The defenseman made his NHL debut this past season and will be appearing on this list for the final time.
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.
If you were looking to make the leap from the AHL to the NHL, the Arizona Coyotes were the place to be last season. Thanks to a rash of injuries and a deep rebuild, there were plenty of open spots for players looking to prove what they could do, especially on the blue line.
One of the players who made the leap was Cam Dineen, who has been with the team since being drafted 68th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
Cam Dineen
2021–22 League: NHL (Arizona Coyotes), AHL (Tucson Roadrunners)
Regular Season Games Played: 34
Regular Season Goals: 0
Regular Season Assists: 7
Highest Individual Ranking: 19
Lowest Individual Ranking: 23
Last Year’s Ranking: 25
Like many players, Cam Dineen made his NHL debut with the Arizona Coyotes last season. That debut seems to have moved him up in the rankings.
Dineen started the season with the Roadrunners, but it didn’t take long for him to make his NHL debut. The Coyotes were dealing with a rash of injuries, and on November 5th Dineen appeared in a Coyotes jersey.
André Tourigny mainly deployed Dineen 5-on-5, with some occasional time on the penalty kill. Dineen can contribute more than just his offense, though, and he occasionally played some key minutes with the Desert Dogs.
Dineen’s performance impressed General Manager Bill Armstrong enough to earn an extension, a one-year deal for $750,000. It is a two-way deal, though, with Dineen getting $150,000 in the minors. Dineen will need to clear waivers next season if the Coyotes decide to reassign him to the AHL.
Unfortunately, Dineen is not going to have much chance to relax. There is a lot of competition for spots on the Coyotes’ blue line, and Dineen will need to earn his spot.
At 24 years old, this is Dineen’s final year on our annual countdown. With his NHL debut behind him, his next goal will be making the team out of training camp and then making it through a full season.