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Deadline Primer: Arizona Coyotes

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With the trade deadline fast approaching, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? As we continue to examine the Pacific Division, here is a look at the Arizona Coyotes.

Team A is in a four-way tie for eleventh place is their conference. Team B has a points percentage only marginally less than the final wild card team in their conference. Most would say that Team A should be a seller at the deadline, while Team B should be a buyer. Well, Team A is the Arizona Coyotes and Team B is also the Arizona Coyotes.

At 51 points through 53 games, Arizona is tied with the Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference wild card race, though technically they lead the group. One game in hand separates them from the Ducks and Hawks, while a single regulation/overtime win currently gives them an edge over the Oilers. At the same time, the Coyotes’ .481 points percentage only narrowly trails the 8th-place Vancouver Canucks and 10th-place Colorado Avalanche, who are both .500 teams. The truth of the matter is that six points separate all eight teams in pursuit of the second wild card berth in the West and Arizona is right in the middle of a race that gets more complicated with each day.

So which way do GM John Chayka and the Coyotes go? The St. Louis Blues currently look like the team to beat for the final postseason spot, but the Avalanche have been in the playoff picture all year and the Blackhawks are winners of five straight. Can Arizona really compete with those teams? Despite the proximity of the teams in the Western Conference playoff race, the ’Yotes still lack great odds of making the playoffs and, even if they did sneak in, would be severe underdogs without much of a chance in the first round. Between a rash of injuries and inconsistent scoring, this just doesn’t seem like the year for Arizona’s triumphant return to the postseason. There are many good pieces in place, both veterans and young contributors, but the Coyotes would be better served simply entertaining offers for their impending free agents and expendable parts and keeping their sights set on next season.

Record

23-25-5, fifth in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Moderate Seller

Deadline Cap Space

$30.54MM in full-season cap hit, 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 50/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: ARI 1st, ARI 2nd, ARI 3rd, CHI 3rd, ARI 4th, CLB 6th, PIT 6th
2020: ARI 1st, ARI 2nd, ARI 3rd, ARI 4th, ARI 5th, ARI 6th, ARI 7th

Trade Chips

Derek Stepan? Alex Goligoski? Niklas Hjalmarsson? These names just aren’t out there on the rumor mill, as the Coyotes seem happy with their veterans and aren’t willing to move them while term remains on their contracts. There is a lot to like about the core that Chayka and company have put together, but it simply hasn’t had the opportunity to shine this season due to injury issues with the likes of Nick Schmaltz, Michael Grabner, Jakob Chychrun, Christian Dvorak, Antti Raanta, and more. Looking ahead to next year, the Coyotes on paper have a top-notch goalie tandem, a deep and diverse defense, and a mix of skill and experience on offense that could help to solve this season’s scoring issues. The team seems unlikely to want to interfere with the potential they see in next season’s squad, which will eliminate many of the names that buyers are most interested in.

However, there are more than a few impending UFA’s or spare parts that the Coyotes should be willing to move. At the top of that list is forward Richard Panik. Panik, 27, is on pace to match his 35 points from last season when he came over to the Coyotes from the Chicago Blackhawks at mid-season. Yet, he has been less effective and less efficient at both ends this season despite more play time than his second-half stint last year. A fit in Arizona that once looked ideal for Panik is now unlikely to be a long-term home and the Coyotes should be more than willing to move the upcoming free agent. Panik will be an affordable, versatile depth addition for a contender and should draw ample attention. The only other Coyotes forwards approaching unrestricted free agency are Jordan Weal – who has disappointed since coming over from the Philadelphia Flyers – and Mario Kempe, neither of whom are likely to attract much interest. There are others up front who Arizona will listen on, though. Nick Cousins, an RFA this summer, has failed to make the most of opportunities throughout the lineup this season and should be a player that the Coyotes are open to move on from at the right price. Josh Archibald, another RFA, is already 26 and may not be a player that Arizona sees as a long-term piece. He would be another affordable depth addition for a playoff-bound team.

