Coyotes sign top draft pick Turris

A day after his highly successful freshman season at the University of Wisconsin ended, Coyotes top prospect Kyle Turris decided it was time to turn pro.

Turris signed a three-year entry level contract Monday which will pay him a base salary of $875,000 per year and includes performance bonuses.

The 18-year-old center helped guide the Badgers to the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament, where they lost 3-2 in overtime Sunday to North Dakota, and had a team-high 25 assists, 36 points and 38 penalty minutes in 36 games.

After the breakthrough season, both Turris and the Coyotes decided it was time for him to make the jump to the NHL.

“I had a couple of conversations (throughout the season) with his representative, his family advisor but it was really over (Sunday) night and (Monday)” that negotiations got going, general manager Don Maloney said.

“Given our situation with the youth of the team, with (coach) Wayne (Gretzky)’s coaching and his willingness to play young players, in our minds and in Kyle’s mind, his family’s, his advisor’s, this was the right place for him going forward. We’re excited. We’re happy to have him.”

The third overall pick in last summer’s draft and a native of New Westminster, British Columbia, Turris will join the Coyotes for practice this afternoon. (He flew into town late Monday and was unavailable for comment.)

There is a good chance he will play in at least one of Phoenix’s final three games, Maloney said.

“I do want to caution everyone that he’s still very young,” said Maloney when asked what to expect.

“But I really thought it was important to get him here for at least the last week of the season and to be around NHL players and see the speed and the size and the strength. Then he’ll have four or five months to get himself a little bit stronger and hopefully have an impact next season.”

Listed at 6-foot-1, 170 pounds at the 2007 draft, Turris has added about 10 pounds since then according to the Coyotes.

Known for his superior playmaking ability, accurate shot and ability to control the flow of a game, Turris led all goal scorers with seven at last summer’s Super Series, an eight-game event between Canada and Russia featuring the countries’ top junior players.

He was also a member of the Canadian squad at the 2008 World Junior Championships and tied for the team lead in scoring with six points in five games.

With the addition of Turris, the Coyotes’ roster includes the club’s No. 1 pick from each of the last three drafts. Forward Peter Mueller was taken No. 8 overall in 2006 and forward Martin Hanzal was the 17th pick in 2005.