Josh Archibald

Deadline Primer: Arizona Coyotes

February 6, 2019 at 6:54 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

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.

Minor Transactions: 01/09/19

January 9, 2019 at 10:17 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

It’s a day off for all but six NHL teams today, with only three games scheduled for this evening. Of those three the clash between Colorado and Calgary strikes as the most important, given their respective positions in the Western Conference. The Flames are trying to hold onto first place in the Pacific Division while Colorado is just trying to hold onto a playoff spot, meaning these two points are extremely important to both clubs. While they and the rest of the league prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves of the day.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled Garrett Wilson from the minor leagues, after placing Zach Aston-Reese on injured reserve. Aston-Reese suffered an injury in last night’s game and could be out for a while, providing Wilson with another opportunity at the NHL level. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins captain has just two points in 14 NHL games this season but provides a physical presence for the club that may be lacking elsewhere.
Dan Renouf is on his way back to the Charlotte Checkers after just a day in the NHL, a reward for the hard work he has put in at the AHL level this season. Renouf has just one NHL game to his name during three years of professional hockey, but has been the Checkers’ most reliable defenseman for much of the season.
Michael Bunting will join the Arizona Coyotes today, giving the team another option while Josh Archibald is awaiting the birth of a child. Bunting has 18 points in 22 minor league games this season.
The Vegas Golden Knights have brought up goaltender Maxime Lagace from Chicago of the AHL. He will take the place of Malcolm Subban who is day-to-day with an illness. Lagace has played in 18 games with the Wolves this season, posting a 2.72 GAA and a .898 SV%.

Josh Archibald Suspended Two Games For Illegal Check

November 16, 2018 at 5:39 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Department of Player Safety has suspended Arizona Coyotes forward Josh Archibald two games for his illegal check to the head of Ryan Hartman. Archibald attempted to check Hartman into the boards and directly made contact with his head, resulting in a two-minute penalty. As the accompanying video explains:

It is important to note that although Hartman is making a play with the puck as Archibald approaches, he does not change the position of his head or body in a way that significantly contributes to the head being the main point of contact on this hit. If Archibald wishes to deliver this hit, he must take an angle of approach that hits through Hartman’s core, rather than picking the head and making it the main point of contact.

Archibald has no prior history with the DoPS, in fact he doesn’t have much of a history with the NHL at all. The 26-year old winger has just 62 games in the league over his career, 39 of those coming last season with the Coyotes. That fact didn’t keep him from punishment, given Hartman’s injury on the play and the clear head contact. He’ll now be watched much more closely by the league for any future incidents, though he certainly doesn’t have a reputation for play like this.

The Coyotes meanwhile will have to insert another player into the lineup, but that might not be the worst thing. Archibald has zero points in nine games and hasn’t shown much offensive ability since he left the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Arizona has much bigger things to deal with as Jason Demers, Jakob Chychrun and Alex Goligoski all find themselves sidelined due to injury.

Josh Archibald To Receive Hearing With Department Of Player Safety

November 16, 2018 at 9:41 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The league’s Department of Player Safety has been awfully busy this season, and have more work to do today. Arizona Coyotes forward Josh Archibald will have a hearing about his illegal check to the head last night of Nashville Predators forward Ryan Hartman. Archibald was penalized on the play, in which it appeared as though he hit Hartman’s head directly.

The two-minute penalty that Archibald received was actually his first of the season, and though he’s not a player that shies away from contact he certainly isn’t a headhunter either. The 5’10” 176-lbs winger is just fighting to stay in the league after he was traded to Arizona last season and was given his first opportunity to suit up on a regular basis. In nine games this season he has zero points, and has posted very poor possession numbers.

That makes any suspension easier to take for the Coyotes, but tough for a player who has a tenuous grasp on the NHL. The 26-year old is in the second season of a two-year contract that carries a cap hit of $700K, and will be looking for a qualifying offer this summer as he becomes a restricted free agent for the final time—that is, if he gets into another 18 games and becomes ineligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency.

Injury Notes: Tuch, Johns, Hayton

October 2, 2018 at 7:04 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

Although the nature of his injury remains a complete mystery, Vegas Golden Knights forward Alex Tuch is headed to the injured reserve. The team announced this evening that the young power forward has been placed on IR, but did not add any further detail to the release. Tuch’s unavailability paired with the recent demotions of Daniel Carr and Curtis McKenzie leaves the Knights with just twelve healthy forwards and an open roster spot heading into their opener, indicating that the team will soon name a replacement to the roster, likely a recall from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. Meanwhile, Tuch is eligible to return on October 8th, when Vegas travels to his hometown Buffalo Sabres. The Golden Knights will try to get Tuch back to full strength as soon as possible, as the 22-year-old recorded 37 points in his first full NHL season last year and appears primed for a breakout campaign in 2018-19.

