The Arizona Coyotes will open the 2019-20 season tonight against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
Darcey Kuemper gets the start, Raanta isn't even backing up.
The Coyotes and Ducks are two teams that will be relying on their goalies almost exclusively if they end up competing for the playoffs.
The Ducks will be without Kase, which is is unfortunately because if you're going to watch the Ducks, he's one of the players you'd like to see.
They are lucky that they didn't end up trading him for Faulk, that would have been a bad deal for them.
In tonight's game, the Coyotes will inexplicably sit rookie and top prospect Barrett Hayton.
In five games in the preseason Hayton scored over 2 points per 60 and was 55% 5v5. He scored a goal and had two assists.
I know it's only 5 pre-season games, but those are decent stats for a rookie. The Coyotes have only one or two other players with his upside, and they are going to have trouble scoring, so hopefully he plays a regular shift.
There is clearly no reason to have him in the NHL if he isn't playing every night, so this is a curious move that makes you think there's some other reason for not playing him.
But if it's because Hayton is their 13th forward, then he should be in the minors. Given his play in the pre-season and the Coyotes general lack of scoring talent, he should definitely be getting minutes.
It will be interesting to find out why he isn't playing.
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