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Coyotes Extend, Promote David Ludwig To AGM Role

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Free agent defenseman Matt Tennyson has been without a contract this season, but he’s found a place to play with a handful of weeks remaining in the campaign. HC Lugano of the Swiss National League announced Wednesday that they’ve signed Tennyson through the end of 2023-24 as they look to bolster their squad for the stretch run.

The 33-year-old spent last season on an AHL deal with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the primary affiliate of the Kraken, and recorded 18 assists and a +20 rating in 71 games (and three assists and a +9 rating in 26 playoff games) as they advanced to the Calder Cup Final. The minor-league mainstay was supposed to play in the Predators organization entering the second season of a two-year, two-way contract, but the deal was mutually terminated in July 2022.

He last appeared in the NHL with Nashville in the 2021-22 season, notching three assists in an eight-game stint. While the right-shot blue-liner has spent most of his professional career in the minors, he does have four goals, 25 assists, 29 points, and a -24 rating in 173 games over parts of nine NHL seasons with the Predators, Hurricanes, Devils, Sabres, and Sharks.

Other news and notes from around the league:

  • The Coyotes have extended and promoted front office staffer David Ludwig to an assistant general manager position under GM Bill Armstrong, the team announced Wednesday. Ludwig, a former player agent, has been with Arizona since 2020 as their director of hockey operations and salary cap compliance. His new role will involve more direct communication with Armstrong, including assisting him “in all aspects of running the Club’s personnel and hockey operations, including salary cap management, contract negotiations, and Collective Bargaining Agreement/legal issues,” the team said. His promotion continues a run of front-office extensions the Coyotes have announced in recent days, mostly involving their scouting department.
  • Penguins defenseman Kris Letang will play against the Panthers on Wednesday after departing Monday’s practice for precautionary reasons, head coach Mike Sullivan said (via Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review). The team is down to 18 healthy skaters after placing Noel Acciari and Jansen Harkins on IR with concussions in the last 48 hours and has no salary cap space for a recall from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. As such, the team will dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen against Florida out of necessity to avoid waiving any of their depth defensemen. The 36-year-old Letang has 30 points and a +14 rating in 49 games while averaging 25 minutes in the second season of his six-year, $36.6MM extension.
  • The NHLPA will file an appeal Wednesday on behalf of Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly, who was suspended five games on Tuesday for a cross-check to the face of Senators forward Ridly Greig, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports. The appeal for a reduced suspension will go directly to Commissioner Gary Bettman and cannot be forwarded to an independent arbitrator because the initial assessment was less than six games. If Bettman reduces the suspension, but the ruling is not made final until after he’s sat out for five games, Rielly will get a pro-rated salary reimbursed based on the reduction.

Coyotes Extend Contract Of Darryl Plandowski

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Colorado Avalanche announcer Conor McGahey tweeted that Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is okay after hitting his face on the ice on Saturday night in a game against the Florida Panthers. The 28-year-old superstar didn’t practice today due to a different minor tweak, but the team is hopeful that he’ll be able to play tomorrow night against the Washington Capitals.

MacKinnon is currently second in NHL scoring with 32 goals and 53 assists in 53 games but has been held pointless in three straight games.

In other Central Division notes:

  • Chicago Sun-Times reporter Ben Pope tweeted that the Chicago Blackhawks expect to get rookie phenom Connor Bedard back into the lineup next week. Bedard has a final imaging appointment a week from today and if the appointment goes well Bedard could be back into action by the middle of next week. Bedard’s return will be a welcome development for himself and the Blackhawks as the 18-year-old hasn’t played since January 5th and has 15 goals and 18 assists in 39 games this season.
  • The Winnipeg Jets have activated forward David Gustafsson off the injured reserve and loaned him to their AHL affiliate the Manitoba Moose for conditioning purposes. The 23-year-old has missed the previous 18 games with a lower-body injury and hasn’t dressed since December 22nd. He has just two assists in his last 21 games and hasn’t scored a goal since October 30th. In 27 games this season the native of Tingsryd, Sweden has just two goals and two assists.
  • The Arizona Coyotes have extended the contract of Director of Amateur Scouting Darryl Plandowski. No terms of the deal were released, but the extension will keep Plandowski with the Coyotes for the foreseeable future. Plandowski was a big part of the Tampa Bay Lightning as he spent 12 years with the organization and was part of the club during their two Stanley Cup championships. He worked his way through the Lightning organization into the role of Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting before eventually joining Arizona in 2020.

