Madsen, 23, signed a two-year contract with Arizona in March after completing a distinguished four-year career at the Ivy League school. The statistics major left Cambridge, Mass., ranked first on Harvard's all-time list for career save percentage (.924), third in career wins (56) and fifth in goals-against average (2.12).

Coyotes Goaltending Coach Corey Schwab and Goaltending Development Coach Zac Bierk like Madsen's game. His size (6-foot-5), intelligence and athleticism, they say, are his key assets. Bierk said he has "tremendous" upside.

"Merrick just completed a very successful NCAA career with Harvard," Schwab said. "His ability to balance a heavy academic schedule while being the starting goalie was impressive. I have been impressed with his inquisitive mind and his willingness to learn and make adjustments to his game. As with most young goalies, Merrick will need to continue work on his game to adapt to the pro level. His ability to read plays, as well as playing with patience and under control will be determining factors in his development."

Madsen is turning pro with confidence, but realizes the Coyotes are stacked at the goalie position with established NHLers Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper, and proven AHLers Adin Hill and Hunter Miska above him on the depth chart. The rookie camp, which includes a three-game schedule against other NHL rookie teams in Las Vegas, will give Madsen a chance to get noticed before main camp begins later this month.

"This will be my first experience at a pro camp and I want to go in and leave a really good impression," Madsen said. "Obviously, no matter where you go in the League the goaltending depth chart is always pretty crowded. You don't just fall into spots, you've got to work to get into spots, and I worked hard this summer to put myself into a position where that's possible. The biggest thing is I can't sit around thinking 'Oh, when am I going to get my shot?' If you work to get your shot, your shot will come."

Madsen will get a shot starting this weekend when the Coyotes rookies play games against their peers with San Jose, Los Angeles and Anaheim at the Vegas Rookie Faceoff in Las Vegas. Arizona's other goalies for the event are 2018 draft picks Ivan Prosvetov and David Tendeck.

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"I'm really not looking to do anything special," Madsen said of his approach to the rookie camp. "That's not really the way I play. I'm just trying to go in, trust myself, trust my game. I think the most important thing for me is don't just talk the talk. I've found hard work is usually the thing that talks the loudest."

Madsen trained in Boston this summer after attedning Arizona's development camp. He worked with a personal trainer there and with his goalie coach from Harvard.

His experience at the Ivy League school served him well. Teammates voted Madsen co-captain for his senior season and he enjoyed that role.

"I was very happy with the season I had," Madsen said. "My head coach, Ted Donato, said, 'The guys voted you captain for a reason. They see leadership in you and there's not much you need to do to change, so don't try to change too much to fill a role. Just keep doing what you're doing.' So, my goal as a captain wasn't to go out and give huge speeches or anything like that, it was just more of lead by example, on and off the ice. It was very special to me to be captain and to have my teammates vote me in like that."

Before Harvard, Madsen honed his hockey skills while growing up in Acton, Calif., about an hour drive northeast of Los Angeles and about a six-hour drive from Gila River Arena, where he hopes to tend net full-time some day.

"Goalies take all different paths to the NHL," Coyotes General Manager John Chayka said. "We need to be patient with our goalie prospects, but we're very excited about our goalie pipeline and believe Merrick will be a good one."