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Arizona Coyotes Sign Victor Soderstrom To Entry-Level Contract

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The Arizona Coyotes announced they have signed defenseman Victor Soderstrom, the team’s 2019 first-round pick, to a three-year, entry-level contract. Terms have not been disclosed.

“Victor is a highly skilled player and an elite prospect,” said Arizona general manager John Chayka. “We are very pleased to get him signed and look forward to having him come to training camp and compete for a spot on our roster.”

Soderstrom, the 11th-overall pick in the draft, was highly coveted by the Coyotes, so much so that Arizona traded their second-round pick to Philadelphia to move up three places in the first round to select him. The 6-foot, 187-pound blueliner already played a full season in the SHL last season with Brynas, posting four goals and seven points. He is known to be a two-way defenseman, who is an excellent skater with great awareness.

While many expect Soderstrom to return to Sweden next season, the signing of the entry-level deal could change that. He is eligible to play in the AHL and after a season in which he played with men in Sweden, the Coyotes might want him to come over to North America sooner and adjust to the smaller rink size in hopes he could be ready to play for Arizona as soon as possible. Of course, the Coyotes could still decide to loan him to his former team in Sweden as well, but Arizona gets to make that decision now.

Coyotes Hope To Sign Victor Soderstrom In The Coming Days

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With one team having already gone the offer sheet route, there has been plenty of speculation surrounding whether or not another one will be tendered to one of the remaining prominent restricted free agents this summer.  It appears that teams are at least sniffing around on Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner.  In an appearance on 630 CHED (audio link), Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted that a team wanted to sign him to an offer sheet but they were looking for a max-term contract (seven years), something Marner’s camp is unwilling to do at this time.  Instead, he’s believed to be seeking a shorter-term pact to get him to unrestricted free agency quicker and allow him to sign a longer-term deal when the salary cap is even higher.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Back issues caused Stars center Martin Hanzal to miss all but seven games last season. Those may be the last games he winds up playing in Dallas as Mike Heika notes on the Stars’ team website that Hanzal, who is now in the final year of his contract, is unlikely to play at all in 2019-20 and that he’ll spend the entire year on injured reserve.  That means that the 32-year-old could be placed on LTIR to free up some extra wiggle room on the cap for next season.  However, there will be a risk to doing so with Miro Heiskanen, Corey Perry, and Andrej Sekera having achievable bonuses in their contracts.  Using LTIR would save cap space in the short term but create an overage for 2020-21 if anyone meets those incentives.
  • The Coyotes are hoping to sign first-round pick Victor Soderstrom in the coming days, reports Expressen’s Johan Svensson. While the defenseman is under contract with Brynas of the SHL for another season, Arizona can sign him and gain control over where to assign him to because he was picked in the first round.  While they could still loan him back to the SHL, signing him would give them the ability to also loan him to their AHL affiliate in Tucson to help him start adapting to the smaller North American ice surface right away.

Mario Kempe Signs With Los Angeles Kings

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Adrian Kempe won’t have to visit Arizona anymore for family dinner. The Los Angeles Kings have signed his older brother Mario Kempe to a one-year, two-way contract worth $700K. The elder Kempe has spent the last two seasons in the Arizona Coyotes organization after a long international career in the SHL and KHL.

The 30-year old forward played 52 games for the Coyotes last season, recording nine points in limited ice time. He served as a part-time penalty killer, but was mostly given fourth-line ice time as an energy option for the team. Originally selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2007, Kempe played just eight games for their AHL team before returning to Sweden and not coming back until 2017. Suiting up for them at the World Championship, he added two points in four games.

It’s important to note that the younger Kempe is currently a restricted free agent for the Kings and is an important part of the future in Los Angeles. Just 22-years old, Adrian scored 16 goals and 37 points in 2017-18 before taking a slight step backwards last season. Bringing in his brother may help the negotiation, though Mario is a good player in his own right and will be competing for a spot on the Kings’ roster come September.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Michael Bunting

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In addition to officially announcing the contract for Hudson Fasching, the Arizona Coyotes have released details on another signing. The team has inked restricted free agent Michael Bunting to a two-year, two-way contract. Bunting was eligible for salary arbitration, but will avoid it with his new contract.

Bunting, 23, was selected in the fourth round by the Coyotes five years ago, but only just made his NHL debut. The former OHL standout has had several successful seasons in the AHL, including 19 goals and 41 points in 52 games during the 2018-19 campaign. That was good enough for second on the team in both categories, while he easily led the club in penalty minutes with 84. A pesky forward that can both contribute offensively and get under an opponent’s skin, Bunting actually may have a future ahead of him in the Arizona bottom-six.