Could Coyotes Have A New Arena Plan In The Works?

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Kraken defenseman Justin Schultz has left the team for personal reasons, relays Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.  However, head coach Dave Hakstol is hopeful that the veteran will be able to rejoin the team in the coming days on their four-game road trip.  The 33-year-old is having a bit of a quieter year offensively with just 16 points in 42 games so far; he had 34 in 73 contests last season.  Seattle is still trying to climb back into the playoff picture but if they wind up selling closer to the deadline, Schultz could be an interesting addition to the market as a right-shot blueliner on a $3MM expiring contract.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • The long-running arena saga in Arizona could be taking another direction. PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reports (video link) that a local government source suggested that a new arena deal in North Phoenix could be wrapped up in the next three months.  Their situation was discussed in an executive session (not open to the public) at a council meeting earlier this week with the meeting believed to have gone well.  While there’s a long way to go before shovels are in the ground, it’s possible that the Coyotes could wind up with a new arena plan in the near future which could delay any potential talk of relocation.
  • The Blue Jackets announced (Twitter link) that forward Yegor Chinakhov left tonight’s game versus Tampa Bay with an upper-body injury. After a slow start to his campaign following his early-November recall, the 23-year-old has become a capable contributor for Columbus, notching 14 goals and 10 assists in 39 games heading into tonight’s action.
  • Following their loss to Florida, the Avalanche announced (Twitter link) that they’ve returned defenseman Sam Malinski to AHL Colorado. The 25-year-old was recalled on Tuesday and played that night but was scratched for their past two games.  Malinski has 10 points in 23 games with the Avs so far while logging a little over 14 minutes a night and will likely be brought back up again in the coming days.

Coyotes Arena Outcome Expected In A Few Weeks

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For the past two decades, the Arizona Coyotes have been looking for a long-term home for the franchise. Originally moving to Phoenix from Winnipeg in 1996, the team played at the America West Center until 2003, when they made the move to Gila River Arena before finally landing at Mullett Arena at the start of the 2022-23 NHL season. With a desperate need to find a long-term arena, the Coyotes are once again locked in a battle with several local governments to get funding.

Although two artificial deadlines have come and passed, Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff wrote today that an answer could come within the next few weeks, and potentially as early as the upcoming weekend. In the article, Seravalli listed three possibilities still on the table for the resolution: break ground on a publicly funded parcel of land, sell the team to secure private funding in the Phoenix Metro area or move the team to Salt Lake City, UT.

Being the most interesting option of the three, the idea of moving or creating a team in Salt Lake City has picked up steam in the last few weeks, especially with Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith requesting the initiation of a formal expansion process on January 24th. While missing the playoffs in 17 of 26 seasons, a bankruptcy, and multiple different ownership changes, the idea of the Coyotes moving north to Utah may become a very realistic possibility in the near future.

Other snapshots:

  • Although they will not be hosting the 2025 Winter Classic, reports are alluding to the idea that the Columbus Blue Jackets may be hosting a Stadium Series game as soon as next season (Article Link). Being one of only a handful of teams not to host an outdoor game up to this point, the Blue Jackets appear set to host an outdoor game at Ohio Stadium, home of the Ohio State Buckeyes football program. Although nothing has been confirmed yet for the 2024-25 NHL season, the article indicates that NHL representatives were seen surveying the property during Ohio State’s game against the Michigan State Spartans on November 11th.
  • During the team’s game tonight against the Winnipeg Jets, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that forward Noel Acciari would not return to the game. During the second period, Winnipeg defenseman Brenden Dillon delivered a hit that made contact with Acciari’s head, resulting in a match penalty on the play. After receiving the hit from Dillon, Acciari attempted to get up, but quickly fell back down on the ice, indicating that he may be headed for concussion protocol.

Coyotes Reassign Justin Kirkland, Steven Kampfer

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Feb. 5: Kampfer and Kirkland were returned to the minors late Sunday night, the team said. It’s unclear why both players were brought up for such a short stint on a non-game day.

Feb. 4: The Coyotes recalled forward Justin Kirkland and defenseman Steven Kampfer from AHL Tucson on Sunday, according to a team statement.

Arizona last recalled Kirkland, 27, before the All-Star break on an emergency basis, although he was scratched for their Jan. 27 loss to the Hurricanes. The eight-year AHL veteran logged two games with the Coyotes in early January, recording one shot on goal and winning eight out of 12 faceoffs in 14 total minutes of ice time.