The Dallas Stars clarified the status of defenseman Stephen Johns today, while also shedding light on their recent acquisition of fellow right-handed defenseman Connor Carrick. Sportsday’s Matthew DeFranks writes that Johns has been dealing with post-traumatic headaches over the past few weeks and the condition has landed him on the injured reserve. While head coach Jim Montgomery indicated that Johns could return to practice as soon as Wednesday – he has only practiced once since September 16th – but there is no timeline for his return to game action. The team will likely take it slow while Johns works through a sensitive diagnosis and in the meantime Carrick can help to pick up the slack. Johns was one of Dallas’ more consistent blue liners last season and the team will welcome him back when he is ready to go. Outside of Johns and forward Valeri Nichushkin, out day-to-day with a lower body injury, the Stars have had good luck with injuries in camp and enter the regular season with a solid depth chart of healthy players.
Last week, we noted that the Arizona Coyotes had reached the maximum of 50 contracts for the organization and had technically exceeded the limit with entry-level contracts for Barrett Hayton and Pierre-Olivier Joseph. However, the two youngsters were expected to be returned to juniors which would discount their contracts against the limit. While Joseph has returned to the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders, Hayton has in fact been officially named to the opening night roster, the team announced. How does such a move work? Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Hayton will not count against the contract limit until he has played in the minimum ten games for his contract to toll. As such, Hayton’s stay in the desert could be predetermined to just a short nine-game stint. However, if he wins a long-term spot on the roster, the Coyotes will be pressed to trade away one or more players under contract to make space. Why give Hayton this chance considering their roster inflexibility? Arizona is currently dealing with a laundry list of injuries, with Alex Galchenyuk, Christian Dvorak, and Josh Archibald on injured reserve and Nick Merkley additionally sidelined. The recent first-round pick may present the best opportunity in the system to make up for these losses.

Metropolitan Notes: Flyers, Johnson, Anderson, Penguins

February 27, 2018 at 7:48 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose Leave a Comment

The Flyers were quiet yesterday in terms of activity with their lone move of the day being the waiver claim of Johnny Oduya from Ottawa. GM Ron Hextall told reporters, including Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post, that their position in the standings wasn’t going to dictate how aggressive they were going to be:

“Because we’re a point out of the division lead, we’re not going to make a deal that makes us a little better right now but we give up two young assets, a good young player, a draft pick. We’re not going to make deals to go essentially all-in for one year.”

Hextall also stated that they were looking into a couple of things but that he wasn’t prepared to overpay for a rental upgrade. Instead, Philly will look inwards for their post-deadline upgrades. Winger Wayne Simmonds is out for another seven-to-ten days while netminder Brian Elliott is expected to return at some point before the postseason as well which should only be a boost for the currently-surging Flyers.

Dallas Stars Trade Jamie Oleksiak To Pittsburgh Penguins

December 19, 2017 at 1:03 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 8 Comments

After clearing some room on the roster by dealing Josh Archibald, the Pittsburgh Penguins have now acquired Jamie Oleksiak from the Dallas Stars in exchange for a conditional 2019 fourth-round pick. Pittsburgh had just acquired Minnesota’s fourth-round pick from the Arizona Coyotes in the previous deal. Dallas will get whichever pick, Minnesota or Pittsburgh’s own, is earlier in the fourth round.

Oleksiak, 24, was a first-round pick by the Stars in 2011 but hasn’t quite had the impact expected at the time. The 6’7″ defender has had trouble staying in the lineup for Dallas, even playing forward at times just to get back in game action. At times he can look like the dominating defensive presence the Stars had hoped for, but those moments have been too few and far between for them to give him added responsibility.

In Pittsburgh, Oleksiak will get another chance to impress and prove that he’s an NHL defenseman before hitting restricted free agency again this summer. Currently on a one-year deal worth $965K, he’ll actually cost the Penguins a little more than Archibald on the year. Interestingly, Oleksiak is another left-handed defenseman for the Penguins, something they’re already full of. With Justin Schultz on injured reserve, only Kris Letang and Chad Ruhwedel hold right-handed sticks at the moment, making it unclear where Oleksiak will fit in. Kevin Czuczman has been sent to the minor leagues for the time being.

Still, it is clear that Penguins GM Jim Rutherford has decided at least a minor shakeup is needed for his club. Pittsburgh has been a disappointment this season after back-to-back Stanley Cups, and find themselves out of a playoff spot at the moment. Oleksiak isn’t the answer to all of their problems, so expect other moves to eventually come down the pipe for the Penguins, though they may have to wait until after the holiday roster freeze.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Pittsburgh Penguins Acquire Michael Leighton From Arizona Coyotes

December 19, 2017 at 12:21 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 1 Comment

The Pittsburgh Penguins made a deal ahead of the trade freeze, acquiring Michael Leighton and a 2019 fourth-round pick (originally Minnesota’s) from the Arizona Coyotes. They’ll send back Josh Archibald, Sean Maguire and a 2019 sixth-round pick. Leighton will join his third organization of the season, after already being dealt from Tampa Bay to Arizona earlier this year.