On the back end, Jordan Oesterle has played admirably for the Coyotes this season, but the 26-year-old UFA-to-be is likely nothing more than an extra man if he stays in Arizona moving forward. He would probably prefer to begin that role early this season for a contender than stay in the desert. Oesterle has proven this season that he can step in and be an effective defender and he seems very likely to move if any playoff team comes calling. The more difficult decision for the Coyotes is in regards to Kevin Connauton. At full strength, Arizona does not need Connauton as a top-four defenseman next season and, like Oesterle, he may even become the seventh defender on that blue line. Yet, he is signed through the end of next year at a great price, even as a depth option. Even though his offense has fallen off this season after an impressive 2017-18 campaign, Connauton and his team-friendly $1.375MM cap hit could be appealing to any number of teams if the Coyotes are willing to give him up. AHLers Dakota Mermis, Robbie Russo, and Dysin Mayo are all likely up for grabs as well if any team wants to really deepen their options on the blue line.

Five Players To Watch For: F Richard Panik, D Jordan Oesterle, F Nick Cousins, D Kevin Connauton, D Robbie Russo

Team Needs

1) NHL-Ready Forward Prospects: It’s hard to truly gauge what the Coyotes needs are moving forward since their performance this season is so skewed by injuries and an ever-changing lineup. Their 28th-ranked offense should improve next season with full seasons from Schmaltz, Dvorak, and Grabner and the chemistry impact that consistent lines will have. Nevertheless, 2.60 goals per game is a bad mark and adding some more young scoring options to the mix certainly won’t hurt. The Coyotes aren’t exactly selling elite talent at this deadline, but if they can land some pro-ready forwards in lieu of draft picks, that would be ideal. Barrett Hayton cannot be the only impact forward in the Arizona pipeline, but there aren’t any other apparent options who could step in next season. Center depth is a clear need, but any capable, young forward will help.

2) Draft Picks: The Coyotes are not the same rebuilding team they were just a couple of years ago, but that doesn’t make building for the future any less important. Chayka and company seem content to move forward with their current core, but need to establish the next wave behind them. Hayton is leader of that prospect core, but his supporting cast right now is unspectacular. If pro-ready prospects aren’t being offered up by sellers, adding draft picks this season can help add to the pipeline. It is a deep draft and even third- and fourth-rounders could yield impact players in June.

Arizona Coyotes’ Jakob Chychrun Returns To IR

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The excitement surrounding young Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun and his return to the lineup was short-lived. After missing 32 games last season with a knee injury and the beginning of this campaign due to off-season surgery, Chychrun finally got back into to the ’Yotes lineup on Tuesday night. He even celebrated his return by signing a six-year extension just hours before the game. However, Chychrun was held out of last night’s game, listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered in just his first game back. His bad luck got worse today, as CapFriendly reports that Chychrun has been placed on injured reserve with the upper-body condition and is set to miss even more time.

Chychrun, 20, was the 16th overall pick in 2016 and has shown a well-rounded arsenal of ability even in his limited 119 games over two plus seasons. However, the same concerns expressed when he signed his long-term, $26.7MM contract this week are now amplified even further. Chychrun would be far from the first NHL player to show incredible talent, but simply struggle to stay on the ice. Granted, an injured Chychrun can be placed on IR and does not affect the cap calculations of the Coyotes, a low-budget team anyway. However, if the composition of the team moving forward is built around a dependence on Chychrun’s availability, that could be trouble for GM John Chayka and company. There is also the possibility that reoccurring injuries begin to toll on the style and intensity of Chychrun’s game, especially since the young rearguard has shown a propensity for toughness and grit early on. There is substantial risk in Chycrhun’s new extension and yet another injury only exasperates it.