After joining the Coyotes on a one-year deal last summer, Kirkland has notched two goals and 15 assists for 17 points through 21 games in Tucson. His 0.81 points-per-game average is the highest of his AHL career.

His latest stint on the NHL roster will likely be brief. He comes up to serve as an extra forward in case recent waiver pickup Adam Ružička, who is still working through the immigration process after being claimed from the Flames 10 days ago, is unable to join the team by their Feb. 8 game against the Golden Knights. However, PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan reports Ružička is likely to join the squad by Tuesday, so Kirkland may get sent down within the next 72 hours.

Kampfer’s recall could be more permanent. The 35-year-old is slated to be the seventh defenseman on the active roster as Mathew Dumba and Troy Stecher remain on injured reserve for the foreseeable future.

If he plays, it will be Kampfer’s first NHL game in almost three years. The Ann Arbor, Michigan, native last suited up in May 2021 with the Bruins and has spent the last three seasons with Russia’s Ak Bars Kazan and in the AHL with the Red Wings and Coyotes organizations. He’s played sparingly with Tucson this year, only suiting up 18 times in 43 games, but he’s recorded four assists and a +3 rating while assuming the captaincy. Kampfer has 15 goals, 39 points and a -1 rating across 231 NHL games with the Bruins, Panthers, Rangers, and Wild since entering the league in 2010.

Coyotes Confirm Intent To Purchase Land In North Phoenix

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The NHL’s All-Star Skills Competition was held on Friday night in a revamped format that saw a dozen players compete in a head-to-head format while taking part in at least four of the events.  Oilers center Connor McDavid took home the title and $1MM while the rest of the results were as follows.

Fastest Skater: McDavid (Oilers, 13.408 seconds)
One-Timers: Nathan MacKinnon (Avalanche, 23 points)
Passing Challenge: Elias Pettersson (Canucks, 25 points)
Hardest Shot: Cale Makar (Avalanche, 102.56 mph)
Stick Handling: McDavid (Oilers, 25.755 seconds)
Accuracy Shooting: McDavid (Oilers, 9.158 seconds)
One-On-One: William Nylander (Maple Leafs, 9 points), Alexandar Georgiev (Avalanche, 9 saves)
Obstacle Course: McDavid (Oilers, 40.666 seconds)

Other early news from around the hockey world:

  • Former Bruins goaltender Blaine Lacher passed away on Friday at the age of 53, the team announced (Twitter link). Lacher made an immediate impact in the NHL, coming up as Boston’s starter in the lockout-shortened 1994-95 campaign, putting up a 2.41 GAA in 35 games to earn him a top-five finish in Calder Trophy voting.  However, Lacher only made seven appearances at the top level after that.  No cause of death was revealed.
  • On Friday, the NHLPA expressed its frustration with Arizona’s search for a new arena site, stating that they’ve missed two deadlines already while not engaging with the PA on numerous fronts. However, it appears the team remains on track to purchase a parcel of land as the team confirmed (Twitter link) a report from ABC15’s Taylor Rocha that they are moving forward with a plan to buy in North Phoenix.  At this point, multiple arena sites are still being considered which means we’re still likely a little while away from having more clarity on that front.

NHLPA: Coyotes Have Missed Two Deadlines In New Arena Search

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The Coyotes organization has missed two deadlines in their search for a new arena in the Phoenix area, NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh told reporters on Friday from All-Star weekend in Toronto (via Chris Johnston of The Athletic and TSN). In his press availability, Walsh said he’s “extremely concerned” and “disappointed” with the team’s ownership and claimed owner Alex Meruelo has “refused to engage with the [NHLPA] on numerous fronts,” per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.

Those statements from Walsh run in contrast to what NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said earlier in the day, claiming he was “reasonably confident” that Meruelo would present a plan for an NHL-quality arena in the Phoenix metro area within a reasonable time frame (via Johnston). Previous anticipated dates for a concrete announcement regarding an arena plan included New Year’s Day and this weekend’s All-Star game, neither of which carried any significant updates.

Coyotes President and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez told Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports in December that the team anticipated an announcement of their chosen area site by the end of the 2023 calendar year “or shortly thereafter.” At the time, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that the deal, expected to be for a parcel of land within Phoenix city limits close to the suburb of Scottsdale, was close to being finalized.

Arizona is in its second season using Mullett Arena as its full-time home, where it’s the secondary tenant to Arizona State University’s men’s hockey program. It has a capacity of just 4,600 seats for NHL games.

