With their scheduled arbitration hearing now 48 hours away, the Coyotes and winger Lawson Crouse have exchanged their requested awards. The gap, as it almost always is, is sizable, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that Arizona has submitted a $2.5MM figure and Crouse has come in with a $4MM request.
The 25-year-old is coming off of a career season, one that saw him post 20 goals and 14 assists despite missing 17 games mostly due to a hand injury. Crouse also received a sizable jump in playing time for his efforts as head coach Andre Tourigny increased his ice time by more than three minutes a game compared to 2020-21 as he logged 17:26 per game. It’s also worth noting that Crouse led the Coyotes in hits for the fourth straight season with 181.
Power forwards with some offensive ability are hard to find in the NHL and often get more than expected on their contracts as a result. Those types of deals are often done closer to the player becoming UFA-eligible and Crouse is still a couple of years away from that threshold so the timing for such a move isn’t quite right. To that end, it’s notable that both sides asked for a one-year award, fully knowing the big negotiation is probably a year away.
No matter what happens with this negotiation (or hearing if it makes it that far), Crouse will be in line for a considerable raise after playing on a bridge deal that carried a $1.533MM AAV for each of the last three seasons. The two sides will have until the start of the hearing on Monday to negotiate a settlement but once that hearing starts, the arbitrator will have the final say on what Crouse’s salary for next season will be.
If AZ wishes to keep him, a long term deal will be negotiated in season before the TDL. Crouse may wish to go elsewhere and play AZ to grant his wish, as he is a valuable commodity right now. I could see the Leafs giving them Kerfoot, Sandin and a pick/prospect for him.
Please. If Toronto wanted a forward who had a career year in scoring some goals last year, they could have Evan Rodrigues for nothing more than getting his signature on a contract. They wouldn’t have to give up so much as a third-line ECHLer.
Of course Leafs would gladly give Arizona Kerfoot and Sandin.But Arizona has no need for Kerfoot(27 y/o who will be UFA after this season).And Arizona already has plenty of players like Sandin in their system.Try Matthew Knies instead
OK
Nils Lundqvist and Julian Gauthier for Crowse. Make it happen Chris Drury
4 mil for 34 points? Get the f*** out of here
Yeah. Having a career year in *Arizona* is about as suspect as it gets. When a team has to play any number of odds and sods, SOMEone has to get 20 goals.
Necas just signed 2 year 3 mil$ bridge deal with Carolina.No way Crouse will get 4 mil $
Sign him for 5 years 15 million. He should be named captain of the Coyotes.
Maybe “Alpha Male”, LOL