Last year, Nick Ross played in the Western Hockey League with the Regina Pats. He is a solid defenseman who played 70 games with a plus 11 rating and 24 points (seven goals and 24 assists).

For the past two seasons, his hockey club has gone to the playoffs and last year his team made it to the semi finals only to lose to the Medicine Hat Tigers, the team that eventually won the Memorial Cup, the championship of the WHL.

Nick Ross is a bruising hitter and is a solid two way player – a player that any team can use, but the Coyotes saw the value in this young man and picked him up.

What's unique about him is that he knows what needs to improve and will listen to those that want to improve his play on the ice.

The Coyotes were criticized in past years for not being tough enough. Two seasons ago, Keith Ballard stepped up to fill a role that was lacking on the Coyotes physical play which precipitated the need to tougher players, such as Nick Boynton, Owen Nolan, Georges Laraque, and Josh Gratton.

With the Coyotes pick in Nick Ross, the Coyotes get a guy that can find ways to separate the forwards from the puck each time they skate into his end zone. When he matures and is ready for the NHL, Ross will be an important part of the Coyotes blue line.

Original post by PB

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