Coyotes Couldn't Retain Salary; Teams Had Interest In Bjugstad, Kerfoot, And Carcone
The Coyotes had a fairly underwhelming trade deadline after getting minimal returns for Mathew Dumba and Jason Zucker but as PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan notes, GM Bill Armstrong did not have the green light to retain salary which certainly restricted their options on the trade front to teams who had the cap space to take on the full contract of which there were few.
Meanwhile, Armstrong indicated that there was strong interest in centers Nick Bjugstad and Alexander Kerfoot along with winger Michael Carcone. All three players have one year left on their respective contracts and are at price tags that range from below market value to affordable so it’s no surprise teams were calling the Coyotes about those players. Clearly, there wasn’t an offer to their liking so all three remain in Arizona, at least for now.
More from the Central:
- Avalanche prospect Nikolai Kovalenko left his KHL playoff finale today with what looked to be a knee issue, notes Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now. The 24-year-old had another productive year with KHL Torpedo, notching 35 points in 42 games while on loan from Colorado. Kovalenko is on an NHL contract and has widely been expected to make the jump and play out the stretch with the Avs. That is, as long as this injury doesn’t change those plans.
- The Blackhawks will welcome back defenseman Nikita Zaitsev tonight against Washington, relays Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times. The 32-year-old had missed the last 19 games with a knee injury and bone fracture. Zaitsev has played in 26 games so far this season, recording two goals and five assists along with 52 blocks and 55 hits. Meanwhile, his average ice time is down to 15:56 per night, a career low. That’s not exactly the ideal platform season that Zaitsev was looking for as he’ll be hitting unrestricted free agency in July.
Lightning Acquire Matt Dumba
The Lightning are nearing a trade to acquire defenseman Matt Dumba from the Coyotes, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. There is no salary retention in the trade, per Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic, and the Lightning are receiving a 2025 seventh-round pick along with Dumba. Tampa Bay is sending a 2027 fifth-round pick to Arizona as compensation. The Arizona Coyotes have confirmed this trade package.
Dumba sat out of Arizona’s Thursday night game for trade-related reasons, alongside fellow veteran and long-time teammate Jason Zucker. Both players were
dealt ahead of the Deadline, with Arizona reeling in a sixth and seventh round pick for the pair. Dumba was in his first season with the Coyotes, signing a one-year, $3.9MM contract with the team this summer. It was the first move of his 10-year career, with Dumba spending the last nine seasons in a prominent role with the Minnesota Wild. He quickly proved to be an effective offensive-defenseman, with 11 goals and 34 points in the 2016-17 season cementing his spot in Minnesota’s lineup. The Wild sent Alex Tuch to the Vegas Golden Knights in order to guarantee they wouldn’t select Dumba in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, and Dumba awarded them appropriately, recording a career-high 14 goals and 50 points in the subsequent 2017-18 season. He was continuing his high-scoring into the 2018-19 year, with 22 points in 33 games, but lost his season to an upper-body injury in December, kicking off a nagging injury bug that’s since followed Dumba’s career. He’s only played in 70 or more games once since the 2017-18 season – coming last year, when he scored 14 points in 79 games.
Dumba’s string of injuries also represented a severe dip in scoring, with the defenseman failing to score more than seven goals in any of the last six seasons. He should have ample opportunity to fix that in Tampa, with the Lightning’s defense in shambles after losing Mikhail Sergachev to injury. Tampa has been forced to ice Darren Raddysh and Nicklaus Perbix in top-pairing roles and while each player has managed modest scoring – with 21 and 20 points respectively – they ceratinly don’t bring the pedigree that Dumba’s amassed across his 656 career games. The newest Lightning defenseman could quickly earn a top-pairing role next to Victor Hedman, unless Tampa opts to play him down the lineup, with the hopes of making their blue-line depth more cohesive.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Predators Acquire Jason Zucker
The Nashville Predators have acquired veteran forward Jason Zucker from the Arizona Coyotes, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Zucker was scratched in Arizona’s Thursday night game for trade-related reasons, along with defenseman Matt Dumba. The Coyotes will be receiving Dallas’ 2024 sixth-round pick in return, per The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. Nashville acquired the pick at the 2023 draft when Dallas traded up into the third round. The deal notably comes with no salary retention. The teams later made the trade official.