The question will be whether he can carve out that role this season, since he is no longer waiver-exempt. He cleared twice last season, once just as the season began and again later in February before the trade deadline, and will have to do so again to be sent to Tucson this season. The two-year term on his deal may actually help him clear again with teams hesitant to take on that commitment. He and Fasching both have work to do in order to contend for a spot this fall.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Hudson Fasching

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The Arizona Coyotes have signed another one of their restricted free agents, inking Hudson Fasching to a two-year, two-way contract according to CapFriendly. The deal will come with a $738K average annual value in the NHL.

Fasching, 23, was traded to the Coyotes in 2018 after failing to crack the Buffalo Sabres lineup on a consistent basis, but spent the entire 2018-19 season in the minor leagues anyway. The former University of Minnesota star had 33 points in 64 games for the Tucson Roadrunners, actually scoring the third most goals on the team. Still, it’ll be tough for him to crack the NHL lineup to start the year unless the Coyotes run into some more serious injury trouble.

That is of course as long as Fasching clears waivers at the start of the year, something that’s not necessarily a given after he has already been traded twice. Teams obviously somewhat value him, and given his 6’3″ frame and minor league scoring ability they could decide he’s worth a look on the fourth line.

Minor Transactions: 07/03/19

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Even as several top NHL free agents remain unsigned, some teams have moved on to filling out their minor league depth charts for the upcoming season. We’ll keep track of some of the notable minor moves right here:

  • The ECHL Kelly Cup champion Newfoundland Growlers will get several players back next season, as the Toronto Marlies have re-signed Matt Bradley, Brady Ferguson, Zach O’Brien, Scott Pooley and Kristians Rubins to minor league deals. All five were part of the Growlers title run in their inaugural season in the ECHL. O’Brien, 27, was named playoff MVP after scoring 29 points in 23 postseason games.
  • The Colorado Eagles are loading up this offseason and now have another goaltender to add to the mix. Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic is reporting that former Arizona Coyotes prospect Hunter Miska will sign an AHL contract with Colorado. Miska, a former standout at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, made his NHL debut last season for the Coyotes but spent the majority of the season in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners, recording an .895 save percentage in 25 appearances.
  • Mark Divver reports that the Providence Bruins will bring back Christopher Breen for another season. The mammoth defenseman is an effective penalty killer and imposing physical presence, but hasn’t played an NHL game since the 2013-14 season.
  • The Manitoba Moose have agreed to terms with Alexis D’Aoust, Bobby Lynch, Cole Maier, Kristian Reichel, Graeme Craig, Jimmy Oligny and Hayden Shaw for the 2019-20 season, bringing back a good chunk of their organizational depth.
  • Former Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers prospect Kale Kessey has signed with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, the team announced. Kessey has largely played in the ECHL over the past three years, but the 2011 fourth-rounder will push for a regular role with Hershey. His penalty minutes are a thing to behold.

Lawson Crouse Re-Signs With Arizona Coyotes

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The Arizona Coyotes have signed one of their restricted free agents, inking Lawson Crouse to a three-year contract. The team did not release any financial information on the deal, but CapFriendly is reporting that it will be for a total of $4.6MM ($1.53MM AAV). GM John Chayka issued a short statement:

We are very pleased to sign Lawson to a multi-year contract. He had a very good season last year and really established himself as an NHL power forward. We look forward to having him in our lineup.

Crouse, 22, was the 11th overall pick in 2015 by the Florida Panthers, but ended up heading to Arizona just a year later in a deal that saw the Coyotes take Dave Bolland’s contract. Bolland was never going to play again thanks to a back injury, so Arizona took the money off the Panthers’ books and received a top prospect in Crouse for their trouble. The power forward at that point was coming off a solid season in the OHL and a second appearance at the World Juniors for Canada.

Surprisingly, he made the Coyotes out of camp as a 19-year old in 2016-17 and played 72 games with the team instead of going back to junior. In 2017-18 though, with the option of the AHL available, Crouse spent most of the season with the Tucson Roadrunners where he recorded 32 points in 56 games. The confidence built in the AHL continued over to the most recent season, where he started to establish himself and recorded 25 points in 81 NHL games.

Moving forward, the Coyotes will hope that the 6’4″ 220-lbs forward can develop his scoring touch even further and drive the puck to the net with more frequency. Crouse is a good skater, especially for his size, and could be a key player moving forward for them.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Ness, Miele, Bennett

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The Arizona Coyotes already made their big splash this off-season, acquiring Phil Kessel, so it comes as little surprise that the team made one unassuming announcement about three players signed to two-way contracts. Defenseman Aaron Ness has signed a two-year deal, as has forward Andy Miele, while forward Beau Bennett has signed a one-year deal. No financial terms have been disclosed.

Ness, 29, is the only one of the trio who spent last season in North America. A depth piece for the Washington Capitals, and before that the New York Islanders, Ness has played in 47 career NHL games and can be a useful minor league piece in case of emergency. The Coyotes have great depth on the blue line, but the team will be happy to let Ness, who scored a career-high 55 points last year with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, play a key role with the Tuscon Roadrunners while acting as deep option should injuries strike at the top level.

