When the Arizona Coyotes were on the board with the fifth overall pick on draft day, many believed it was a slam-dunk that Czech winger Filip Zadina was heading to the desert.
The talented winger may have ended up with the Coyotes had it not been for a 6-foot-1, 192lbs Canadian centre playing in the Soo.
Hayton was a surprising choice by the Coyotes, but early impressions suggest that he could be ready to step up to the NHL team as early as next season.
The Kitchener, Ontario native was originally named to the Coyotes’ 23-man roster to start the 2018/19 season, but the team ultimately decided he was better suited to return to juniors for another campaign in the OHL.