Zucker is in his first year with the Coyotes, signing a one-year, $5.3MM contract with the team on July 1st. He’s since had a modest year, scoring nine goals
and 25 points in 51 games – a step down from the 27 goals and 48 points he managed in 78 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins last year. He’ll now change hands once again, joining the fourth team of his career in Nashville. While his high scoring last season seemingly came out of nowhere, with Zucker failing to even reach 20 points in the two seasons prior, his performances in Arizona have shown he can still bring a punch to the depths of a lineup, even in year 13.
Zucker joins Anthony Beauvillier as Nashville’s newest additions – with both players likely to round out the team’s third line, filling the hole left by Yakov Trenin, who was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. The Predators also acquired flexible forward Jaret Anderson-Dolan off of waivers from the Los Angeles Kings. The new pieces will help Nashville round out a bottom-six that features just three players who have crested 20 points this season. Their presence likely forces Mark Jankowski out of the lineup, while Kiefer Sherwood and Cole Smith will now have to compete for their roles.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Patrik Koch Returned To AHL
There had been some speculation that the Canucks could flip Elias Lindholm to secure assets that would be part of a Jake Guentzel trade. However, with Guentzel now in Carolina, it appears Vancouver won’t be looking to flip Lindholm after all, reports TSN’s Chris Johnston in his latest piece for The Athletic (subscription link). The 29-year-old hasn’t lit it up yet with his new team as he has just four goals and three assists in 16 games since coming over from Calgary, not the type of stretch run he was hoping for as he heads to UFA eligibility this summer for the first time.
More from the West:
- The Wild have received interest in winger Pat Maroon and center Connor Dewar, reports The Athletic’s Michael Russo (subscription link). Maroon has missed the last month with a back injury that will keep him out for a couple more weeks but as a cheap gritty, experienced bottom-six forward, it’s not a surprise that there is still interest. The pending unrestricted free agent has 16 points in 49 games so far this season. Dewar, meanwhile, is heading for restricted free agency this summer with arbitration eligibility. The 24-year-old has 10 goals in 57 games while averaging a little over 11 minutes a night and is a key part of Minnesota’s penalty kill. With the rental center market being thin, the Wild could command a decent return if they decide to move Dewar as a result.
- The Kraken and winger Jordan Eberle were discussing a two-year deal with a cap hit of $4.5MM, relays Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli. However, Eberle is believed to be seeking a third year which is the hold-up in discussions. The 33-year-old has seen his numbers dip this season but still has 14 goals and 23 assists through 58 games. The expectation is that Eberle will either be signed or traded by the 2 PM CT deadline. If it’s the latter, Seattle will almost certainly need to retain on his current $5.5MM price tag.
- The Coyotes announced (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned defenseman Patrik Koch to AHL Tucson. The 27-year-old was recalled yesterday but didn’t play. Koch is in his first season in North America and has a goal and ten assists in 47 games with the Roadrunners so far this season.
Arizona Coyotes Recall Patrik Koch
Earlier this morning, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun commented that everything was still on the table in regards to Nashville Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier. Taking a mixed approach to the trade deadline, the Predators have resigned Thomas Novak, and brought in Anthony Beauvillier and Jaret Anderson-Dolan, while shipping out Yakov Trenin.
Much like they did with their other rental options this past week, the Predators are weighing the option of signing Carrier to an extension, trading him, or using him as their rental. With less than 24 hours leading up to the trade deadline, Nashville does not have the luxury of time to make their decision.