With Chychrun out, joining Alex Goligoski on the IR, as well as concerns over the availability of Jason Demers, who left last night’s game with a lower-body injury, the Arizona defensive corps is beat up right now. The team recalled Robbie Russo earlier this morning and fortunately still have Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Niklas Hjalmarsson at 100%. Still, the likes of Kevin Connauton, Jordan Oesterle, and Ilya Lyubushkin will be asked to step up while the team works its way back to full health on the blue line.

Pacific Notes: Ducks, Quick, Chychrun

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The Anaheim Ducks have dealt with more than their fair share of injuries over the past year or so. The team is still far from healthy, but finally full strength is within sight, particularly among their battered forward corps. The likes of Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, and Patrick Eaves are healthy, and recent injuries like those to Jakob Silfverberg and Kalle Kossila have also run their course. Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase are on the mend and expected to be active sooner rather than later. Corey Perry (knee) and Carter Rowney (upper body) are still far from a return, but in terms of players the Ducks reasonably expected to be healthy, things are looking up. However, a full set of healthy forwards also brings with it some tough choices. While Anaheim has the flexibility to send the likes of Ben Street, Pontus Aberg, Sam Carrick, and Kiefer Sherwood – currently on the roster – to the AHL, they have to be concerned about whether there is enough ice time to go around for the more permanent pieces. Already, the team sent promising rookie Isac Lundestrom to the AHL today to bring up Kossila and fellow top prospects Sam Steel and Troy Terry are already down with the San Diego Gulls. As the team grows healthier, it it possible that they could explore returning rookie Max Comtois to his junior club, the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltiguers. While Comtois has already played in ten games this season and tolled the first year of his contract, he cannot be sent to the AHL and could be better served getting guaranteed top-six minutes at the junior level than fighting for ice time with the Ducks. Comtois is currently sidelined, buying Anaheim some time on the decision, but with conceivably an upwards of 20 forwards expecting to see action in the NHL this season, eliminating even just one option by sending Comtois back to junior would help the Ducks with their impending roster crunch.

  • The Los Angeles Kings took another hit in net today with the news that backup goaltender Jack Campbell will be out four to six weeks with a torn meniscus. The team is already without starter Jonathan Quick due to the same injury and are left to lean on veteran Peter Budaj and rookie Cal Petersen for the time being. Fortunately, GM Rob Blake did assure the media later on that Quick remains on track to return sometime around the end of the month, per beat writer Curtis Zupke. Quick underwent surgery on October 31st and was given a timeline of roughly a month to return. So long as his rehab continues to progress positively, Quick could potentially be ready to return by the Kings’ November 30th clash with the division rival Calgary Flames. Yet, even in that best-case scenario, Budaj and Petersen will still be on the hook for the nine games between now and then.
  • In more immediate injury news, The Athletic’s Craig Morgan reports that Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun is “probable” to make his season debut on Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings. Chychrun has been sidelined since late last season with a torn ACL in his right knee. The first-round pick was establishing himself as a reliable top-four defender prior to his injury and his return should come with an automatic starting spot, likely bumping Ilya Lyubushkin down to the minors and Jordan Oesterle from his starting slot.

Chicago Pro Hockey League Is Launched

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Since the success of Da Beauty League in Minnesota, a summer league featuring plenty of NHL talent during their offseason, other summer professional leagues have started to pop up. Today saw the launch of the Chicago Pro Hockey League (CPHL) which will take place in Chicago this summer and include more than 80 players from professional leagues across North America.

In their press release, the league states that Vinnie Hinostroza, Nick Schmaltz, Jordan Oesterle, Connor Carrick, Ryan Hartman, Tommy Wingels, Christian Fischer, Ryan Dzingel, T.J. Tynan, Robbie Russo, Alex Broadhurst, Garret Sparks, Christian Dvorak, Anders Bjork, Tommy Di Pauli and Louis Belpedio will all be a part of the inaugural season.

