During an interview with Arizona Sports' Burns & Gambo on Friday, Clayton Keller, the forward for the Arizona Coyotes, expressed his willingness to take on a veteran role within the team, considering the youthfulness of his teammates. Keller, 25, who has been with the team for seven years, acknowledged the swift passage of time but emphasized his comfort and familiarity with the team dynamics.
In his own words, Keller stated, “I’ve played here for a while now, like seven years, and it’s pretty crazy how time flies, but I’m definitely comfortable here. I know how things work and it’s great to be able to share some knowledge to the younger players and (answer) any question they might have and things like that. I can get a lot (of questions about) coming straight from college or junior or whatever it is. It’s nice to kinda lead them in the right direction and show them the ropes.”
Keller, who recently earned his fourth All-Star Game selection, is now the franchise record-holder for the most appearances in the All-Star Game, a testament to his consistent performance. Despite participating in previous All-Star Games in San Jose, Las Vegas, and Sunrise, Keller anticipates a unique experience at this year's game in Toronto, emphasizing the city's status as the hockey Mecca and the passionate fanbase.
Reflecting on his achievements within the current season, Keller leads the Coyotes with 31 points, comprising 13 goals and 18 assists in 37 games. His notable contributions include four game-winning goals and 105 shots, both ranking highest on the team. Additionally, his five power-play goals place him second behind Nick Schmaltz's seven, and his 14 goals trail only Lawson Crouse's 16.
Acknowledging the team's leadership, Keller praised teammates Lawson Crouse and Nick Schmaltz, stating, “I think we have a great leadership group with Lawson Crouse and Nick Schmaltz, and it’s exciting times for sure.”
Selected by NHL Hockey Ops as the Coyotes' representative, Keller awaits fan voting for the final 12 league-wide selections for the All-Star Game. Fans can cast their votes on X by tagging “#NHLAllStarVote” with the player’s full name or site handle.
While recognizing his own achievements, Keller also highlighted the outstanding performance of teammate Connor Ingram, acknowledging him as the team's MVP for the season so far. In Keller's words, “We’ve had a lot of guys play very well this year and guys that could’ve easily been there as well. Connor Ingram has been unbelievable. He’s been our MVP of the season so far.”