As far as his value compared to other moves that have been made already this deadline season, the Predators could conceivably command a second-round pick for Carrier’s services. In 58 games for Nashville this season, Carrier has scored four goals and 19 points, averaging just under 18 and a half minutes a night.
Other Central notes:
- After sending veteran defenseman Troy Stecher to the Edmonton Oilers earlier today, the Arizona Coyotes opened up a roster spot on their blue line. To fill the void, the team opted to recall defenseman Patrik Koch according to a team announcement. In his first season in professional hockey in North America, Koch has only played for the Coyotes AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, suiting up in 47 games this year, scoring 11 points overall.
- Now over a week since the Minnesota Wild signed forward Marat Khusnutdinov to an entry-level contract, it appears the organization has found some clarity on when he will eventually make his debut with the club. Michael Russo of The Athletic is reporting that Khusnutdinov’s visa issues have been worked out with the United States, and he will join the team for practice on Saturday.
- The Arizona Coyotes have shared that Jason Zucker and Matt Dumba will both sit out of the team’s Thursday night game for trade-related reasons. Both players have been focal pieces of Arizona’s assets this Deadline, with the team now acknowledging their chances of moving. They are both in their first season with the Coyotes, with Zucker scoring nine goals and 25 points in 51 games and Dumba totaling 10 points in 58 games. The two were previously teammates with the Minnesota Wild from 2013 to 2020, before Zucker joined the Pittsburgh Penguins for four seasons.
Oilers Acquire Troy Stecher
The Oilers have added depth defender Troy Stecher and a 2024 seventh-round pick from the Coyotes, per a team release. Edmonton is sending a 2027 fourth-round pick to Arizona in return.
Stecher, 29, has now been dealt at the trade deadline for the third consecutive season. He was picked up by the Kings from the Red Wings in 2021-22 and was sent from the Coyotes to the Flames last season before returning to Arizona on a one-year, $1.1MM contract last summer.
Edmonton is absorbing all of Stecher’s cap hit. They now have just over $1MM in deadline space with one open roster spot, so, as Derek Van Diest of NHL.com reports, GM Ken Holland is likely done with his pre-deadline moves.
In Stecher, the Oilers pick up a veteran right-shot d-man to stabilize their group of depth defenders. He had one goal, five points and a +5 rating while averaging 18:26 per game in 47 contests with the Coyotes.
With nearly 500 games of NHL experience, Stecher will likely battle Vincent Desharnais for a spot on Edmonton’s second pairing, flanking Darnell Nurse. While Desharnais is less of a household name, he’s been considerably more effective at controlling possession quality this season, posting a 56.7 xGF% compared to Stecher’s 47.3 xGF%, per Hockey Reference. In all likelihood, Stecher will factor in as the Oilers’ extra defender when the postseason begins, barring injuries.
Stecher’s departure (and the potential departure of Mathew Dumba) means more ice time for the Coyotes’ less-tested complement of right-shot defenders down the stretch as they face another season without postseason play. Sean Durzi is a natural right shot but has been playing his off-side on a pairing with Michael Kesselring, but could shift back to the right on a different pairing down the stretch. 2019 11th overall pick Victor Söderström, who’s played just once in the NHL this season, is waiting in the wings in the minors and could get called up to shoulder some minutes, too.
Stecher will be a UFA at the season’s end. While the Oilers have just one pick in the first four rounds of the 2024 draft after parting with their first-rounder for Adam Henrique yesterday, they now have five in the final three rounds after picking up a seventh-rounder from Arizona today, which originally belonged to the Bruins.
Former NHL defenseman Jordan Schmaltz was first to report that Stecher was heading to Edmonton.
Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK and The Athletic was first to report that the Oilers were parting with a fourth-round pick, while Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to report that a seventh-round pick was heading to Edmonton.