Leagues like this are often a good proving ground for junior or NCAA prospects, as well as a chance for fans to see their favorite players for a lower price. The season begins on July 11th, and tickets will cost just five dollars. Games will be held at the Chicago Blackhawks’ practice facility, and a portion of the proceeds are given to charity each week.

U.S. Announces 2018 Men’s National Roster

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USA Hockey announced their initial 2018 national roster for the upcoming 2018 IIHF Men’s World Championships on May 4-20 in Copenhagen and Herning, Denmark, headlined by Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane.

Kane, who announced he’d play this summer after his Blackhawks season ended with no trip to the playoffs, represented the U.S. twice in both the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games, leading the U.S. to a silver medal in 2010, was named the captain of this team back on April 9. He will be joined by four others with World Championship experience, including Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin, New York Islanders forward Anders Lee, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy and the Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau.

The one interesting roster note is the addition of 18-year-old Quinn Hughes, who is considered to be a likely top-10 pick in the upcoming NHL draft. The full roster can be found below:

G Scott Darling
G Keith Kincaid
G Charlie Lindgren

D Will Butcher
D Quinn Hughes
D Nick Jensen
D Alec Martinez
D Connor Murphy
D Jordan Oesterle
D Neal Pionk

F Cam Atkinson
F Blake Coleman
F Alex DeBrincat
F Johnny Gaudreau
F Brian Gibbons
F Patrick Kane
F Chris Kreider
F Dylan Larkin
F Anders Lee
F Sonny Milano
F Derek Ryan
F Tage Thompson
F Colin White

 

West Notes: Boeser, Clifford, Oesterle

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Brock Boeser’s wait is over. The young forward hadn’t gotten into a single game for the Vancouver Canucks this season, but his chance will come tonight when the team takes on the Winnipeg Jets. Expecting big things, Boeser was on many lists of Calder Trophy favorites this summer after his electrifying debut last year. The 20-year old came straight from the NCAA tournament to the NHL and scored four goals in the final nine games of the season.

The Canucks haven’t guaranteed anyone a spot on their team this year, and new coach Travis Green believes his players have to earn their way on. Still, it looks like Boeser will jump right onto a line with Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi, a group that could all be key parts to the Canucks future. Alex Burmistrov, despite two pretty solid games, will come out of the lineup.

  • Kyle Clifford sustained an upper-body injury against the Calgary Flames last night, and is now considered week-to-week according to Jon Rosen of LA Kings Insider. Clifford had never shown much offensive ability but is still a big part of the Kings’ forward group, providing physicality and a knack for suppressing shot totals. It’s unclear how long he’ll be out, but the team could turn to Nic Dowd or Johnny Brodzinski, both of whom were scratched on Wednesday night.
  • The Chicago Blackhawks have been one of the league’s best teams through the early going, but none of that is because of Jordan Oesterle. The 25-year old defenseman has yet to get into a game, and Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times believes his could be almost up. Lazerus quotes head coach Joel Quenneville, who admits that it’s been a long time without getting Oesterle on the ice. Oesterle was a Group VI free agent this summer, and decided to sign a two-year, one-way contract with the Blackhawks, sensing their lack of defensive options. Unfortunately for both sides, he’ll be exposed to waivers should the Blackhawks send him to the AHL, meaning he could have to pack up and head for a new city once again.

Chicago Blackhawks Sign J-F Berube, Jordan Oesterle, Lance Bouma

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The Chicago Blackhawks brought Patrick Sharp back into the fold earlier, and also have announced three other signings. Jean-Francois Berube, Jordan Oesterle and Lance Bouma will join the club, adding a backup goaltender, bottom six forward and depth defenseman to the team as they look to work around their current cap problems. Both Berube and Oesterle will be on two-year deals, with Berube earning $1.5MM per season while Oesterle gets the minimum of $650K. Bouma, recently bought out by the Calgary Flames will be on a one-year deal, though his salary has yet to be announced.

