The Arizona Coyotes are finishing up training camp as they look to finalize the opening night roster. Their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, will be opening training camp this week in hopes of landing a playoff spot this season for the fourth time in franchise history. They will receive talent from Arizona, but there are three names to watch in Roadrunners camp.
Roadrunners Training Camp Has Plenty of Talent
The Roadrunners have 31 players in camp, with 17 returning from the previous season. While Tucson expects more players in the coming days, they will be preparing for their preseason game on Friday, Oct. 6, as they take on the Henderson Silver Knights at the Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nevada.
The Roadrunners currently have players like forward Jan Jenik, defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok, and goaltender Matt Villalta already in camp. However, there are three players who are ready to make an impact and become household names in the Coyotes organization. These players have something to prove as they look to take the next step in their development.
Austin Poganski, Right Wing
Forward Austin Poganski is a forward who already has NHL experience, playing 22 games with the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets. He is a player with some size that could be an asset in the middle six and has AHL experience, playing last season with the Coachella Valley Firebirds. He would play in 70 games, totaling eight goals and 20 assists for 28 points and 30 penalty minutes.
Selected in the fourth round (110th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft by the Blues, Poganski has been a solid player at every level. While he may not lead the team in points, he will provide depth and secondary scoring on a team that scored only 219 goals last season. Another position he could find himself in is the second power-play unit for Tucson, whose power-play was at the bottom of the league last season.
Related: Poganski Has a Pedigree for Success
Poganski does give the Roadrunners a bit of size at 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds, plays with a lot of energy, is a powerful skater, and relies on his 200-foot game. He protects the puck well and plays along the boards.
After agreeing to a professional tryout on Sept. 9, 2023, Poganski needs to stand out and have a strong camp. The Tucson camp has some talent, so he will have to show he’s capable of being on the roster. If he makes it, he could be one to watch as he brings experience and leadership.
Montana Onyebuchi, Defenseman
Defenseman Montana Onyebuchi was signed to a two-year, entry-level deal on July 11, 2023. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, brings size to the blue line and physical play to the defense that Tucson did not have last season.
After five years in the Western Hockey League with the Kamloops Blazers and Everett Silvertips, he went undrafted but joined the San Jose Sharks organization on an AHL deal. Last season, he played 35 games with the AHL San Jose Barracuda, scoring three goals and seven assists for 10 points and 73 penalty minutes. His style of play is aggressive and gritty, but he can supply offense from time to time, although it is limited.
Onyebuchi sticks up for his teammates in all situations and lets the opposition know they are in for a long night. His profile should get him attention alone, but he can play the game. He gives the Roadrunners size on the back end and can help the penalty kill unit, which ranked 20th last season with an 80.5 percent kill rate. Onyebuchi is another one to watch because he dramatically changes the defense.
Reid Cooper, Goaltender
Goaltender Reid Cooper comes to the Tucson training camp with a story. One minute, he was playing college hockey, then the next, he was the backup goalie for the Washington Capitals. He is somewhat unknown, but he is a competitor who may get some time to shine with the Roadrunners.
During the 2022-23 season, He played for Curry College of the NCAA in Division 3. Last season, he posted a record of 20-6-1 with a goals-against average of 1.92, a save percentage of .935, and three shutouts. He was named the Commonwealth Coast Conference Goaltender of the Year and Co-Player of the Year. He was 33-12-3 over three seasons at Curry College.
Cooper got a big surprise when he was at Curry College as he signed an amateur tryout agreement to be the Capitals’ backup to Darcy Kuemper on April 13, 2023, a 5-4 loss to the New Jersey Devils. He is in rare company, as he is among a few goaltenders to sign a deal like this.
The plan right now for Tuscon is to have newcomer Matt Villalta and Ivan Prosvetov as their goaltending duo to start the season. Cooper would be the third-string goaltender with a good camp, and he needs to show that he could be an option if Prosvetov or Villalta get traded or injured. While he is not high on the depth chart, a few practices could change everything.
He has a high-competitive level, plays the angles well, and never gives up on a play. Cooper is athletic between the pipes and plays well in pressure situations. He has to be patient as he has two top-notch goaltenders in front of him and give him time to develop his game and work on things. During training camp, he needs to push the two goaltenders, Prosvetov and Villalta, to be their best, as one training camp could change for them too.
While Poganski and Onyebuchi are going to make the Roadrunners roster, the same cannot be said for Cooper. However, this could be a good thing for him as this gives him both exposure and experience for success in the future. These three players have all had a unique hockey path to this point, and they all bring something different to the table. Hopefully, they all make the roster, as Tucson could use each and the skills they bring to the table.
Sign up for our NHL Prospects & Draft Substack newsletter