The current collective bargaining agreement does not award players any avenues for action against the Coyotes, Walsh said (via Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman). Arizona’s first plan for a new arena and entertainment district, a parcel of land in Tempe near Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, was struck down by voters in a May 2023 referendum.

Time is quickly running out for Meruelo to present a long-term plan for a Phoenix-area home. Salt Lake City-based Smith Entertainment Group, owners of the NBA’s Utah Jazz, expressed written intent for an expansion franchise last month. That market is a geographically logical place for relocation and could house the Coyotes franchise as soon as next season.

Trade Deadline Primer: Arizona Coyotes

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With the All-Star break approaching, the trade deadline looms large and is about a month and a half away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Arizona Coyotes.

The Coyotes are in a small rut, going 4-5-1 in their past 10 games. That shouldn’t take too much away from what’s been a drastic improvement in play around a developing core that seems to have most of the pieces in place. GM Bill Armstrong has made it quite clear that the team’s rebuilding days are over, and he’s hinted at being willing to start moving the needle on the trade market. Of course, a quick turnaround in play after the All-Star break could make that decision easy. Arizona is still within shouting distance of making their second playoff appearance in the last 12 years, and as such, they’ll be a bit of a wild card come March 8.

Record

23-22-3, 6th in the Central

Deadline Status

Conservative Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$13.44MM on deadline day, 1/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks

2024: ARI 1st, ARI 2nd, FLA 2nd, WSH 2nd, ARI 3rd, COL 3rd, EDM 3rd, ARI 4th, SJS 4th, ARI 5th, ARI 6th, ARI 7th, BOS 7th
2025: ARI 1st, ARI 2nd, TOR 2nd, EDM 2nd, NYR 2nd, ARI 3rd, NYR/DAL 3rd (cond.), ARI 4th, ARI 5th, ARI 6th, ARI 7th

Trade Chips

A quick look at the list of draft picks above reveals an abundance of second-round selections over the next two years. With the Coyotes likely averting true seller status, this bag of picks will be the first thing Armstrong reaches for if he’s looking to make some small adds to help push this squad into the playoff picture.

Of course, if the Coyotes are going to make a larger swing (they’ve been connected to Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin), it’ll take more than that. It doesn’t seem likely that Armstrong would consider moving out a first-round selection before this Clayton Keller-led core has made a postseason appearance in a non-shortened season, which could open the door to some of their quickly developing prospect pool being shown the door.

Most Coyotes fans were impressed with 23-year-old Barrett Hayton’s play this season before a hand injury sustained in November shut him down long-term. He’s yet to return from the injury, which was only supposed to sideline him until Christmas, but a setback sustained last month has lengthened his recovery. He had put up decent possession numbers and passed the eye test in a first-line role between Keller and Nick Schmaltz, but the production wasn’t there, posting only two goals and two assists in 16 games. Could that stretch be enough for Armstrong to consider moving the 2018 fifth-overall pick in a deal for a more pressing need? Jack McBain, only a year older than Hayton, has recently stepped into the first-line job and has three points in his last five games. He’s had positive possession impacts in the role, but not as strong as Hayton’s, who posted a 58.9% expected goals share when on the ice with Keller and Schmaltz compared to McBain’s 51.4% (per MoneyPuck).

Short-term UFA pickups Alexander Kerfoot and Jason Zucker have been important in middle-six roles for Arizona this year, especially Kerfoot – his 0.58 points per game are the most among the Coyotes’ centers. They likely won’t be on their way out unless Armstrong receives an offer he can’t refuse.

If Armstrong does look to move out one of Arizona’s recent veteran pickups, look for it to be defenseman Mathew Dumba. While defense is likely the area the Coyotes are looking to fortify with deadline additions, Dumba has struggled in the desert and could help them swing a deal for an upgrade. The 29-year-old has five points in 44 games with a 45% Corsi share at even strength that ranks near the bottom of the team. With a retention slot open, they could absorb half of his $3.9MM cap hit on a one-year deal and make him a palatable deadline add for a contending team looking to bring in a veteran for their third pairing.

