Barrett Hayton is just a little bit different.
As a 19-year-old drafted out of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), history did not guarantee Hayton a roster spot with the Coyotes this season. However, the rookie was set to appear in his fifth game Wednesday and has been serving as an extra forward at the NHL level for most of this season.
In past seasons, the Coyotes have not been shy about sending under-20 forwards back to their junior clubs in the CHL to continue their development. Top forward picks such as Max Domi, Brendan Perlini, Henrik Samuelsson, Dylan Strome and Nick Merkley have all been sent back to the CHL as 19-year-olds, as well as defensemen such as Brandon Gormley, Connor Murphy and Pierre-Olivier Joseph.