Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman thinks the Arizona Coyotes should take a run at prospect Auston Matthews even if they don’t win the NHL draft lottery.

Speaking on Sportsnet 590 The Fan’s Jeff Blair Show Wednesday, Friedman talked about the impact that Matthews would have on the Coyotes organization.

“I think the Coyotes, I’m sure, that if they don’t win the lottery, they will call the team that wins and say what can we do here,” said Friedman.

“I don’t think they would do Ekman-Larsson, but if I was running the Coyotes, I might do anything else.”

LISTEN: Elliotte Friedman on The Jeff Blair Show

Arizona general manager Don Maloney spoke to a small forum on Saturday and turned down the prospect of trading defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson to the team that wins the draft lottery, which takes place April 30.

Matthews has been touted as the No. 1 pick for this June’s NHL draft for months. The 18-year-old centre had 46 points in 36 games this season for the Zurich Lions of the Swiss league.

Friedman points to Matthews’ value in Arizona as one of the main selling points in acquiring the Scottsdale, Ariz., native.

“I think you could make that argument that he is more valuable there than anywhere else,” said Friedman. “Don’t forget also, they’re trying to get a new arena built out there, whether it’s at Arizona State, whether it’s part of the native lands on the casino, whether it’s downtown Phoenix, they’re trying to get something done. They have to stabilize their future.

“You can joke about who’s built what arenas. The United Center, the house that Michael Jordan built, the Flyers rink, the house that Eric Lindros built. There’s no question that if you went into Arizona and got him there, it would be the house that Auston Matthews built.”

In this week’s 30 Thoughts, Friedman said that the problem with trading an Ekman-Larsson for Matthews is that you have a big hole to fill on your blue line. Friedman also references Ekman-Larsson’s deal ($5.5 million over the next three seasons) as one of the best-valued contracts in the NHL.