offensive instincts on the blue line.
Jeník Remains Unsolved Through 2023-24 Season
This offseason, one of the bigger storylines was what would happen with Jeník, as he remained unsigned throughout the vast majority of the summer. Ultimately, he re-signed with the Coyotes on a one-year deal, taking a gamble on himself to prove that he belongs and can make an impact.
Other than the brief one-game call-up he had with the Coyotes, he’s spent the entire season with the Tucson Roadrunners, who have seen massive leaps forward. Much credit certainly goes to head coach Steve Potvin for steering the ship, but Jeník hasn’t precisely proved he can be a game-changer, even at the American Hockey League (AHL) level. The 23-year-old has 13 goals and 28 points in 43 games, and while he’s been productive lately, his future looms next season.
He could be back with the Coyotes; however, he’d likely be back with the Roadrunners, or he can opt to take his services elsewhere. Time will tell, but he has yet to be exactly what the team or he envisioned before the 2023-24 season.
Other Prospect Notes
- It’s no secret that Conor Geekie is among the top prospects in the Coyotes system as of this moment. The 6-foot-4 forward has a staggering 39 goals and 90 points in 49 games. Since being traded to the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League (WHL), he’s taken his game up a notch and continues to be the best player on the ice. Now the question lies: where will he be next season? With his impressive play, most will jump the gun and say he’ll crack the roster, but it’s assumed he’ll be with the Roadrunners come next season.
- It’s always a surprise to see fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-round picks succeed and play a pivotal role just due to the odds that are stacked against them from the get-go. That has been the case with 2021 seventh-round pick Sam Lipkin, who has been a joy to watch at Quinnipiac University. After his terrific freshman season, he’s continued his dominance in his sophomore season, notching 14 goals and 34 points in 34 games. Similar to Geekie, he’ll likely see plenty of playing time with the Roadrunners next season and will be a name to watch.
- Another NCAA prospect in the Coyotes system is Miko Matikka. He was drafted for his goalscoring ability, and it’s safe to say he’s done that with the University of Denver. Matikka, the Finland native, has registered 16 goals and 27 points in 35 games for a highly competitive Denver team that is always atop the college rankings. While he’s still just a freshman, he plays a large part in their success, especially on the power play.
