Called up or not, Dylan Strome is showing improvements with Tucson Roadrunners

Dylan Strome got his call-up, even if it was just for a few hours.

After spending almost the entirety of the past three months with the team’s AHL affiliate in Tucson, the Coyotes announced the recall of their former first-round draft pick on Sunday morning, but sent him back to Tucson just a few hours ahead of their game with the Vancouver Canucks at Gila River Arena.

The call-up was initially made on an emergency basis because the status of center Derek Stepan was in question after he suffered an injury blocking a shot in Denver on Saturday. But when Stepan was cleared to play, Strome was returned to the Roadrunners.

But just because the former No. 3 overall pick in 2015 is headed back to Tucson for now, that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t see ice time with the Coyotes in their final stretch of games this season.

According to Coyotes President of Hockey Operations and General Manager John Chayka, the organization is still looking for a stretch of games with which to evaluate Strome this season.

“We had some injuries and we weren’t sure of their status for (Sunday),” Chayka said of the decision behind Strome’s call-up. “The way that the CBA works after the trade deadline is you have a certain number of recalls and once you go over the requisite number to play, you’re able to call up a player on emergency just to cover bases. Turns out our guys are healthy enough to play, so Dylan goes back down.

“We still have an opportunity to get a segment of games with which to take a look at him.”

The 21-year-old center has tallied 49 points in 44 games with the Roadrunners and has been playing in Tucson since being sent down from the Coyotes on Dec. 19. Strome, the former No. 3 overall pick in 2015, has played in 11 games with the big club this season and has scored one goal.

Strome has undoubtedly held up the reputation he made as an amateur as an elite offensive player, as he currently ranks second in the AHL with a 1.11 points-per-game pace. In the OHL, he notched 354 career points in just 219 games.

But while the other parts of Strome's game still need work, Roadrunners coach Mike Van Ryn said he has observed strides in the center's game over the past few months.

“I think he’s starting to understand what it takes,” Van Ryn said. “The first year for anybody is tough and it’s long. We’ve pushed Dylan harder that he’s ever been pushed before, and especially within his practice habits. … Now, he’s at the point where he’s pushing himself hard every day in practice and he’s competing hard.

“This is a guy that plays against top lines and top (defensive) pairs every night and he still manages to be over a point-per-game. I think Dylan’s kept his head on. His growth has really come on.”

Because of his high draft position and garish offensive numbers as an amateur, Strome has been the victim of criticism for his inability to break in at the NHL level. Internet talent evaluators will be quick to point out that the No. 1 overall pick that year — and Strome’s teammate with the OHL’s Erie Otters — has already won a Hart Trophy. That player is Connor McDavid.

Other 2015 draft picks like Jack Eichel (No. 2, Sabres), Mitch Marner (No. 4, Maple Leafs), Noah Hanifin (No. 5, Hurricanes), Zach Werenski (No. 6, Blue Jackets), Jake DeBrusk (No. 14, Bruins), Mathew Barzal (No. 16, Islanders) and Brock Boeser (No. 23, Canucks) have already established themselves as high-level players at the NHL level.

Still, all career trajectories are different. And most of those players — such as DeBrusk, Barzal and Boeser — are only breaking out this season. The Coyotes are aware that Strome, who is in just his first professional season, is still just 21 years old and that he still has plenty of time to find his game at the next level.

Chayka added that Strome has had to work on multiple areas of his game since being assigned to Tucson in mid-December. By all accounts, Strome has seemed to check every box.

The Coyotes wanted Strome to build muscle upon his 6-foot-3 frame and improve his skating ability. Chayka said Strome has been very active in the weight room and on the ice with skating coach Dawn Braid.

“Dylan’s a great player,” Chayka said. “He’s just a young player. I think what I’ve seen from him is a more mature game and a mature body in terms of the physical side of things. I think he’s doing great things in the weight room and with (skating coach) Dawn Braid.

“He’s a talented player and one of the top scorers down there and he’s going through the learning process as a first-year pro of what it takes. And I’ve seen a lot of progress in that area.”

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