Coyotes Scratch Jason Zucker For Trade-Related Reasons
TSN’s Chris Johnston is reporting that the Arizona Coyotes will scratch forward Jason Zucker in the team’s game tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks for trade-related reasons. Johnston is also reporting that multiple teams have shown interest in Zucker leading up to the trade deadline.
Over the summer, Zucker signed a one-year, $5.3MM contract with the Coyotes, as the unspoken truth at the time is that both player and team had envisioned this scenario coming to fruition. Zucker has primarily played in the team’s middle six, while also garnering some time on the team’s second powerplay unit.
Regularly counted upon for 20 goals a season earlier in his career, unfortunately, Zucker will not come close to that this year. Suiting up in 51 games for Arizona, Zucker has scored nine goals and 25 points overall, sitting ninth on the team in scoring.
As the goals have decreased for Zucker, his game’s physicality has made a sharp incline. He currently sits fifth on the team in hits after finishing first on the Pittsburgh Penguins last season. Zucker has always been a defensively sound forward, and his physical play may make for a solid addition to any postseason-bound team.
With the Coyotes able to retain two more salaries, they could get Zucker’s salary down to $2.65MM without a third team getting involved. With no trade imminent, Zucker could be an enticing piece for the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Vegas Golden Knights, or any contending team looking to bring more defensively-minded forwards into the mix.
What Could Arizona Get For Dumba?
With a couple of rental defensemen off the trade block having been moved in recent days, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams told Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News that he had received more calls in the previous two days about defenseman Erik Johnson than he had cumulatively leading up to that point. The 35-year-old has had a very limited role this year, logging just 13:48 per game, the lowest full-season average of his career while he has just three points – all goals – in 50 games. However, Johnson has 55 career appearances under his belt including a Stanley Cup title with Colorado two years ago and teams could be looking at him as a depth addition for the stretch run. With a $3.25MM price tag, Buffalo will almost certainly have to pay that down to help facilitate a trade if one comes together.
Elsewhere around the NHL:
- Earlier this week, it was reported that the Flames had a first-round pick on the table in an offer for Chris Tanev but declined since it involved taking money back beyond this season. That offer may have been from the Oilers, according to Postmedia’s Kurt Leavins, who says that Edmonton had a first-rounder on the table. Speculatively, that offer may have required taking one of Brett Kulak ($2.75MM through 2025-26) or Cody Ceci ($3.25MM through 2024-25) back to make the money work. Instead, Calgary sent him to Dallas for a second-round pick and prospect Artyom Grushnikov, a deal that kept some money on their books this year but only for this season.
- One of the top rental blueliners left on the market heading into Friday’s deadline, on paper, is Coyotes defenseman Matt Dumba. However, his one-year, $3.9MM deal hasn’t quite worked out as planned as he has been limited to just nine points in 56 games despite logging over 20 minutes a night. Accordingly, PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan suggests that Dumba’s value might be a third-round pick as things stand with the potential to get a second-rounder if they hold back the maximum 50%. The 29-year-old doesn’t have any trade protection in his contract.
Afternoon Notes: Keller, Blackwood, Lyubushkin
Star Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller could be back soon, per general manager Bill Armstrong, who designated Keller as day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered in the team’s February 25th game against the Winnipeg Jets. Keller will miss the team’s Sunday game against the Washington Capitals, marking his fourth absence with this injury.
Alexander Kerfoot has slotted into the team’s top-line center role in Keller’s absence, scoring two points in his last three games. That brings Kerfoot’s totals up to 35 points in 60 games – the second-most he’s scored in the last five years. But it pales in comparison to Keller, who leads the Coyotes in scoring by nine points, with 22 goals and 52 points in 56 games. He and winger Matias Maccelli are the team’s only players to break 40 points so far this season, through Arizona’s first 60 games.
Keller’s upgrade to a day-to-day designation is exciting progression for a Coyotes team that’s lost 16 of their last 19 games, getting outscored 49-to-76. Keller continues to be a major piece of Arizona’s offense, averaging over 19 minutes of ice time this season, and will likely slot immediately back into their top forward role when he’s healthy.
