NHL Draft 2017: Arizona Coyotes select Cameron Crotty 82nd overall

The Arizona Coyotes selected another right-handed defenseman with their pick at 82.

Cameron Crotty is a 6’2”, 188-pound sleeper pick coming from the Brockville Braves of the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL). The CCHL is centrally located in the Ottawa region and is a part of the Junior A level of hockey. Staying in the Junior A level allowed Crotty to maintain his NCAA eligibility so he is on his way to Boston University next season.

He may not have taken the traditional route to the draft, but he could turn out to be the type of defenseman the Coyotes are looking for in the long run. Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News described him as an “interesting sleeper pick” with an “intriguing skill set that will emerge over time and could be very valuable.” Crotty models his game after Chris Tanev of the Vancouver Canucks, a reliable, puck moving defensively-minded defenseman.

One of the intriguing skills that Crotty has already developed well is his skating, which he’s been working on from a very young age. It’s been reported that he started skating at just 3 years old when he took figure skating lessons. This may be why this year he was the highest ranked CCHL player on the NHL central scouting list for North American skaters.

The Coyotes have hit or miss luck when it comes to developing college prospects, but since he has an excellent skill set that a lot of teams look for, they should keep him close.

Welcome to the Pack!