The title has transferred ownership over the years, moving from Jeremy Roenick to Daymond Langkow and on to Mike Ribeiro – for just a season – and then Antoine Vermette.
Martin Hanzal was the latest to hold the distinction as the Coyotes’ No. 1 center, sitting at the top of the team’s depth chart until he was included in a trade with the Wild before the deadline last month that fetched a collection of draft picks and a minor-leaguer.
Addressing Hanzal’s absence looms as one of the organization’s most intriguing decisions of the offseason and while they have opportunities with the draft, trade market and free-agent pool in addition to looking internally, the Coyotes may very well discover few options exist to solidify the position.