The Arizona Coyotes went with a forward for their second pick of the second round.
The Arizona Coyotes didn’t take long to get their second second-round pick. Not long after drafting Russian defenseman Artem Duda the team selected German forward Julian Lutz.
Lutz is an interesting player, who unfortunately was kept off the ice for most of the 2021-2022 season. He was limited to just 14 games with EHC München, where he registered a goal and two assists.
He did have a chance to show what he could do at the World Juniors, where he registered two goals and two assists, and in four games in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he had two goals. The fact that he didn’t have more games is probably more because of the team he is on, and not a reflection of Lutz’s skill.
As a European player, the Coyotes have the option to send Lutz to the AHL to play with the Tucson Roadrunners. The AHL should provide a better opportunity to grow and develop compared to the German league, but the decision will ultimately be decided by GMBA and Lutz.