Berube was a Group VI free agent this summer after being selected in the expansion draft by the Vegas Golden Knights. The 25-year old will join Corey Crawford and Anton Forsberg in the Chicago net, attempting to at least get some more playing time than he’s seen so far in his career. In 21 career games, he’s recorded a .900 save percentage and gone 6-4-3.

Oesterle, another Group VI free agent from the Edmonton Oilers, got into just two games last season at the NHL level. A strong performer in the minor leagues, the defenseman could battle for a spot in Chicago next season. He finished with seven goals and 25 assists in 44 AHL games for the Bakersfield Condors last year.

Bouma may be the most interesting of the three, after being bought out by the Calgary Flames this week. A third-round selection in 2008, Bouma actually put up a 34-point season in 2014-15 before settling into a much reduced role the last couple of years. If the Blackhawks can unlock any of that scoring potential once again, they could have an extremely cheap but effective option for their bottom six next year.

Minor Moves: Labanc, Mete, Kuokkanen, Oilers

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The San Jose Sharks have sent Kevin Labanc back to the AHL prior to their AHL affiliate San Jose Barracuda’s first playoff game. Labanc wasn’t going to get into the Sharks lineup unless an injury struck, and he will be a huge help to the Barracuda’s chances. In 55 NHL games this season, Labanc registered 20 points and was a point-per-game player in the 19 matches in the AHL.

A former OHL superstar, Labanc scored 127 points in his final year of junior with the Barrie Colts, and has turned from sixth-round afterthought to legitimate prospect in the San Jose system. Here are some more moves from around the league…

  • The St. John’s IceCaps have signed Montreal Canadiens’ prospect Victor Mete to an amateur tryout. Mete was a fourth-round pick last summer who has enjoyed an excellent season in London, out performing fifth-overall pick Olli Juolevi offensively. His 44 points in 50 games was best on the team from the blueline, and he’ll now get a chance to show off at the professional ranks. Only 18, Mete will head back to London next year for another chance at the Memorial Cup.
  • The Charlotte Checkers have added a London Knight of their own, as the Carolina Hurricanes re-assigned Janne Kuokkanen to their AHL affiliate. The 18-year old center was signed to a three-year entry-level deal just last month after his huge rookie season in the OHL. Scoring 62 points in 60 games, he proved why the Hurricanes made him a second-round pick (43rd overall) last summer.
  • After letting Jesse Puljujarvi head to Team Finland for the World Championships, the Edmonton Oilers have recalled a group of Black Aces for their playoff run. Jordan Oesterle, Mark Fayne, Joey LaLeggia and Anton Lander will all join the club now that the Bakersfield season is over. This group will be first up should anyone suffer an injury during the Oilers’ postseason series against the Sharks.

Afternoon Transactions: Oilers, Hurricanes, Blues, Wild, Capitals

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Assorted transactions from around the NHL this afternoon:

  • The Oilers announced (via Twitter) that they have assigned defenseman Jordan Oesterle to the Bakersfield Condors. The 24-year-old was recalled to the NHL earlier this month. In two games with the Oilers this season, Oesterle hasn’t recorded a point, although he has compiled three goals and 15 assists in 26 AHL games.
  • The Hurricanes announced that they have recalled forward Phil Di Giuseppe from the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. The 23-year-old has recorded one goal and one assist in 18 games with the Hurricanes this season, and he’s collected 20 points in 33 games with the Checkers.
  • The Blues have assigned forward Kenny Agostino to the AHL, reports Norm Sanders of the Belleville News-Democrat (via Twitter). The former fifth-rounder has played in seven games with St. Louis this season, compiling one goal and two assists. In 48 AHL games, Agostino collected 18 goals and 42 assists.
  • The Wild announced that they have returned right winger Alex Tuch back to Iowa of the AHL.  Minnesota’s first round pick (18th overall) back in 2015 has played in six games with the big club this season, being held off the scoresheet while averaging 10:42 of ice time per night.  He’s having a strong rookie year at the minor league level though, scoring 12 goals and 13 assists in 36 games with Iowa.
  • The Capitals announced they assigned center Jakub Vrana to Hershey of the AHL.  He was recalled on Friday but didn’t play over the weekend.  The 20 year old has a goal and two assists in 12 games with the Capitals this season and has put up 25 points in 33 games with Hershey.  Washington is off until Wednesday and there’s a good chance they’ll recall Vrana before that time but they will save a bit of cap space in the meantime by sending him down for a few days.