Miele, 31, begins his second stint with the Coyotes organization after spending the past two seasons abroad. A player with incredibly impressive numbers in the AHL, Miele branched out to the European ranks in search of a greater role. He enjoyed back-to-back strong seasons, first in the Swedish Hockey League and last year in the KHL, but appears ready to try his hand in the NHL again. Miele has only 15 NHL games to his credit, but he and the ’Yotes hope that his time overseas has further developed his game to the point that he can contribute in Arizona.

Bennett, 27, was limited to just five games with the KHL’s Dinamo Minsk last season, his first outside North America, but that didn’t stop the Coyotes from taking a chance on him. Now in his fourth NHL stop, Bennett is looking to get back to being a regular in the league, as he was in his first five pro seasons. The 2010 first-round pick has skated in 200 NHL games, recording 64 points, and enjoyed the best season of his career just a few years ago in 2016-17 with the New Jersey Devils. If GM John Chayka and company see the residual upside in Bennett, he could be an intriguing option for the Coyotes this seaosn.

Arizona Coyotes Sign Ivan Prosvetov

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While everyone else is taking part in the free agent frenzy, someone in the Arizona Coyotes is still focused on their prospect pipeline. The team has signed goaltender Ivan Prosvetov to a three-year entry-level contract, according to The Athletic’s Craig Morgan. The 20-year old was selected in the fourth round in 2018 and played last season with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL. The entry-level deal will be for $700K with a $70K AHL salary and a $92.5K signing bonus for each year.

Besides the timing, another reason that the move is surprising is that it’s for the 114th pick in the draft, not a first-round or even a second-round pick. However, Morgan reports that Arizona is very high on the goaltender out of Russia.

Prosvetov has already played in North America for several years now and is already used to those rinks. He spent one year playing in the USHL for the Youngstown Phantoms, appearing in 36 games and posting a 2.90 GAA and a .913 save percentage. He then joined the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL last season and was 36-11-1 in 53 games. He finished with a 2.94 GAA and a .910 save percentage.

UFA Notes: Pickard, Agostino, Leier, Speculation

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There’s a goalie competition coming to Detroit. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that free agent goalie Calvin Pickard is poised to sign a two-year deal with the Red Wings when the market opens tomorrow. As Seravalli notes, that will pit him against Jonathan Bernier for the backup role behind Jimmy Howard. With Howard, 35, signed through just next year but both Bernier and soon Pickard signed for two more years, the time share in net next season in Detroit could be fascinating. Not only could the two veteran goalies battle to be Howard’s understudy next season, but they could be in line to replace him a season later. Neither keeper found much success in 2018-19. Bernier, who some expected to beat out Howard for the starting job, instead posted the worst numbers of his career – a .904 save percentage and 3.16 GAA – in 35 appearances. Pickard fared even worse, allowing an .875 save percentage and 3.86 GAA in a season split between the Philadelphia Flyers and Arizona Coyotes. Pickard’s advantage in the battle though will be his price point, expected to be low after a down year, compared to Bernier’s $3MM mark.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs are lacking the cap space to do much of anything other than adding affordable depth pieces. Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now reports that one such deal is already done. Former AHL MVP Kenny Agostino is expected to sign a two-year, one-way contract with the Leafs, though Dater does not provide any salary details. Agostino, 27, finally got a full-time look in the NHL last season, playing in 63 games with the Montreal Canadiens and New Jersey Devils. Agostino recorded 24 points on the year, a mark that Toronto would be very happy with if the winger comes in at a low cost.
  • It was a year of change for Taylor Leier, who experienced both his first trade, moving from the Philadelphia Flyers to the Buffalo Sabres, and his first season spent exclusively in the AHL. Despite qualifying for Group 6 unrestricted free agency, it seems the 25-year-old forward has place emphasis on familiarity instead of opportunity. The Rochester Americans, affiliate of the Sabres, have announced a one-year AHL contract with Leier. The signing comes as a bit of a surprise, considering Leier spent the entire 2017-18 season in the NHL and has been a very productive AHL player. Young and capable, Leier seemingly would have been a good fit for a two-way deal somewhere, but apparently would rather stay put in Rochester, perhaps in hopes of convincing Buffalo that he is worthy of an NHL contract.
  • Spoiler alert! Although he acknowledges that they are just educated guesses and provides few details, TSN’s respected insider Bob McKenzie has offered some insight where some of the biggest UFA names may end up tomorrow. McKenzie believes that Columbus teammates Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky may not end up as a package deal after all. He thinks that Panarin, and possibly Semyon Varlamov, could land with the New York Islanders, while Bobrovsky goes alone to the Florida Panthers. Those moves would then leave the Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets as the likely to suitors for Robin Lehner. McKenzie also states that a long-term deal for Mats Zuccarello with the Minnesota Wild appears to be close to done.

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