The Arizona Coyotes have locked up one of their best prospects, signing Boston University center Clayton Keller to a three-year entry-level contract. The news comes via TSN’s Bob McKenzie.
Because the Coyotes have less than 10 games remaining this season, Keller will not burn the first year of his contract. The three-year term will keep him under contract until the summer of 2020.
Keller was the Coyotes first pick, seventh overall in the 2016 NHL Draft. He scored 21 goals and 45 points in 31 games with the Terriers; he lead the gold medal-winning Americans in scoring at the World Juniors with 11 points in seven games. Earlier this season, Keller was named the best prospect outside the NHL by ESPN’s Corey Pronman (Insider link). Pronman describes Keller as such:
“An elite playmaker with great feet and hands, Keller makes some of the more unique plays you’ll see outside the NHL ranks. Although he is small and slight, his IQ and skating allow him to be OK defensively too.”
Fellow Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome ranked third on Pronman’s list. Strome was the Coyotes first pick, third overall, in 2015 and went head-to-head against Keller in the World Juniors Final.
No word yet if Keller will make his NHL debut on Monday night, when the Coyotes visit the St. Louis Blues. Keller is from Chesterfield, Missouri, which is in St. Louis County.