Maybe I should have posted news about this a couple days ago when it happened, actually I definitely should have, but here it is anyhow. Over the weekend big NCAA free agent center Andy Miele signed with the Phoenix Coyotes after being wanted and presumably offered contracts with teams around the league. The Center is a Hobey Baker Award Finalist and one of the best players in the country yet somehow went undrafted. Following the signing there were amny a confused fan and a few spiteful and angry ones too. "PHOENIX?!" they said, "Why on Earth would he sign there?" 

Well let me answer your question with a query of my own. Can you name for me please the next center on the depth chart after Kyle Turris and Andrew Ebbett? (both of whom are already on the team) I doubt it. I couldn't without looking it up. If you guessed Bracken Kearns then give yourself a cookie. I have no idea who that is and, stop lying, neither do you. Outside of him being at camp I can't remember a thing about the guy. That right there is the biggest reason Miele chose to come to the Valley. Sure being on a Dave Tippett team is a good thing, learning from vets like Ray Whitney who has a similar game is good, but the biggest thing is just playing time. 

Will he see much ice this season? Not likely. Belanger, Fiddler, Hanzal (once he's back) and Ebbett/Turris should see most of the time. Thing is who do you think will be back next year? Belanger was expecting a bigger deal and only signed after things in Washington fell apart, Andrew Ebbett? Maybe, but if Miele can play as well as him then why not let the young kid play? Turris will be back, but we've seen how he's be utilized. Basically it comes down to the insane lack of depth at center that brought him here. Oh, and as we've seen via twitter an epic battle between him and Paul Bissonnette.