The Kings and Coyotes have made a trade as Los Angeles has acquired winger Tobias Rieder and goaltender Scott Wedgewood from Arizona in exchange for goaltender Darcy Kuemper. Both teams have announced the swap.
Rieder has struggled this season under new bench boss Rick Tocchet and as a result, he is on pace for the lowest goal total of his career after tallying just eight through 58 games this season. However, the Kings would certainly have cause for optimism that he could bounce back as the 25-year-old has surpassed the 30-point mark in each of the last two seasons. Rieder is set to be a restricted free agent this summer and currently carries a $2.25MM cap hit and a $2.45MM salary; that amount will serve as his qualifying offer in June. The Coyotes are retaining 15% of that contract, per TSN’s Bob McKenzie (Twitter link).
Los Angeles GM Rob Blake has been looking to add to the roster without losing any of his top draft picks and prospects and this deal accomplishes that, similar to the Dion Phaneuf swap with Ottawa last week. Rieder slots in as a versatile middle-six winger that can not only play both special teams units but he can also play on both the left and right side.
[Related: Updated Kings and Coyotes Depth Charts from Roster Resource]
This is Kuemper’s first season out of the Minnesota organization and to say he has thrived would be an understatement. In 19 games with the Kings this season (15 starts), he has compiled a 10-1-3 record with a 2.10 GAA and a .932 SV%. He’s making just the league minimum of $650K this season and will earn considerably more than that on his next deal as McKenzie reports (via Twitter) that he will receive $3.7MM on a two-year contract extension with Arizona for an AAV of $1.85MM.
The trade and subsequent new deal for Kuemper gives the Coyotes a little bit more certainty when it comes to the goaltending position with starting netminder Antti Raanta slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Raanta, when healthy, has played quite well for Arizona with a 2.45 GAA and a .924 SV% in 35 games which should have in line for a considerable raise on the $1MM he is receiving this season. The Finnish netminder is set to be an unrestricted free agent in July. Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports adds (Twitter link) that the team still intends to try to re-sign Raanta.
Wedgewood was in his first season with Arizona after being acquired from New Jersey back in late October. He has compiled a 3.45 GAA and a .893 SV% in 20 contests this season. The 25-year-old is also making the league minimum this season and is eligible for restricted free agency with arbitration rights this summer.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to report (Twitter link) that a deal between the two sides was close and that a Kuemper extension was likely.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Did not see that coming but I like it.
Unless they doubt their ability to resign Raanta or his future as a number one goalie (or both), I don’t understand why the Coyotes make this trade. Granted, it’s not like Rieder was lighting it up, but for a team that scores as few goals as Arizona, even an eight-goal scorer is kind of a big loss, especially for a goalie they don’t seem to need.
I think the yotes have a log jam of mediocre LW most of which are cheaper. Merkley or Crouse could get a shot now. Kuemper is an upgrade and if/when they resign Raanta it should shore up the goalie position for the next few years at a decent price.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to moving Rieder, especially if it gives someone like a Crouse another shot. I’m just not sure that a goaltender was the right return.
I really don’t mind flipping Kuemper but Wedgewood can’t be the new backup. He is terrible.
He’s only 25 and wasn’t on a team with strong D in front of him. Most likely he gets sent down if he is on a two-way deal and they bring up Peterson or Campbell to back up Quick.
Almost every goaltender this year for Arizona has terrible numbers. Raanta is the exception which speaks to how well he is playing moreso than Arizona turning a corner. For a team like LA that seems to be able to throw almost any goaltender behind their defense and have success, they should be fine. At the very least, the coaching staff and/or front office must’ve seen enough in Wedgewood that he would be fine behind their defense.
The Yotes must be getting ready to deal Raanta???? New York Islanders?
I’ll take him back in Rangers Blue
Why would Arizona trade for a guy who’s about to be a free agent? Especially when you give up a pretty good player who could’ve gotten you a decent pick.
They already extended Kuemper
Its not a bad deal. Rieder has potential but obviously needs a change in scenery and his value is lower now than what it could’ve been a year or two ago. Keumper gives Arizona insurance in case Raanta leaves or if they want to trade him. I have to imagine that they know Raanta is gone at some point in order for them to make this deal, but Keumper’s rumored extension isn’t prohibitive or bad either.