Minor Transactions: 2/10/2017

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The flip-flop of young backups continues in Columbus. The Blue Jackets announced today that they have demoted Joonas Korpisalo to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters and recalled Anton Forsberg to take his place. The 22-year-old Korpisalo won both of his last two starts, but was unimpressive, allowing a combined ten goals in the process. He did relieve Sergei Bobrovsky recently with 13 minutes of shutout hockey, but it was not enough to keep him around. Korpisalo has an .893 SV% and 3.57 GAA in five appearances this season. Ironically, Forsberg has not done much better. In his first and only game with Columbus in 2016-17, the 24-year-old allowed four goals on 27 shots in a loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. With both young keepers set to go unprotected in the upcoming Expansion Draft, perhaps it is GM Jarmo Kekalainen’s strategy to not allow either to get hot at the NHL level in an effort to dissuade the Vegas Golden Knights from damaging the Blue Jackets’ future in net.

Columbus also sent Oliver Bjorkstrand down to the AHL. The 21-year-old Danish winger was expected to have a much greater role with the Blue Jackets this season, but to this point has just one point in five games. Bjorkstrand has spent almost the whole season with the Monsters, scoring 14 goals and nine assists in 35 games.

Elsewhere across the league:

  • Last night, the Edmonton Oilers recalled defenseman Jordan Oesterle and forward Anton Lander from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. The pair have been sent back-and-forth frequently of late while Edmonton balances their lineup. Lander has been demoted recently during struggles to make a difference with the Oilers, only to dominate the AHL level with 28 points in 18 games. On the flip side, Edmonton has tried inserting Oesterle into the lineup recently due to his 18 points in 26 games to lead all Condors defensemen.
  • Eric Gelinas has been reassigned to the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage by the struggling Colorado Avalanche. The Avs are desperate for defense, but Gelinas has not been the solution. The former New Jersey Devils top prospect was traded to Colorado at the deadline last year, and has been a major disappointment. After playing a prominent role for the Devils, he has just one point in 33 games for the Avalanche.
  • One of the main reasons that the Winnipeg Jets placed defenseman Julian Melchiori on waivers earlier today was to make room for fellow blue liner Ben Chiarot. The Jets announced that they have activated Chiarot from the injured reserve today. Chiarot has been out since early January for the Jets, and his presence will be much-welcomed with Tyler Myers still sidelined.
  • Buffalo announced via Twitter that they have sent forward Evan Rodrigues back to AHL Rochester.  He has played in just four career NHL games – two this season – but is having a strong season at the minor league level with nine goals and 18 assists in 43 contests with the Amerks.
  • The Sharks have made a series of roster moves, announcing that they have recalled defenseman Tim Heed and winger Kevin Labanc from San Jose of the AHL while assigning blueliner Joakim Ryan and center Ryan Carpenter to the Barracuda.  Heed and Labanc have been shuffled back and forth routinely as the team looks to free up extra cap space and will be available for a matinee game against the Flyers tomorrow.
  • Dallas has assigned blueliner Julius Honka to their AHL affiliate in Texas, reports Mark Stepneski of Stars Inside Edge (Twitter link).  Honka has played in ten NHL games this season, recording four assists.  The move suggests that Jamie Oleksiak could be ready to return from his hand injury; he has been out of the lineup since January 11th.

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