Other notes from around the league:
- San Jose Sharks goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood traveled with the team to face the Minnesota Wild and is trending towards making a return this week, per Sheng Peng with NBC Sports. Blackwood has been facing an undisclosed injury since the team’s Tuesday night loss to the New Jersey Devils, missing San Jose’s last two games. The injury earned Blackwood a spot on injured reserve on Wednesday, making San Jose’s upcoming Tuesday matchup against the Dallas Stars the earliest that he could return. He’s faced a string of injuries this season but has still operated as San Jose’s starter, recording nine wins and a .899 save percentage in 35 games.
- Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin has a head injury, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe, after receiving a hit to the head from New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe. Keefe had some choice words for Rempe’s hit, slamming the rookie winger for leaving his feet and taking a player out of the game. There is currently no timetable for Lyubushkin’s return. He was in his first game with the Leafs this season, after joining the team via trade from the Anaheim Ducks earlier in the week.
Coyotes Likely To Trade Matt Dumba Regardless Of Return
On Wednesday, the Stars’ acquisition of Chris Tanev from the Flames marked the first major pre-deadline deal involving a defenseman. As such, the past 36 hours have allowed for reporting to uncover more information about the days preceding the trade and what impacts it could have on the defense market in the week leading up to the trade deadline.
Among the finalists for Tanev were the Avalanche, Canucks, Maple Leafs, and Oilers, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun said on Thursday’s episode of “Insider Trading.” Toronto was in conversations later than other teams, as LeBrun reports Leafs GM Brad Treliving had discussions with the Flames’ front office as late as hours before Tanev was dealt to Dallas.
LeBrun confirmed that Treliving’s lack of willingness to part with a first-round pick caused Calgary to ultimately decline their offer. However, the Flames’ interest in Stars defense prospect Artyom Grushnikov is quickly looking like what turned the tides in Dallas’ favor. That’s because the Flames had a first-round pick on the table in an offer from another team, but it was contingent on Calgary taking an NHL roster player with term back in the deal – something Calgary GM Craig Conroy wasn’t willing to do, LeBrun said.
Other reporting indicates Edmonton was most likely the team that packaged a first-round pick in their offer for Tanev. They’re continuing to shop this year’s first-rounder, along with a roster player, likely defensemen Cody Ceci or Brett Kulak, for an upgrade on defense, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports.
Calgary’s decision to forego a first-round pick may have a domino effect on other sellers, too, TSN’s Chris Johnston added on “Insider Trading.” The Flyers are looking for one in return for shutdown blue-liners Nick Seeler and Sean Walker, while the Coyotes are hoping for one in exchange for Matt Dumba. Johnston added that the Flyers may be inclined to hold onto Seeler and Walker past the deadline and continue holding extension talks if they don’t get an offer they like. Meanwhile, the Coyotes are more likely to ship out Dumba for the best available offer regardless of whether a first-rounder is included.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet also reported on Friday’s “32 Thoughts” episode that Conroy took one last pass at signing Tanev to an extension shortly before the trade to Dallas went through. However, Tanev felt too much time had passed and that the team was too deep in trade talks, and preferred a move to a contender before testing the market again next summer.
In response, Friedman wondered if the Flames may now add a cheap NHL-ready blue-liner to help mitigate the loss of Tanev down the stretch. The team is in no condition to spend significant assets in a trade after selling off Tanev, Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov earlier in the season. Still, a mid- or late-round pick may be in play to avoid overplaying depth defenders like Dennis Gilbert, Jordan Oesterle and Brayden Pachal.
They’re not out of the playoff picture yet, as a 7-3-0 run in their last 10 games has them in ninth place in the Western Conference. However, there’s a seven-point gap between them and the similarly streaking Predators for the second wild-card spot, a tricky measure to close with less than two months left in the year if Nashville keeps up their pace.