Report: Two Phoenix Coyotes Draft Picks To Re-enter NHL Draft

On Thursday, Portland Pirates beat writer Chris Roy of the Maine Hockey Journal released the following tweet:

#Coyotes 2011 draft picks Andrew Fritsch and Alexandre Ruuttu will re-enter the @NHL draft. #Pirates #NHL #AHL

— Chris Roy (@Chris_MHJ) May 30, 2013

#Coyotes will have until Jun. 1 to sign both players or they will re-enter #NHL draft."

— Chris Roy (@Chris_MHJ) May 30, 2013

Both Ruuttu and Fritsch are unsigned draft picks from 2011 who reportedly will not be signed by the June 1 deadline. Players not signed by the aforementioned deadline will be allowed to re-enter the NHL Draft, which is what will happen with both players.

Ruuttu was drafted in the second round (51st overall) from the Helsinki Jokerit (He is also the second highest unsigned draft pick remaining from his draft class). The 20-year-old is of Finnish descent but was born in Chicago, Illinois. The son of former NHLer Christian Ruuttu, spent this past season with three different teams: SM Liiga's Jokerit, on loan to Finland's Kiekko-Vantaa, and finally SM-Liiga's Ilves. Ruuttu played 57 combined games for those three teams, scoring nine goals and 32 points.

Fritsch was drafted in the fifth round (155th) overall from the OHL. The 20-year-old has played four seasons in the OHL scoring 79 goals and 165 points in 212 games. The Brantford, Ontario native finished last season with 27 goals and 52 points in 55 games with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.