Team Needs

1) Left-Shot Defenseman: The Coyotes may lack strength at center ice, but their winger group is deep enough to quell any scoring concerns for now. There’s a far more pressing need on the back end, which has largely struggled outside of the J.J. Moser–Sean Durzi pairing. Dumba’s flamed out in the desert, Travis Dermott and Juuso Välimäki are having down seasons, and penalty-kill specialist Josh Brown isn’t suited for an everyday NHL role. Inserting a top-four threat such as Hanifin gives head coach André Tourigny much more flexibility with his pairings and would allow for more puck-moving support outside of Durzi and Moser. 24-year-old call-up Michael Kesselring has done well in his 31 games this year and is inching toward cracking the team’s second pairing on a full-time basis, but he’ll need a better partner than what they have to offer him now if that will convert into a playoff berth.

2) Don’t Sell The Farm Early: While one splash is likely feasible for Armstrong, especially on the blue line given their current roster construction and lack of bona fide top-four prospects, multiple big swings are unwise for a team whose best years are still ahead of them. Their first-round picks are likely more valuable in their hands on draft day than used as fodder in a deadline deal, especially considering help at center ice will come soon with the growth of Logan Cooley and the incoming NHL debut of 2022 11th overall pick Conor Geekie. Things are looking up for the Coyotes (at least on the ice), but there’s still more growth to come.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Central Snapshots: Vilardi, Gustafsson, Dermott, Gurianov

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The Winnipeg Jets are expecting the return of forwards Gabriel Vilardi and David Gustafsson soon, per team reporter Mike McIntyre with The Free Press. Both players are out with lower-body injuries, with Vilardi missing the team’s last two games and optimistic he can return soon, while Gustafsson has been on injured reserve since December 30th.

Vilardi missed roughly a month-and-a-half earlier in the season with a sprained MCL. He made his return on November 30th and has since scored 11 goals and 19 points in 23 games, while averaging over 17 minutes of ice time each game. That’s a scoring pace of 67 points across 82 games, which would mark a new career high for Vilardi, topping the 23 goals and 41 points he scored in 63 games last season. Vilardi is in his first season with Winnipeg, with the 24-year-old forward serving as a focal piece of the trade that sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Los Angeles Kings this summer.

Gustafsson has appeared in 27 games of his own this season, scoring four points while averaging roughly nine minutes of ice time. He appeared in his 100th NHL game on December 20th, recording one assist in the Jets’ 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

Other notes from the Western Conference:

  • The Arizona Coyotes have shared that defenseman Travis Dermott will miss the team’s Saturday night game with a lower-body injury. Dermott missed 12 games earlier in the season with a hand injury, making his return on December 7th. He has just two points in the 22 games he’s played since then, adding a -8 and eight penalty minutes.
  • Nashville Predators forward Denis Gurianov has lost his waiver exemption status, with Nashville’s Saturday afternoon game marking his 10th game since being recalled on January 6th. He’s scored two points in his stint with the Predators, who have become the third NHL club that Gurianov has played for across his seven-year NHL career. The 26-year-old has totaled 289 career games and 113 points, spending six years of his career with the Dallas Stars.

Michael Kesselring Fined For Cross-Checking

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To make a roster spot for their newly signed veteran forward Zach Parise, the Colorado Avalanche announced they have reassigned defenseman Sam Malinski to their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. This reassignment will mark the fourth time that Malinski has been sent down to the AHL this season.

Called up on emergency loan in each of his four promotions to the Avalanche this season, Malinski has been quite effective in Denver, scoring three goals and 10 points in 22 games, averaging just over 14 minutes of ice time per night. In similar numbers to the NHL, Malinski has played in 20 games an hour north in Fort Collins for the Eagles, scoring three goals and nine points altogether.

Unlikely to be his last time playing for the Avalanche this season, Malinski has been one of the few bright prospects to rise through the ranks of the organization over the last several years. Still, Malinski was only acquired last season as an undrafted free agent coming out of Cornell University, and is a touch old compared to most prospects, already being 25 years old.

Other snapshots:

  • A little past the halfway point in the third period in the team’s most recent game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Arizona Coyotes defenseman Michael Kesselring was given a double-minor for a cross-check on Maxwell Crozier, as well as a game misconduct. Today, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety delivered some supplemental discipline to Kesselring for the play in questioning, fining him a total of $2,408.85, the maximum allowable find under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
  • Recalled only yesterday before the team’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Edmonton Oilers announced they have reassigned defenseman Philip Kemp to their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. Although not suiting up in last night’s game against the Blackhawks, Kemp was recalled for a lengthier callup only a few days ago, spending time on the Oilers from January 9th to January 23rd. Luckily, Kemp was able to make his NHL debut on January 13th against the Montreal Canadiens but was only able to play in about two minutes of that contest.

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