Of all the players brought in by Coyotes GM John Chayka during draft week, the top-line center from New York might be the most influential in his club’s lineup.
27-year-old Derek Stepan will play for a team not named the New York Rangers for the first time in his career next season, but has instantly become one of the most important players on his new team in Arizona.
A seven-year veteran, Stepan brings a truckload of qualities, both measurable and intangible, to the top of the Coyotes’ lineup, giving the franchise the bonafide number one center they have spent years searching for.