Who else but Keller would top this list.
The 2022–23 season is fast approaching. Here at Five For Howling, we’re looking at this year’s 25 best Arizona Coyotes players under the age of 25.
Going into last season, Clayton Keller was considered a complete bust. After the Coyotes traded Oliver Ekman-Larsson, he was the Coyotes’ highest-paid player, and with only 14 goals last season, he was considered widely overpaid.
One season later, everything has changed.
Clayton Keller
2021–22 League:
Regular Season Games Played:
Regular Season Goals:
Regular Season Assists:
Highest Individual Ranking: 1
Lowest Individual Ranking: 1
Last Year’s Ranking: 2
Last season was Clayton Keller’s best since his rookie season in 2017-18. He scored a career-high 28 goals and likely would have set highs in assists and points if he hadn’t been injured.
Keller started his season early, getting his first goal of the season in the Coyotes’ first game. Two games later, he got his first assist in his first multipoint game against who else but the St. Louis Blues.
Even though Keller is more of a playmaker, he was comfortably the Coyotes’ top goalscorer last season. But, even more than that, Keller was undeniably the Coyotes’ best player.
It’s not an understatement to say that Keller’s game advanced to another level last season. For the first time in his professional career, Clayton Keller was a consistent penalty killer.
Keller finished ninth in short-handed time on ice last season and fifth among forwards. The only forwards who played more than him short-handed were Barrett Hayton, Antoine Roussel, Loui Eriksson, and Lawson Crouse.
Unfortunately, Keller’s season and iron man streak would end 67 games into the season. For the first time in 357 games, he missed a game after fracturing his leg when he collided with the board.
Keller’s injury would become one of the defining moments of the season. Lawson Crouse had been injured not long before, and people noticed who stepped up in their absence.
Thankfully, Keller is healthy and should be ready to start this season. He was the Coyotes’ best player last season and should also be the Coyotes’ best player this upcoming season.