Brendan Perlini signs with the Arizona Coyotes during the NHL draft at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. June 27, 2014 (Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire)

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The folks in Edmonton and Buffalo may disagree, but there is no rookie camp more intriguing than the Arizona Coyotes rookie camp. With at least two roster spots open for forward prospects, and maybe three or four, the competition should be spirited when the Coyotes’ rookies report on Friday and begin skating Saturday at Gila River Arena.

“We’ve got a lot of good young players coming in here that are going to push the veterans and bring some energy around here,” captain Shane Doan said. “It’s going to be fun to watch.”

All rookie camp practices at Gila River Arena are free and open to the public. The roster includes first-round draft choices Dylan Strome (2015), Nick Merkley (2015), Brendan Perlini (2014), Max Domi (2013) and Henrik Samuelsson (2012), but promising prospects Christian Dvorak, Anthony Duclair, Laurent Dauphin and Christian Fischer will also participate. You can view the full roster here.

It’s widely expected that Domi will be in the lineup, but the other spots are less certain. Here’s how we handicapped the hopefuls.

LOCK

Max Domi

He did his time in juniors. He improved his game away from the puck, he improved his decision making and he gained another year of confidence and strength. The only real intrigue for Domi now is with whom he will play and how much he can contribute in his first season at the highest level.

“Obviously it’s a big step from junior to the NHL and you’ve got to adjust your game and adjust everything you do,” Domi said. “I’ve got a lot to work on here. I’m going to be just acting like a sponge throughout training camp and just learning as much as I can.”

GOOD BET

Anthony Duclair

General manager Don Maloney has acknowledged that the 18 games Duclair played with the Rangers last season put him ahead of the pack. Duclair impressed the coaching staff with his skills that coach Dave Tippett said were everything they were advertised to be. What Duclair still has to show is the work ethic and commitment to details. That will be a the key storyline to watch from the talented, 20-year-old wing in the rookie and team camps.

DARKHORSES



Perlini, Dvorak, Strome, Samuelsson

Had Perlini not missed 25 games last season with a broken hand, we might have slotted him in the next category up. He has had very little time to develop his game since the 2014 NHL Draft. Even so, Perlini is a natural goal scorer; a guy who finds seams and open spaces to get off an excellent shot. Guess which commodity the Coyotes are going to need most this season?

Dvorak is possibly the most intriguing of all the Coyotes prospects. He surprised everyone with a terrific season in London, finishing fifth in the OHL in points with 109 (41 goals), and he had two points in two games with Portland of the AHL late last season. He could provide some scoring punch for the Coyotes on the wing. He could also spend another year in juniors working on his game. He could even be a key piece in a trade if the Coyotes go shopping.

The path to the pros for Strome this season is simple. He’ll have to wow the coaching staff in camp to make it. The Coyotes have at least four NHL quality centers in Antoine Vermette, Martin Hanzal, Brad Richardson and Boyd Gordon. Kyle Chipchura and Joe Vitale can also play center. None of those players has the offensive upside Strome does, but it’s unlikely he’ll be able to realize that upside this season.

On the flip side, a rush job to the NHL could hurt his development and confidence as it did for prior Coyotes Kyle Turris, Peter Mueller and Mikkel Boedker — a point Maloney has mentioned often when discussing Strome’s 2015-16 prospects.

Samuelsson’s prospects start with one concern: How much has his skating improved? Maloney sounded miffed at the NHL Draft that Samuelsson had opted to work his own skating coach instead of the Coyotes’. Samuelsson had better prove it was worth it. He’s running out of chances to make this team.

Rookie camp/game schedule

Saturday

3 p.m. – 4 p.m. – On-Ice Practice

4:30 p.m. – Media Availability

Sunday

11 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. – On-Ice Practice

1:10 p.m. – Media Availability

Monday

11 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. – On-Ice Practice

1:10 p.m. – Media Availability

Tuesday

6:00 p.m. – Game at Los Angeles Kings (Toyota Sports Center)

Wednesday

2 p.m. – Game at Los Angeles Kings (Toyota Sports Center)

Follow Craig Morgan on Twitter