"General managers like nothing more than to devise numerous scenarios on draft days. They look at youngsters who could help now or later and contemplate trading picks for veterans to fill immediate needs.

Don Maloney has proven in the past few years that he can wheel and deal with the best of them, but in tonight's first round of the NHL Entry Draft at the Xcel Energy Center, he likely will hang onto the Coyotes' 20th pick. It would be no surprise, however, if he unleashes a different strategy when the draft continues Saturday with Rounds 2-7.

"If we could find a centerman (in the first round), it would certainly be preferable to a winger," Maloney said. "But at the end of the day, if a winger has a top upside or a defenseman has a top upside . . . it's the best asset regardless.

"I think it's a good draft, maybe not having the star-quality players at the very top end but deep enough that we feel we can get a very good prospect, certainly in the first round."

The Coyotes have nine selections, including two in the second round, and added a third-round pick as compensation from Philadelphia, which signed goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov on Thursday.

"We are looking at many different scenarios," Maloney said.

Edmonton and Colorado have the first two picks, and the consensus is that center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and defenseman Adam Larsson will go 1-2."