In just about the worst timing possible, Shayne Gostisbehere is expected to miss four to six weeks with an upper-body injury, according to Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports. The Arizona Coyotes’ defenseman suffered the injury on Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks, when he played just 19:20, only the tenth time all season he was under the 20-minute mark.
Bad timing not because the Coyotes are playing for a playoff spot, but because he is a leading candidate to be moved at the trade deadline. The 29-year-old defenseman is in the last season of a six-year, $27MM deal and has racked up 29 points in 48 games so far. With the Coyotes willing to retain some salary, Gostisbehere could have been an interesting pickup for several contenders looking to add a bit of offensive punch to the back end.
An injury now means could have already played his final game with the Coyotes. If that’s the case, it has been an extremely productive period for the third-round pick, even though the team hasn’t experienced much success in the standings.
In the summer of 2021, the Philadelphia Flyers sent Gostisbehere to the desert along with a second and a seventh-round pick for nothing more than cap relief. They received future considerations in return, while Arizona assumed the entirety of Gostisbehere’s contract.
From the moment he arrived in Arizona, he’s been productive, scoring 13 goals and 51 points last season. Gostisbehere ranks 17th in scoring among defensemen across the entire league over the last two seasons, ahead of names like Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, Seth Jones, and Dougie Hamilton.
An injury like this will only hurt his value heading into the deadline, reducing whatever return the Coyotes were able to get. Hopefully, for Arizona, he’ll be able to return and play at least one game before March 3rd, but if he can’t, a buyer will be taking a chance that Gostisbehere’s game isn’t affected down the stretch.