While Leighton has a long history in professional hockey, he hasn’t played well during his tumultuous season so far and is an interesting move for a club that had reportedly been after goaltending depth. The fact that Maguire—younger and performing better in his split ECHL/AHL season—is going the other way means it’s not a clear upgrade in terms of raw talent in net.

Archibald, who may be the only player in the deal to spend any more time in the NHL this season, is a 25-year old undersized forward without a ton of upside. Though he was an excellent college player, Archibald hasn’t been able to find much success at the professional level.

For Pittsburgh, the upside to this deal isn’t readily apparent. While they do drop a contract of their roster limit, they already had quite a few spots free. Moving up a couple of rounds in the draft and gaining some minor league experience in net is at least worth something, but Archibald is a useful extra player and Maguire clearly has more upside than Leighton at this point in their respective careers.

We’ll have to wait and see what Pittsburgh has in store, which could potentially include another goaltender move or something that needed Archibald’s active roster spot. The young forward isn’t waiver-exempt any longer, meaning Pittsburgh could have lost him if they tried to send him to the minor leagues.

Minor Transactions: 12/01/17

December 1, 2017 at 8:11 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The calendar has turned to December, and the NHL is flush with trades and rumors. The Ducks and Devils completed a big swap, but there was also a minor trade between old foes and a waiver claim that brought a familiar face back home. Today is expected to be filled with more transactions, and we’ll keep track of the minor ones right here.

As expected, the Buffalo Sabres have returned Linus Ullmark to the AHL after spending practice with the team yesterday. Robin Lehner was given a maintenance day, but the Sabres still wanted two goaltenders on the ice. Ullmark’s time will come with Buffalo, as he continues to impress in the minor leagues.
Per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Jason Mackey, the Penguins have reassigned Josh Archibald to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a conditioning assignment. The 25-year-old forward hasn’t been injured; he just hasn’t played this season. Through two months of the 2017-18 season already, Archibald has skated in only two games with Pittsburgh and had to this point avoided the AHL entirely. However, a total time of 21:38 of game action means Archibald needs to get his legs back under him in the minors if he is to be of any use in the NHL this year.
The San Jose Sharks announced that they have returned goalie Antoine Bibeau to the AHL, as he’ll head back over to the Barracuda locker room. Bibeau, 23, was arguably the biggest off-season addition that San Jose made this summer, but is still looking for his first NHL action of the year. Bibeau has a very impressive 2.04 GAA and 0.925 save-percentage in the AHL this year, but with Martin Jones and Aaron Dell putting up those kinds of numbers themselves in the NHL, it doesn’t look promising for Bibeau to see extensive big league action this season.
The Blue Jackets have recalled defenseman Gabriel Carlsson and forward Markus Hannikainen from Cleveland of the AHL, per a team release. Both players have spent the bulk of the season with Columbus but had each been sent down within the last week to pick up a bit of playing time at the minor league level to stay in game shape.
With Oilers defenseman Adam Larsson heading to injured reserve, the team announced that they have promoted blueliner Ryan Stanton from AHL Bakersfield. The 28-year-old has a single assist in 11 minor league games this season but is no stranger to the NHL having 120 games of experience under his belt with Chicago, Vancouver, and Washington.
The Lightning announced that they have brought back winger Cory Conacher from Syracuse of the AHL. The veteran has played just once with Tampa Bay this season (on Saturday against Pittsburgh) but he made the most of it, scoring in that game. As usual, he has been quite productive at the minor league level, collecting 15 points in 18 games.

Penguins Re-Sign Derrick Pouliot And Josh Archibald

July 12, 2017 at 5:26 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 4 Comments

The Penguins put pen to paper with a pair of their restricted free agents on Wednesday as they announced the re-signings of defenseman Derrick Pouliot and forward Josh Archibald. Pouliot receives a one-year contract worth $800K while Archibald inks a two-year pact with a cap hit of $675K. Both players received one-way deals.

Pouliot spent the bulk of this past season with Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, playing in a career-high 46 games with the Baby Pens. He collected 23 points in that span, matching his output from 2015-16 but he only needed 37 games to reach that mark that season. The 23-year-old battled a lower-body injury that cost him 21 games in the NHL and as a result, he saw action in just 11 contests with the Penguins, all in the regular season. In 67 career NHL games spanning three seasons (all with Pittsburgh), Pouliot has two goals and 12 assists.

Archibald collected a career-best 29 points in 61 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season while picking up his first ever NHL points, tallying a trio of goals in 10 games with Pittsburgh in the regular season. He also saw action in four playoff contests and is a candidate to lock down a more permanent roster spot in 2017-18.

Pittsburgh has three remaining restricted free agents this offseason, forwards Jean-Sebastien Dea and Conor Sheary as well as defenseman Brian Dumoulin.

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