Dylan Strome isn’t the only former first-round draft pick who has yet to realize his potential in the NHL.

Strome, the third overall pick in the 2015 draft, will look to finally cement his place with the Coyotes this upcoming season. And the same goes for Lawson Crouse, who was selected 11th overall that same year.

Crouse has certainly made his presence felt this preseason. Playing on a line with Clayton Keller and Nick Cousins, Crouse scored twice in a 6-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday at Gila River Arena.

The performance on Saturday gave Crouse three goals this preseason in just three games. Granted, it is only September, but only four players have more goals than Crouse this preseason.

Still, what impressed head coach Rick Tocchet more than the goal-scoring was how Crouse responded after a subpar preseason debut in Vegas.

“He had a really bad game in Vegas and how he’s put two really good efforts together,” Tocchet said. “I really like that. Not everybody is going to play great. Everybody is going to have bad efforts, just don’t have 2-3-4 bad efforts in a row. In the past two games, he’s getting inches better.”

Crouse played most of last season with the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate in Tucson and registered 15 goals and 17 assists in 56 games with the Roadrunners. He played most of the season on a line with Strome and Nick Merkley.

What some might forget is that Crouse played almost the entirety of the 2016-17 season with the Coyotes and struggled to get things going. Tocchet is hoping this year might be different.

“He’s got some work to do,” Tocchet said. “But if he can stick with it, he’d be a nice addition as a big winger here that can go to the net and score those type of goals. That’s a plus to find those guys in the NHL.”

Crouse seems to flourish when playing with a high-end offensive playmaker such as Keller or Strome. He has shown the ability to pull the trigger when given a scoring opportunity this preseason, a trait this team desperately needs. Crouse also brings a valuable physical element to a lineup that otherwise does not have much grit.

With a banged-up forward group that includes injuries to Alex Galchenyuk and Christian Dvorak, Crouse should be able to snag a spot with the Coyotes this season.

Crouse might not get an opportunity to play on a line with Keller in the regular season, but Strome could be an intriguing partner for him given Strome’s playmaking ability, their history in Tucson and their common goal of carving a niche in the NHL.

“I think at the end of the day it’s just a confidence factor,” Crouse said of trying to identify his place in the NHL. “Me being down in Tucson last year enabled me to play with the puck a lot more, and having that confidence coming into preseason, I’m just trying to roll with it right now.”

More roster cuts

The Coyotes announced six more cuts on Sunday and an additional four on Monday to trim the club's training-camp roster to 39. More cuts are expected after the team’s next preseason game Monday in Anaheim.

None of the cuts were especially surprising, but one of note was 2017 first-round pick Pierre-Olivier Joseph, who was sent back to his team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). At just 19 years old, Joseph is ineligible to play in Tucson.

The Coyotes still have three games remaining this preseason, all of which come on the road. After Monday’s game in Anaheim, the Coyotes will play Thursday in Edmonton and on Saturday in Vancouver.

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Richard Morin covers the Coyotes and Diamondbacks for azcentral sports. He can be reached at richard.morin@arizonarepublic.com and by phone at 480-316-2493. Follow him on Twitter @ramorin_azc.