If anyone wants to question the Coyotes’ ability to draft, then you can just stop right here. Hanzal was a first-round draft pick of Phoenix in 2005 and Mueller was the same in 2006.

“These two kids came in and made an impact sooner than we hoped,” said Head Coach Wayne Gretzky, “Obviously we’re happy about that.”

The two play different styles, which works out great for the Coyotes considering that both play the same position and thus can be on the ice in different situations.

Mueller is an offensive minded forward, as evidenced by his 19 goals and 22 assists, which is good for .68 points per game. There are plenty of guys that have played for years in the NHL who would kill to average that per game. He has proven that he has the ability to get hot, as evidenced by his two hat tricks so far this season.

With his size (6-2, 205) he can play physical when he has to, but he is more of a playmaker—a guy who can come across the blue line, assess the situation and then make the right play.

The bonus for those of us here in the U.S. is that Mueller is from Bloomington, MN, which means that he is poised to be a member of the American team at the 2010 Olympics, should USA Hockey decide that it’s time to drop the aging team that represented us in 2006. But that’s a topic for a future Rink Rant…

In Hanzal you have a totally different player. “He’s definitely defensive-minded,” said Gretzky. “He’s coming along and we feel like he can contribute around here.”

Even bigger than Mueller at 6” 5’, 208, Hanzal appears to be a checking center that knows how to get points. He has 6 goals and 21 assists through 53 games, but some of his best moments aren’t recorded on the stat sheet.

As with any young player, Hanzal has to learn the NHL game, but when you have The Great One on the ice running your practice, that’s probably the best way to learn.

Hanzal has already spent time wearing the sweater of his native Czech republic during the World Junior Championships two years in a row and it is almost a certainty that he will wear it again at the Winter Olympics in 2010.

For now, however, the pair will continue to thrive in the desert and will continue to help propel the Coyotes into the Pacific Division race and hopefully that post-season appearance that Phoenix desperately needs and absolutely deserves.

Coyotes' Mueller named NHL rookie of the month (January)

NEW YORK (Feb. 4, 2008) -- Phoenix center Peter Mueller, who led all rookies in scoring with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 14 games as the Coyotes surged to a 9-4-1 record, has been named the NHL Rookie of the Month for January.

Mueller edged Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (2-12--14 in 13 games), Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (3-6--9 in 14 games) and New York Rangers center Brandon Dubinsky (4-4--8 in 14 games) for the award.

Mueller, 19, recorded points in nine of 14 games during the month, including a seven-game point streak from Jan. 10-21 (4-7--11). He tallied a career-high three assists in a 5-3 victory against San Jose Jan. 15 and notched two goals, including his third game-winner of the season, in a 4-2 win at Columbus Jan. 29.

Phoenix's first choice and the eighth overall selection at the 2006 Entry Draft, Mueller registered 78 points (21 goals, 57 assists) in 51 games for Everett of the Western Hockey League last season and captured WHL rookie of the year honors in 2005-06. The 6-2, 205-lb. Bloomington, Minn. native represented the United States at the IIHF World Junior Championships in 2006 and 2007.

Mueller joins previous 2007-08 Rookie of the Month winners, Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (October), Atlanta Thrashers defenseman Tobias Enstrom (November) and Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (December).

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