Coyotes call up Tyler Gaudet to help fill Gordon void

The Arizona Coyotes have recalled forward Tyler Gaudet from Springfield of the American Hockey League to help fill the void caused by center Boyd Gordon's injury.

Gordon, a key penalty-killer and the Coyotes' top face-off man, is expected to be out for an extended period after being injured while blocking a shot in last Thursday's game vs. Chicago.

The 22-year-old Gaudet has averaged 12:37 of ice time and registered an assist in five games with the Coyotes this season. In 26 games with Springfield, he has one goal, six assists and 19 penalty minutes.

Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said Gordon will be missed on multiple levels. He's been especially valuable in the face-off circle on the right side of the ice.

"That's what we're going to find out, how important he was to us, because we use him in all those situations," Tippett said. "Tyler will get an opportunity in those, but Boyd will certainly be missed there."

Tippett said Gaudet was impressive in training camp in September before suffering a shoulder injury.

"The thing about Tyler, he's a good skater, he can be an aggressive guy," Tippett said. "Tyler is the best percentage guy down in Springfield taking face-offs on the right side. I'm interested to see what he can do.

"The first week to 10 days of camp, before he ended up getting a shoulder injury, we were talking about how we were going to have a tough time keep him off our team.

"He's been up and down this year, but it's a great opportunity for a young player. This could be a turning point in his career; come in and get an opportunity and do something good with it."